PSA: Halfway There, Growing Forward
A mid-year check-in with new energy, deeper purpose, and exciting next steps for The Feel Good Life.
Welcome to The Feel Good Life! A newsletter about health, prevention, empathy, and hope. Join me, Dr. Mariana, as I explore all sides of good health and a good life. New around here? Get started.
Hello, dear readers!
Dr. Mariana here from The Feel Good Life.
I’m reaching out with a few updates after a short pause over the past 3–4 weeks while I was busy preparing for a big move and traveling.
For the past two years, I’ve been dividing my time between Scotland and Costa Rica, grateful to spend precious moments with family and to pursue a lifelong opportunity that came my way in 2023. It’s been a true blessing, though every move brings its own challenges and transitions.
Now, as I settle in and navigate the usual jet lag, I want to share where we stand with the newsletter—especially as we hit the mid-year mark. Time really does fly!
1. Series: The Human Body Systems
At the beginning of the year, we began exploring the six main systems of the human body, aiming to cover one system each month. So far, we have fully covered the basics, the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, and we are now halfway through the respiratory system. Everyone can access the full series here.
As the series has developed, I’ve realised the need to slow down the pace to ensure the content maintains high quality. This approach allows for the intensive research and thoughtful writing required, while also giving readers time to catch up and truly absorb the material.
We will successfully continue the series with these adjustments in mind, for the sake of good reading and comprehension. As an educator, I believe it’s most important that concepts are well understood rather than rushing to meet a specific timeline. All systems as promised, will come your way through the following months, calmly and consistently.
2. Audio-Newsletters
As part of this year’s plan, I promised to bring you audio versions of the newsletters in this series—and I’m happy to report that they’re on the way! I’m currently wrapping up the recordings and final sound edits so I can upload them for you to enjoy. These will be available exclusively for paid subscribers, and they’ll be landing in your inbox later this month. Stay tuned!
3. The Green Prescription Club
Since February, we’ve been making our way through Season Two of the beloved Green Prescriptions series*. This season is structured in two parts: first, a deeper dive into outdoor activities and the science behind their benefits; and second, laying the groundwork to help you organise your own local outdoor movement. We’ve just begun the second part, introducing the Local Outdoors Leader for Better Health initiative while I prepare everything to bring you along into the heart of the Scottish summer. Over the coming months, I’ll be showing you how to bring this ambitious vision to life, step by step, in the real world.
*The Green Prescription Club is exclusive for paid subscribers. It also includes behind-the-scenes over our private group chat & Whatsapp community. Come join us!
4. A New Voice & Practical Advice
Over the past few months, the work I’ve been doing here has been deeply encouraging. It’s pushed me to read more than I have in years—and it’s been incredibly rewarding. But it’s also made me realise something important:
I love writing about health science. But there’s another part of my voice—a quieter, more reflective side—that’s been waiting to be heard.
It’s a part that still relates to health, but in a broader, more human way…
…a way that speaks to life experience, personal wisdom, and deeper reflections.
Lately, I’ve been feeling a strong urge to express this side of myself more authentically. To write with more presence, honesty, and heart. So I want to bring more of that into this newsletter.
At the same time, I also want to offer more practical content. I’ve been dedicated to build a library of knowledge that I’m proud of. But now it’s time to make that knowledge more actionable.
Understanding concepts is essential, it’s the foundation. But without action, understanding alone isn’t enough. Prevention only works when we actually do something with what we know.
So from here on, I’m committed to sharing a more honest and human voice—one that speaks not just from the mind, but from the heart. I want to offer simple, useful tools you can actually apply in your daily life, and continue exploring health in a way that blends both science and soul.
I’m excited to keep growing this newsletter. But I’ve also realised that for the Feel Good philosophy to truly expand, the work must go beyond the newsletter. There’s so much to build, in myself and out in the world.
As I continue to grow in this online, entrepreneurial role as doctor with a non-traditional view of medicine, I’m committed to doubling down on creating content and projects that are truly useful. I hope the work so far has been meaningful to you—and I believe what’s coming next has the potential to make an even greater impact.
If this direction resonates with you, I hope you’ll stay. I want this community to grow. I also want to learn more about you—the readers who make this possible.
Who are you? What inspires you? What do you enjoy doing and reading? What moves you in life? I want to know.
Which is why I’m bringing…
5. Free 30-Minute Calls Coming Soon
I’ll soon be opening up a small number of 30-minute calls—casual, friendly conversations for anyone who’s curious to connect and get to know the person behind The Feel Good Life. These won’t be medical consultations, just real, open chats about life, health, or whatever’s on your mind. They’ll be completely free and open to anyone who feels called to join. I’ll be sharing all the details very soon, so stay tuned!
I’m eager about all these things.
These past six months have been an amazing journey, figuring out what I truly want to bring to the table, while also finding the right pace, rhythm, and variety of content that feels good for both me and you, my readers. I’m deeply grateful for this platform and the chance it gives me to teach, share, and connect. And soon, I hope to expand even further, exploring new ideas, formats, and pathways for The Feel Good Life to keep growing and evolving.
Thank you all for being here!
Let’s build this together.
Much love,
Dr. Mariana
PS: I’d love to hear from you! Hit reply and tell me what you think about these updates, or simply say hi. What’s inspiring you right now?
Thanks for the updates, Mariana! Looking forward to what's ahead.