Publisher Letter

Dear Natural Awakenings family,

Perhaps it is the beauty of the season, everything blooming and stretching toward the light. Perhaps it is the quiet reminder that life moves in seasons, and each one brings its own lessons, its own mercies and its own reasons to be grateful. But most of all, May is personal to me because it is my birthday month. As May 30 approaches, I find myself reflecting more deeply than usual—on life, on growth, on the goodness of God and on the grace of being allowed to see another year.

The older I get, the more I understand that birthdays are about so much more than marking time. They are opportunities to pause and take inventory of the heart. To remember where you have been, what you have survived, what has shaped you and who has walked beside you along the way. This month, I am especially mindful of the people that have had a profound impact on my life, especially the women whose love, strength, wisdom and example have poured into me over the years. Some encouraged me with their words. Some nurtured me through their presence. Some challenged me to grow. And some left fingerprints on my life that time will never erase.

When I reflect on this month’s theme, Vitality Her Way, I cannot help but think about how deeply personal vitality really is.

For so many women, life becomes a cycle of giving, nurturing, showing up and carrying what needs to be carried. We pour into our families, our work, our communities and the people we love. We become so accustomed to being needed that we sometimes forget we have needs too. Somewhere along the way, many women were taught—whether directly or silently—that caring for themselves is selfish. But I want to say clearly: self-care is not selfish.

Caring for yourself is wisdom. It is stewardship. It is an act of honoring the life and body you have been given.

Self-care does not have to be elaborate. Sometimes it looks like rest. Sometimes it looks like boundaries. Sometimes it is drinking more water, taking the walk, making the appointment, saying no without guilt, or allowing yourself a quiet moment to breathe and simply be. Sometimes it is protecting your peace. Sometimes it is giving yourself permission to heal.

Vitality does not have to look like anyone else’s version of wellness. It can be gentle. It can be intentional. It can be deeply personal. It is your unique way. 

As I prepare to celebrate another year of life, I do so with a full heart—grateful for every lesson, every season, every person that has loved me well and every opportunity still ahead. My prayer for every woman reading this is that she would embrace the kind of care that restores her, strengthens her and reminds her that she, too, is worthy of the same love she so freely gives away.

With love and gratitude,