From my observations, it seems happy marriages are able to maintain normalcy between two individuals as time passes. Mothers are most content when their post-baby life is in harmony with their prior life. And, those who sustain healthy lifestyles year-round can endure the ebbs and flows of motivation. Sudden changes in any of these cases can trigger stress and doubt. Drastic shifts can be so disorienting that it takes as much energy to recover from as it does to plan for.

Negative or positive, few life events are transformative to the core of an individual. Identities and values are set at a young age with challenges in place to grow. When break-ups or a health diagnosis unexpectedly spring up, for instance, change itself brings as much discomfort as losing grip of who was there before. Then again, the more we fight the current, the more it pushes back. Maybe the trick is flowing with it, equipped with new skills and experience to redirect the sail to work in one’s favor? Whatever comes and however it comes, at least the inner femme is always in control.

Life continues switching gears, circumstances will change, and the next thing you know it’ll be 2050. Rather than doing a complete 180 on everything and accomplishing all of the things, be easy. Let’s first know ourselves intimately enough so when shifts occur, whether monumental or inconsequential, we handle them in our own way —the most effortless way possible.

So, if I may, dedicate this next issue to a re-education. Taking time to get to know ourselves so our choices are extensions of our roots. Homes reflect how we truly live, wardrobes remain uncomplicated, health is a loving companion to life, and relationships marry shared values. If we start from here, I think we’ll discover the good life’s been sitting pretty in our hands all along.

Happy New Year, my loves! Thank you for giving our team a reason to keep going. You made 2018 one for the books.

x

Juley