Hello, friends. Welcome to the Wabi-Sabi podcast. This is episode number 194, the quiet work of staying well. How to take care of your mind when life begins to get really heavy. I know it's dark. It's getting cold. The world is full of melancholy. It's fall. And it is time to talk about mental

wellness, but not in that way where we're going to get sad and bored in a way where Candice can share

some tips and tricks that I actually use in my everyday life. Now, keep in mind that this is a practice for everyone, but also do what

works for you. You might have three kids. You might have three jobs. You may be juggling three men

in your rolodex, which is, by the way, a very small rolodex. So good on you. You could grow it bigger, though.

But whatever it is regardless, like, you might also be really lonely. Like, this is the time of

year where people start to think about the holidays and they get really cringy about how lonely

they're going to get or they get ready for cuffing

season. But I want to share with you why it really matters heading into winter, how we can help

with small free habits to make us feel human again. This is that quiet work, the internal work that nobody sees,

but it has a humongous, free payoff for better mental health. So why this matters? Well,

the Surgeon General in 2023 advised that lacking social connection is as harmful to health as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.

58% of the U.S. adults report feeling lonely on a regular basis.

So here are a couple things that can really help, not just with loneliness, but with your mental wellness.

And then maybe you can like nudge your friend and say,

hey, good on you practicing that mental wellness. Number one, protecting your peace, the new

mental health frontier. In 2023, a Stanford University study found that excessive smartphone

and usage and just really being on social media all day

really disrupts your dopamine signaling. That means that when you're on your phone all day,

you're increasing anxiety, especially in young adults. And that's why I also reach out to the young gals on my team.

A couple of guys here and there, but more women. And I try to encourage them to do as much as they

can off of their foam. In 2022, another study showed that a one week break from social media improved mood and reduced depression by 57%.

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