By Kavya Thathsarani

Let’s be real. When someone mentions well-being, most of us picture a girl doing yoga at sunrise or a guy sipping green juice while manifesting his dream life. But well-being is not some Instagram trend or aesthetic. They are the little things that make life feel like it is worth living. 

According to the World Health Organisation, well-being is not the absence of illness. It is about feeling good, handling stress, being productive, and finding meaning in life while contributing to your community. So, it is more important to bounce back when life gets difficult than it is to be happy all the time.

The concept of well-being varies from person to person. For some people, it’s blasting music while cleaning their room. For others, it’s being around friends or just chilling with a good book with the phone in DND mode. Therefore, what works for you might not work for someone else, and that is totally okay! 

What impacts our well-being
A lot of research focuses on individual habits like getting enough sleep, eating well, getting sunlight, connecting with others, or doing something that feels meaningful. While all of that helps, we should not forget that well-being is not a formula. Most of the research is based on snapshots of people’s lives. So we know certain things help, but we do not always know why or to what extent. 

The reality is that some things are just out of control. There will be days when you do everything ‘right’ and still feel off. This does not mean that you are broken; it proves that you are a normal person trying to live in this messy world. 

Another significant but commonly excluded construct is stigma, especially when it comes to Mental Health. When individuals feel judged for struggling, they tend to stay silent and do not reach out for help. They pretend to be fine until it burns them out. That silence is heavy, and it seriously affects their well-being.

Stigma also hits self-worth. A person might start thinking they are weak just because they are not okay. This can decrease their empowerment, motivation, and overall health. 

Keep in mind, we are all human. And hiding your struggles? That does not help you or protect your well-being; it erodes it. 

You don’t need a glow-up to be okay
Let’s talk about Gen Z for a second. We are done with fake positivity and hustle culture. We want boundaries, rest, and real talk. But it is not always easy; even we sometimes feel like we have to fix everything about ourselves to be ‘well’ and ‘happy.’ Like, if we are not journaling every day or doing yoga at 6 AM, we are failing and falling behind. That is a lie!

Wellbeing is not about having perfect routines or glow-ups, but more like checking in with yourself. Asking simple things like: Am I burnt out? Do I need to talk to someone? Or what is the last time I did something that made me happy and content with life?

Remember, some days you will feel unstoppable. Other days, you might not even feel like getting out of bed. These are the days when you should be there for yourself. Just brushing your teeth is a win, too. What matters is giving yourself grace and finding what feels good to you, not what looks good online. 

So no, you don’t need lemon water and a five-step morning routine to be okay and feel good about yourself. You just need to have faith, be kind, and be real, even when it gets messy. That is the real glow-up!