Is wellness finally getting less boring?

The Global Wellness Institute released their new Global Wellness Summit’s Future of Wellness 2026 trends report the other day, and something surprising unfolded: the wellness industry began publicly questioning the advice it spent the last decade selling.

Why wellness is finally moving beyond perfection

According to the report, there is noticeably less obsession with perfect routines, extreme optimisation, and how far the human body can be pushed, tracked, measured, and engineered into compliance.

For years, wellness promised to outsmart biology if you just had the right data, the right protocol, and the right discipline. But the report makes a rare admission that this framework comes with a real human cost.

The report puts it plainly: “We’re living through a paradox: never before has wellbeing been so measurable—and never before has it felt so psychologically demanding.”

How to make wellness a little less boring

If you have done everything “right” and still feel exhausted, anxious, or behind, that is the reason. All the while you were under pressure! Our bodies aren’t machines. We’re people longing for meaningful lives. What’s emerging finally is a smarter, more integrated, more whole-human version of wellness.

Join wellness meet-ups

People are increasingly organising their own free or affordable wellness-based gatherings—these can usually be found through local groups on social media. Every month you can meet at a common place to do yoga and meditate together, and they also come together for online meditation sessions over Zoom. Or arrange a regular meetup where people come together for curated wellness experiences—like a Pilates class, followed by a beauty experience.

Start gardening (even if you don't have a garden)

This does not mean you need to spend a lot of money on exotic plants. Just some plants that need less maintenance are enough. Studies show that gardening boosts physical and mental wellbeing. If you live in a small apartment, you can nurture indoor plants. There are so many options in the market.

Take up a hobby

Hobbies once seen as old-fashioned—for instance, birdwatching to crocheting—are finding a new audience as people look for inexpensive ways to improve their wellbeing. Research suggests that just 30 minutes of birdwatching can boost happiness, improve wellbeing and help people feel more connected to nature. Research has also linked crochet with improved wellbeing, with people saying it helped them cope with stress, grief, chronic illness and other life challenges.

Get moving

You don’t need to go to the gym to keep fit. There are plenty of ways to stay active without spending much money. You can do bodyweight workouts or yoga at the peace and quiet of your home or run at a community park. Bodyweight training requires little or no equipment; it's an easy way to improve strength, flexibility and co-ordination. Running has also grown in popularity, with many adults now taking part.

The focus is no longer on looking good alone but on feeling good. Your mental wellbeing matters more than anything else.

—manuvipin@newindianexpress.com

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