recovery feels less like a break and more like an achievement unlocked.

Mirroring traditional occupational burnout, it is rooted in personal lifestyle choices rather than professional obligations. The irony is stark: practices meant to alleviate stress – like meditation, clean eating or fitness challenges – can become stressful when pursued too hard, too often. For many, wellness has shifted from being a source of joy... See more

“⁠The antidote to the alienating spiral of self-optimisation is collective joy, like dancing badly in the dance class,” and later, “I guess, in the end, it all circles back to the same thing as always – commodification. Is there any way to escape this loop?”

Wellness isn’t an extra. It’s the edge

63% of people globally feel that the pressure to be well is impacting their wellbeing; only 23% feel that they are currently meeting society’s expectations of what it means to be well.

Jia Tolentino’s 2019 essay in The Guardian, “Athleisure, Barre and Kale: the Tyranny of the Ideal Woman”, which resonates even more today: “Most pleasures end up being traps, and every public-facing demand escalates in perpetuity.”

Success in this culture is measured not just by professional or personal achievements but by how well you adhere to an ever-expanding list of wellness trends. It always seems like there’s another benchmark to hit. Social media significantly amplifies this competition – curated snapshots create unrealistic expectations and foster comparison, leaving... See more