Another holiday season is upon us—but in this whirlwind of festivities, it’s important to carve out moments to pause, breathe, reflect, and nourish your senses. Here at Natural Awakenings, we hope to fill you with glimmers of inspiration to make the season rejuvenating and memorable. So join me and savor all the holiday cheer this issue has in store!   

This month’s feature article, “The Joy of Minimalism,” is all about embracing the simple life to nurture physical health, mental resilience, and emotional serenity. Paring down material items will clear more space for authentic, sustainable, and joyful living to take root, so learn how to declutter your environment, streamline your finances, reduce your waste, and help create an eco-conscious pathway for the next generation to follow.   

While we’re on the subject of cultivating simplicity, this month’s “Fit Body” article explores a few consistent, straightforward tips to prioritize your fitness goals over the holiday season. This time of year is hectic, but with a strategic plan, you can still make room for intentional movement in your schedule. Not to mention, exercise will help you navigate the season with balance, stamina, mindfulness, energy, and focus.  

Finally, the start of November marks World Vegan Day, so we would be remiss not to extol the many benefits of plant-based nutrition. Our “Conscious Eating” article for this month offers festive, healthy menu ideas to make vegetables, fruits, and other plant-based ingredients the main focal points of your seasonal table. From appetizers to entrees or even dessert, you can serve a holiday meal that’s so irresistible, no one will miss the meat.   

On behalf of the whole Natural Awakenings team, thank you for inviting us to be a part of your seasonal celebrations. This time of year is special, but it can also be frenetic, so please remember to care for yourself and prioritize moments of rest. We’ll see you back here next month to continue the festivities, while also looking ahead to 2024!