Hey, I’m Tracey, those are my monkeys and this is my circus (and, for the next few months, my real life labratory!)

Better in Theory is a personal experiment in closing the gap between knowing what improves wellbeing and actually doing it.

After breaking my ankle and being forced to slow down, I realised I’d spent years reading books, listening to podcasts, studying psychology and collecting self-improvement strategies, while being far less consistent at implementing them than I’d like to admit.

This blog follows my attempt to change that.

Every few weeks I’ll test a new habit, behaviour change or wellbeing intervention—starting with giving up alcohol—and document what happens in real life. No perfect conditions, no curated wellness lifestyle, just the messy reality of juggling social work, ADHD, perimenopause, parenting three boys, relationships, responsibilities and the general chaos of everyday life.

Each experiment explores:

Why a change is needed – the personal story and honest self-reflection.
What the science says – research, psychology and evidence behind the habit.
What actually happens – the wins, struggles, failures and unexpected lessons.
The measurable impacts – sleep, mood, energy, fitness, recovery, HRV and general quality of life.

Part accountability project, part self-experiment, and part writing therapy, this blog is about curiosity rather than perfection. It’s a place to explore what truly makes a difference—and what sounds better in theory than it works in practice.

Better in Theory?  Still to be proven…