That question sits at the heart of Episode 10 of Facing Dementia with Laurin Wittig. Our conversation began with “the funk”—those times when motivation changes, familiar practices lose their appeal, and we can feel disconnected from the very things we thought were supporting our wellbeing. But as Laurin shared what had been unfolding in her own life, we discovered something much bigger: sometimes a new perspective is the opening that allows change to happen.

Moving From “Good for Me” to “I Look Forward to This”

Laurin described becoming tired of continually choosing activities because they were supposed to be “good for my brain,” and then feeling disappointed when she did not follow through. Her shift was surprisingly simple. Instead of asking only what she should do for wellness, she began paying attention to what genuinely brought her joy and what kinds of challenges she actually enjoyed.

Movement became an important part of that discovery. Pickleball and line dancing gave her activities she could look forward to rather than obligations she had to complete. From there, other interests began opening again—playing the piano, returning to her writing, spending time in nature, and becoming curious about what might come next.

This is an important distinction within BioEnergetic Wellness. We are not simply asking, “What activity is considered healthy?” We are also asking, “What happens within me when I engage with this activity? What do I notice? What invites me back?” Awareness gives us information that can help us make choices that are meaningful and sustainable.

Movement Is More Than Exercise

Laurin’s choices also gave us an opportunity to explore movement from a broader perspective. Pickleball asks the body to move in multiple directions, respond to changing space, coordinate the eyes and hands, shift weight, anticipate, react, and continually adapt with new partners and games. Line dancing adds rhythm, sequencing, memory, direction changes, timing, and coordination with other people.

Rather than repeating only one familiar pattern, varied movement provides the brain and body with changing sensory and motor information. Learning unfamiliar sequences and coordinating movement in new ways challenges us to adapt and develop new patterns. Just as importantly, choosing movement that is enjoyable can change our relationship with the activity itself—from something we must make ourselves do to something we anticipate with pleasure.

And then something fascinating can happen. Movement can become a doorway into other parts of life. For Laurin, joy in movement was followed by renewed interest in music and writing. One experience did not remain isolated from another. Her world began expanding.

Perspective Sits at the Seat of Change

One of the most important ideas to emerge from our conversation was this: perspective sits at the seat of change.

If we continue trying to “fix” ourselves from the same limiting viewpoint that got us to our current position, we may simply repeat the same strategies with more effort. A different perspective can reveal possibilities that were invisible from where we were standing before.

Laurin experienced this dramatically in her writing. While working on her next book, she realized that she had placed her characters in the wrong relationships. When she stopped forcing the story and allowed herself to rearrange those relationships, an opening appeared. The story could move again.

What a wonderful metaphor for wellness. Sometimes we do not need to try harder. Sometimes something needs to be viewed differently, reorganized, explored, or released. We cannot always predict what will be waiting on the other side of a new viewpoint.

Exploring BioEnergetic Wellness Through Movement

At the Greenwell Center for Holistic Health, our programs are designed to provide opportunities for this kind of exploration. Rather than prescribing one “right” way to move or be well, we use movement, intention, awareness, music, creativity and reflection to help participants notice their own experiences and possibilities.

Tai Chi Skill Building

Our Tai Chi Skill Building classes explore much more than memorizing a sequence of movements. Through Tai Chi, we can investigate time, space, coordination, balance, intention and the relationship between one movement and the next. The series also brings in the arts and other experiential explorations, inviting participants to become curious about how movement can influence perspective and how we organize ourselves within an experience.

The goal is not perfection. It is discovery. A familiar Tai Chi movement can reveal something different when we change our attention, rhythm, direction, intention or relationship with the space around us.

Movement and Music — On Demand

Our Movement and Music on-demand program provides another way to explore wellness through movement at your own pace. The program weaves together movement, intuitive music, intention and tea, with seated and standing possibilities so participants can explore rather than perform.

Music changes the experience of movement. Movement changes how we experience space. Intention changes what we notice. When these elements come together, we have an opportunity to discover responses and possibilities that may not have been available through thought alone.

Tea as a Daily Intention

The teas from the Cape Breton Tea Company add another simple layer to this approach. Each blend carries an intention or affirmation that can turn an ordinary cup of tea into a daily pause for awareness.

The tea does not become another wellness task to complete. Instead, preparing and sipping it can create a moment to reconnect with the goal or intention we are exploring. What do I want to bring into today? What am I noticing? What might I approach differently?

For Episode 10, we shared the new Butterscotch Delight, a combination of black and green tea with honeybush, fruit, flowers, cinnamon and natural flavours. Its affirmation was especially fitting for our conversation:

“May my spirit be deeply comforted, my heart gently opened, and my days rich with connection.”

Sometimes a wellness plan can begin with something that simple: a cup, an intention, a moment of awareness, and permission to notice where the experience leads.

What Might Be Waiting on the Other Side?

Laurin’s journey in this episode reminds us that we do not always know where one joyful choice will lead. Pickleball can lead to line dancing. Movement can rekindle music. Quiet in nature can reveal disconnection. Surrender can reopen a book. A different relationship between fictional characters can illuminate something about the relationships and patterns in our own lives.

That is why perspective matters so much. When the viewpoint changes, possibilities change with it.

As you consider your own wellness plans, try asking something different this week: What do I genuinely look forward to? Then notice where that answer takes you.

Coming Next: We Reverse the Microphones

Our next Facing Dementia conversation takes a fun turn. Laurin returns to her podcast-host role and interviews me.

We will explore a question that grew directly from this episode: Can our wellness practices themselves become a source of pressure?

What happens when exercise, food, sleep, meditation, supplements, brain health and all the things we believe we “should” be doing become another measure of whether we are succeeding or failing? Laurin will bring the questions, and I will explore how the BioEnergetic Wellness Formula can help us shift from surveillance and self-judgment toward awareness, curiosity, adaptability and trust.

In the meantime, explore the BioEnergetic Wellness programs, Tai Chi Skill Building, Movement and Music, wellness resources and daily inspirations available through the Greenwell Center for Holistic Health. And perhaps make your next cup of Cape Breton Tea Company tea an opportunity to pause and ask: What new perspective might be available to me today?

The post When the Funk Hits: How Movement, Intention and a New Perspective Can Open New Possibilities first appeared on Greenwell Center for Holistic Health.

What Happens When Fear No Longer Leads the Journey?

There comes a point in every wellness journey when we realize we have spent years searching for answers.

We have read the books, listened to the experts, changed our diet, added supplements, exercised faithfully, and worried about whether we are doing enough.

Then something unexpected happens.

We begin to trust ourselves.

In this eighth conversation of the Facing Dementia series, author and wellness advocate Laurin Wittig shares a profound realization. After a year of learning everything she could about dementia prevention and brain health, she recognized that continuing to search from a place of fear was no longer serving her.

Instead, she chose trust.

Not because she had all the answers—but because she had developed the wisdom to listen to her own body.

It is a turning point that many of us eventually reach in our own health journeys.

Moving Beyond Fear

Fear can be a powerful motivator.

It encourages us to seek information, develop healthier habits, and become proactive about our wellbeing.

But fear was never intended to become our permanent companion.

Laurin beautifully describes arriving at the place where research had done its job. She had learned enough. She had implemented meaningful lifestyle changes. Now it was time to stop living in anticipation of something that might never happen and begin living fully in the present.

That shift—from fear to trust—is perhaps one of the greatest gifts we can offer ourselves.

The Wisdom Already Lives Within You

One of the most inspiring moments in our conversation is Laurin’s recognition that intuition deserves a place beside knowledge.

Information teaches us.

Experience shapes us.

But intuition allows us to integrate both into everyday living.

Rather than constantly asking,

“What else should I be doing?”

we can begin asking,

“What does my body need today?”

Those are very different questions.

One comes from anxiety.

The other comes from trust.

A BioEnergetic Wellness Perspective

Within the BioEnergetic Wellness Formula, awareness is often the first doorway to transformation.

When our nervous system is overwhelmed by chronic stress, it becomes increasingly difficult to access creativity, intuition, and resilience. We remain focused on protecting ourselves from future threats rather than recognizing the strengths we have already cultivated.

Laurin’s journey reflects one of the core principles of BioEnergetic Wellness: healing is not simply about gathering more information. It is about creating the conditions where the body, mind, emotions, and spirit can work together in harmony.

Through intention, awareness, movement, emotional regulation, community, and intuition, we begin to shift from surviving toward truly thriving.

Trust is not the absence of preparation.

Trust is what allows preparation to become embodied wisdom.

Practical Reflections from This Episode

As you listen, consider these questions:

• Where is fear still making decisions for me?
• What healthy habits have already become part of my life?
• Am I continually searching for new answers instead of appreciating the progress I have made?
• When was the last time I trusted my own intuition?
• How might I create more moments of calm and reflection throughout my day?

Sometimes the greatest transformation comes not from adding another wellness practice, but from recognizing the value of the ones we already have.

Tea Reflection

Before listening to this episode, prepare your favourite cup of tea.

Allow the warmth of the cup to settle into your hands.

Take three slow breaths.

Ask yourself:

“If I trusted my inner wisdom just a little more today, what might change?”

There is no need to rush toward an answer.

Simply notice what arises.

Like tea slowly releasing its flavour, wisdom often unfolds with patience rather than urgency.

Featured Tea: Nature’s Diamonds

As you prepare to listen to this conversation, consider the sharing of Nature’s Diamonds from the Cape Breton Tea Company. This vibrant blend of berries with bright notes of lemon and lime celebrates the abundance found in nature and reminds us that resilience often grows quietly, one day at a time.

The berries offer a rich source of antioxidants that support overall wellbeing, while the citrus provides a refreshing lift that awakens the senses and symbolizes clarity, hope, and renewal. Together, they create a cup that is both comforting and energizing—an invitation to pause, reflect, and appreciate the strength that already lives within you.

Before taking your first sip, pause for a moment and repeat this affirmation:

“With every sip, I absorb the radiant vitality of nature’s diamonds. I trust the wisdom within me, embrace each day with gratitude, and allow resilience to guide my journey toward vibrant health and joyful living.”

As the tea steeps, notice its colour, breathe in its aroma, and allow this simple ritual to become a moment of mindfulness. Like Laurin’s journey from fear to trust, wellness unfolds one intentional choice at a time. Sometimes the greatest healing comes not from searching for something new, but from recognizing and appreciating the gifts that have been quietly growing within us all along.

About Laurin Wittig

Laurin Wittig is an award-winning author, intuitive guide, and passionate advocate for healthy aging and dementia prevention.

Her journey has been deeply influenced by a family history of dementia, inspiring years of research, lifestyle exploration, and personal growth. Today, Laurin shares not only evidence-informed strategies for supporting brain health but also the importance of trusting ourselves, cultivating joy, reducing stress, and embracing life with curiosity rather than fear.

Her message reminds us that wellness is not about perfection.

It is about living fully today.

Watch and Listen

Watch this episode on YouTube

Insert YouTube video here

Listen on Buzzsprout

Insert Buzzsprout player here

Continue the Facing Dementia Journey

If this conversation resonated with you, explore the earlier episodes in the series as we examine the many dimensions of brain health, resilience, emotional wellbeing, and healthy aging.

Each conversation offers practical tools that empower you to become an active participant in your own wellness journey.

Continue Your Wellness Journey

At the Greenwell Center for Holistic Health, we believe that lasting wellbeing grows through small, intentional actions practiced consistently over time.

Explore our growing collection of resources including:

• BioEnergetic Wellness programs
• Tai Chi for healthy aging
• NeuroArts and creative wellness experiences
• Educational workshops and online courses
• The Be Well with Dr. Michelle Greenwell Podcast
• Cape Breton Tea Company wellness teas designed to inspire mindful moments throughout your day

Every resource has been created to help you discover practical, empowering ways to support your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellbeing.

Because wellness is not simply about preventing illness.

It is about creating a life filled with vitality, purpose, connection, and joy.

We’d Love to Hear From You

What part of Laurin’s story spoke most deeply to you?

Have you experienced a moment when you realized it was time to move from fear toward trust?

Share your reflections in the comments below.

And if this conversation encouraged you, please consider sharing it with someone who may also benefit from these insights.

Together, we can build healthier communities—one conversation, one practice, and one intentional moment at a time.

The post Facing Dementia: From Fear to Trust – Listening to Your Inner Wisdom Before Dementia Begins first appeared on Greenwell Center for Holistic Health.