Mental fitness in the Wānaka bubble: How to live the dream while staying grounded

What if your everyday habits were either building or breaking your mental health — without you even realising?

Wānaka is often seen as the dream location for it’s natural playground, lifestyle and community. But beneath the beauty, many locals feel the quiet pressures of hustle, comparison, financial stretch, and doing it all.

Run by Philly Powell from Wellbeing First, this interactive workshop invites people to reflect on how they’re really doing mentally and offers tools to support mental fitness in a way that’s sustainable and authentic.

In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore what mental fitness really looks like in the messy middle of modern life. You’ll be guided through a powerful reflection exercise to map your weekly actions and uncover the small ways you’re either supporting or sabotaging your own wellbeing.

Through guided exercises, shared insights, and the science of wellbeing (including the DOSE model), participants will walk away with greater clarity, realistic strategies, and a refreshed sense of what it means to “live the dream” — while staying grounded in the process. Come along if you're feeling stretched, stuck, or just want practical tools to bring your mental health into sharper focus.