In a world where burnout has become commonplace, wellness has evolved from an occasional luxury into an everyday necessity. According to the American Psychological Association, more than three-quarters of adults report experiencing physical symptoms related to stress, while younger professionals are reporting unprecedented levels of exhaustion and emotional fatigue. As conversations around longevity, prevention, and mental well-being continue to reshape healthcare and lifestyle choices, one entrepreneur has quietly helped lead the charge.
Lisa Michaelis, founder and CEO of Live Love Spa, established National Wellness Month in 2018 with a simple yet ambitious goal: encourage people to prioritize their physical, mental, and emotional well-being through consistent self-care practices. Today, National Wellness Month has grown into a nationally recognized observance each August, inspiring individuals, wellness professionals, employers, and brands across the country to make wellness a daily habit rather than an occasional indulgence.
For Michaelis, wellness has never been about perfection. “It’s about creating simple, sustainable habits that allow people to feel their best every day,” she says. “When you practice daily self-care, you aren’t just pampering yourself—you are actively managing your nervous system. That changes everything.”
That philosophy has become the foundation of Live Love Spa, the business-to-business platform Michaelis created to connect the spa and wellness industry through immersive events, product discovery, education, and a marketplace that brings together innovators from across the wellness ecosystem. Rather than functioning as a traditional trade show, Live Love Spa creates environments where decision-makers can experience products firsthand, build meaningful relationships, and discover emerging trends that ultimately shape wellness offerings for consumers around the world.
This August, that mission takes center stage as Live Love Spa hosts its annual National Wellness Month celebration in downtown Los Angeles. More than 350 attendees—including executives and spa leaders representing luxury hospitality brands such as Marriott, Hilton, Four Seasons, Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton, Montage, Fairmont, Life Time, and Equinox—will gather alongside more than 60 wellness brands, media representatives, and creators to explore the future of self-care.
The timing couldn’t be more relevant.
As consumers increasingly prioritize prevention over treatment, the wellness industry is experiencing rapid transformation. To better understand that evolution, Live Love Spa recently conducted its inaugural Spa & Wellness Industry Trends Survey, collecting insights from thousands of wellness and spa professionals across the country.
The findings reveal a significant shift in consumer priorities.
Longevity and healthy aging emerged as the industry’s dominant growth opportunity, with 84 percent of respondents identifying it as the most influential trend shaping the future of wellness. Women’s health, mental well-being, sleep optimization, and skincare longevity followed closely behind, reflecting consumers’ growing desire to invest in proactive health rather than reactive care.
The survey also highlighted the growing demand for preventative diagnostics and wellness travel, illustrating how consumers increasingly view vacations, retreats, and health assessments as investments in long-term quality of life.
Meanwhile, wellness is moving beyond spas and into people’s homes. At-home technologies— including red light therapy devices, recovery tools, and sleep-support innovations— continue to gain momentum as consumers look for convenient, affordable ways to incorporate wellness into everyday routines.
Another notable finding centers on sustainability. Wellness consumers increasingly expect brands to embrace environmentally responsible practices, from sustainable sourcing and thoughtful packaging to local partnerships and water conservation initiatives.
Michaelis also sees a cultural shift redefining what healthy aging looks like.
“Today’s Baby Boomers are reinventing aging,” she explains. “They’re traveling, starting second careers, competing in athletic events, learning new skills, and investing in their health in ways previous generations never imagined.”
Financial wellness also emerged as one of the industry’s fastest-growing conversations.
As inflation and economic uncertainty continue to impact households, consumers are increasingly looking for practical wellness solutions that fit within realistic budgets. Rather than focusing exclusively on luxury experiences, the industry is responding with accessible products and affordable daily habits that make self-care attainable for more people.
That accessibility has become central to Michaelis’ vision. “You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars at a spa to improve your well-being,” she says. “There are simple practices people can start today that support better sleep, reduce stress, improve recovery, and create healthier routines.”
Those ideas come to life throughout Live Love Spa’s National Wellness Month celebration, where attendees experience everything from recovery technologies and skincare innovations to expert-led education, wellness treatments, and forecasts highlighting what’s next for the industry.
The event also serves as the launch of the free National Wellness Month 31-Day Wellness Challenge, offering consumers practical daily actions that encourage healthier habits throughout August
For Michaelis, however, success isn’t measured by attendance numbers or product launches.
It’s measured by whether people leave inspired to care for themselves more intentionally. “Even if you can’t attend in person, I encourage everyone to focus on choosing at least one new wellness habit that appeals to them and post about it with the hashtag #IChooseWellness to inspire someone else to do the same.”
