Hello Friend, 

In Western culture, we’ve been taught that health is simple: if you’re sick, you go to the doctor. They run some tests, maybe give you a prescription, and send you on your way. If everything looks “normal” during a checkup, you’re told you’re healthy. But is that really what health is? Just not being sick? It’s a pretty low bar, and it leaves out so much of what it means to truly feel good in your life.

When it comes to mental health, this system breaks down even more. There’s still so much stigma—so many people feel ashamed to ask for help, like it means they’ve failed. And if they do reach out it’s often only when things have gotten really bad, with the lack of care too many people go without support. That’s not how it should be. Mental health isn’t just about surviving; it’s about thirving. It’s about feeling calm, capable, and connected to the people and things that matter to you.

The Positives of the Current Model

To be fair, the current system excels in many ways. It’s particularly effective at addressing acute health problems. Think about going to the emergency room for a broken arm. The system is designed to triage, diagnose, and treat the injury efficiently. You get X-rays, a cast, and a plan for healing. These systems are indispensable for stabilizing acute conditions and preventing further harm.

But while the system is excellent at responding to immediate crises, it struggles to address the underlying factors that lead to them in the first place. It’s like stopping a heart attack without asking what can be done to prevent it from happening in the first place.

Why Our Current Model Isn’t Working

Our healthcare system is stuck in a reactive mindset. It’s designed to patch things up after they’ve fallen apart, but it doesn’t do much to help us stay strong in the first place. This approach is especially problematic for mental health, where prevention, resilience-building, and early intervention are often overlooked.

There’s also this idea that you’re either sick or healthy. No in-between. But life doesn’t work like that. Health isn’t black and white—it’s more like a sliding scale. You can’t just ask, “Am I sick or healthy?” You have to ask, “Am I moving toward feeling better, or am I sliding toward feeling worse?”

Redefining What It Means to Be Healthy

Let’s break it down. Health is the basics—your body and mind working the way they should. Wellness is the process—the things you do every day to take care of yourself. And well-being? That’s the big picture. It’s the feeling of being grounded, fulfilled, and alive. These three things—health, wellness, and well-being—aren’t separate. They’re connected, and they’re always in motion.

Think of it like a path. Are your choices today moving you toward more energy, more joy, more peace? Or are they pulling you in the other direction? Even small actions add up over time. Every step matters.

What Shapes Our Health

It’s not just about what we do. Our environment plays a huge role, too. Things like access to good food, safe housing, supportive relationships, and quality healthcare make a difference. These are called social determinants of health, and they’re not always within our control. But when we understand how they impact us, we can start to find ways to navigate them and focus on the areas where we do have power.

Focusing on What’s Right

Too often, we get stuck on what’s wrong. What’s broken. What needs fixing. And while it’s important to address those things, we can’t forget to celebrate what’s working. What’s good. What’s already helping us feel stronger.

This is especially true for mental health. A lot of the tools we use—surveys, assessments, conversations—are focused on problems. But what if we asked different questions? What are your strengths? What coping skills have gotten you through tough times before? What brings you joy, even on hard days? Positive psychology teaches us that building on what’s good is just as important as addressing what’s hard.

Bringing Back the Human Touch

Our healthcare system is so focused on protocols and checklists that it often forgets the most important part: the human being at the center of it all. Everyone’s journey is different. What works for one person might not work for another. That’s why care needs to be flexible, creative, and deeply personal.

Health isn’t just numbers on a chart or pills in a bottle. It’s about how you feel in your body, your mind, and your life. It’s about feeling connected to yourself and the world around you. It’s about having the energy to do the things you love and the resilience to get through the challenges.

A New Way Forward

We don’t have to settle for the way things are. There’s a better way. It starts with shifting how we think about health—from something we “fix” when it’s broken to something we nurture every day. It means focusing not just on what’s wrong but on what’s right and using that as a foundation to grow.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. No matter where you are on your journey, you have the power to take a step in the direction of feeling better. You don’t have to do it alone. There are people, tools, and resources ready to support you. But it starts with you deciding that you’re worth the effort. And you are.