Tess Brouwer Wellbeing Warrior

The world feels heavy right now. so here’s what’s been quietly regulating me this week 🤍

saving this here in case any of it helps you too.
1. soul map - coming back to this app when the noise gets loud. a gentle way to check in with yourself. if you know, you know.

02. shrinking (apple tv+) — genuinely the best show on television right now. warm, funny, unexpectedly moving. it will sneak up on you.

03. on substack - i’ve been living in substacks lately and this one has been a slow, grounding read. go check it out.

04. Listening to she co-founded SKIMS and this podcast is a hit of power you need to inspire the inner CEO. I’ve been listening on audio and taking notes like it’s a masterclass. so good.

05. Good food and vitamins . I’ve been out of routine and working hard to get back on track

that’s it. that’s the week. soft landing into the weekend, everyone ☀️

What are the chances my 40th birthday was on word margarita day! Honestly I’ve spent many years hiding from my age, not feeling worthy enough of a celebration. The 30’s were my best and worst. It’s a worthiness story I have battled with time and time again. But this time I owned it. And boy did I feel the love. So this was one where I got to dance, sing, swim, eat the cake, have a margarita, drink tea, ice bath, hike and meditate into my 40th decade. I had a slice of it all. My word of the decade: POWER.
So take it from me : it’s a privilege to be able to Celebrate it. Just do it and Feel the love 💕 Thanks for having us what a special place for family memories.

I found my soul again on this gym floor and what’s even more special is I also found a tribe I didn’t know was missing in my life. Celebrating with my family today and DJ Oli was the energy I’m bringing into this decade. 40!! I really am ready for you.
Thank you for the best kick off to my 40’s ever ❤️💙

Women supporting women is one of the most powerful forces you can feel in a room.

Thank you for bringing us together and inviting us to open the day in the only way we know how: with honesty, openness, tears, and intention.

To who held the impromptu panel with such grace and presence. You know A Wake Up Call inside out, and the way you create space for real conversation is a gift.

And to my wing woman showing up with one leg down but your heart wide open. Sharing your health journey and hard earned wisdom lifted the entire room and quietly set the tone for the day.

To every woman, and the brave men, who leaned into connection, learning, and self empowerment: thank you. Rooms like this remind me what is possible when people choose courage over comfort.

We rise together

Most wellbeing advice isn’t wrong.
It’s just incomplete.

It assumes people have spare time, spare energy, and spare capacity. Most don’t.

Mental fitness is not about trying harder or adding more. It’s about understanding how energy, attention, and nervous systems actually work, inside real lives.

This is the work beneath the quotes.
The layer that actually changes how people feel and function.

Save this if it clarified something you’ve been carrying.

Share this with someone you know is holding too much together 💛💛

Happy 18th birthday to our wise old soul, .wx . You push our thinking and question the world in a way that keeps us all growing. Your fierce loyalty and big heart never go unnoticed. Our forever entrepreneur.

I love the incredible bond you share with your dad, the special love you have with Benji, and the quiet, thoughtful ways you show your care and love for me. Watching you grow into the young man you’re becoming keeps me on my toes and fills me with pride every single day. I’m so proud to call you my stepson. 💙

I didn’t think pausing to find myself was an option - but as it turns out it was the way I found my way home to self love, self forgiveness and a happiness I never thought was possible. I’ve been writing about my way home on Substack to help others turn pain into purpose. Link is in my bio x

I love sharing my wins.
But what you don’t always see behind the scenes…

is the quiet identity shift of becoming a stepmum.

When I met my now husband - a father of three - I felt fear rise.

Not because of them… but because of me.

I had a painful experience with a stepmum growing up. But then my husband said something i’ll never forget:

“What if that time in your life was just preparing you to be a great stepmum?”

and everything softened.

There’s no step parent blue print. It’s a role that evolves only when everyone is involved in supporting it.

You’re not failing. You need support too.

Rules we try, fail and try again:

1. Change over day is the hardest day for the kids. Keep it slow and create a ritual that has no pressure. Fruit platter was our go to. Expect a chaotic dinner at the table as they re-adjust. Met them where they are at. Not what you want from them.

2. Create family rituals. Chips at the park. Hide and seek. Sunday dinner night. A family game that’s a go to. Ours is currently scribble. Highs and lows of the week. As they get older time is limited so use it to connect.

3. Time. Trust builds over time. So does love. You can’t be it all at once. You are in a grey land. Not a mum, not a dad. Not a coach. Sort of a mentor but also not. Just give it time. One on one. Small moments of connection. Apologise when you get it wrong. Which I have done plenty of times.

This post is for anyone walking into love slowly, learning how to hold space for others and themselves.

Save this for the days it feels heavy or tag a stepmum who deserves to feel seen 💛

You don’t need more hustle.

You need more honesty about how you’re feeling.

If you’ve been carrying productivity guilt lately - that heavy, nagging feeling that you should be doing ‘more’ even when you’re completely burnt out - this post is for you.

Here’s what I want you to know:

👉🏼 You are not lazy. You’re tired.

👉🏼 You’re not unmotivated. You’re over-functioning.

👉🏼 Rest isn’t a reward. It’s a requirement.

The next time that guilt creeps in, try this psychology hack:

Your brain gets overwhelmed by too many options, leading to decision fatigue. When stuck, narrow your choices to just two.

Example: Instead of “What should I do today” Ask “Should I go for a walk or read” This tricks your brain into making faster, stress-free decisions.

✨ Save this for the days your output feels tied to your worth.

Sometimes, when you feel the pull between both your purposes, you just need to remind yourself - you’re human.

Last week, I stood in a room with 50 men at our Own Your Truth event, unpacking what it really means to lead from within.

Eight hours of real talk, courage, and vulnerability.

Then, just as the post-event debrief began, I got a call. My 3-year-old was inconsolable.

So I swapped the debrief for live-coaching Benji through my mum’s iPhone and a baby monitor.

Two very different moments.
Same tools. Same truth.

I repeated to my son the same words I’d shared with the men in that room:

You are safe. You are loved. You are not alone.

Sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is hold out our hand and walk someone back to themselves.

Here’s your reminder:
You are enough. You are worthy. You can grow through this.

As they say - such is life. Just one with tools… is a much easier one 💛

Thank you for walking this path with me, and to for hosting us.

This one’s a bit surreal…
is heading to 💛

To be honest, this moment means a lot.
There was a time I couldn’t imagine speaking publicly again - let alone as AN AUTHOR!! sharing the tools that helped me put the pieces back together.

But here we are.
On Saturday 9 August, I’ll be holding space for anyone who’s ready to slow down, tune in, and start living with more intention.

No buzzwords. No pressure to have it all figured out.

Just real conversations, small shifts, and science-backed tools that have changed my life - and are now helping others do the same.

If you’re feeling a bit lost, a bit burnt out, or just ready to write a new chapter… I’d love you to join us

🗓 Saturday 9 August
⏰ 9:00–10:00 AM
📍 Coolamon Tent, Bangalow Showground
🎟 Link in bio or: byronwritersfestival.com/festival-program

Come as you are. Leave with something real.

It’s and a reminder that to be our best selves we have to put our selves first .

We shared or top 7 Tools to Awaken Well on the most iconic location in the rain and the shine with

You are worthy of micro moment of self care.

Thank you for taking care of me to show up this week. Don’t wait for the wake up call. Your wellness starts now x