Welcome, 2012! I can feel the energy shift already. This year is about capitalizing on the happy, energizing your passion, and progressing forward! January is always the “goal” month, so let’s get to our “to dos!” I challenge you to write down what makes you happy and keeps you grounded, and the ways you can make small, positive differences in your world. I also encourage you to take time and make a vision board—cut out pictures that bring meaning to your heart, and find words or phrases that will remind you of your focus!
Moving forward, remember that life isn’t about working, stressing and carrying on. It’s about having fun, being full of laughter, and opening yourself up to exciting new experiences! It’s up to you to make mental changes and decide to choose happiness, regardless of life’s bumps in the road.
The picture for this note was taken in Hawaii, one of the most beautiful places on earth! It was here that I set my intentions for the year and took time to meditate on the beach. I took this time to feel the breeze, listen to the sounds of the waves, and reflect on friends and family who encourage me to seek my passion. I was overcome by a deep sense of gratefulness and completeness, which reminded me that some days you just need to kick off your shoes and put your feet in the sand. Find your time to reflect and rejuvenate this year. Mahalo.
Noted as one of the world’s most influential chefs, with 29 restaurants around the world, Chef Nobu Matsuhisa shares his journey, advice to young chefs, and the most intriguing part—how there are “energies” in cooking. Read my interview “Energies in the Dish” with Chef Nobu as we unfold the secrets and passions to fulfilling your dream, and finding a little flavor of life along the way.
In LIVE, Jeff Hecht talks sustainability with Phoenix’s newly elected Mayor Greg Stanton. Adaptive reuse and renewable energy are some of the initiatives Stanton plans to move forward in the coming years. We also had the pleasure of talking with his wife Nicole Stanton, who shared her thoughts on supporting local business. Congratulations, Mayor Stanton.
This year is your year to shine! In “New Year, New You,” we have the latest beauty tips from a local makeup artist, and Barbi Walker offers ways to help you beat the post-holiday blues in “Elevate Your Mood.” Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogging – all great ways to stay connected. However, new research discusses how teenagers are suffering from Facebook depression. Read about this phenomenon and other mental health concerns in “Teen Angst in the Digital Age,” by Stephanie Lough.
Got green kids? Natural Choice, the Valley’s “first all-natural” preschool—a title coined by owners Genna Batycki, M.Ed., and her sister, Allyson Tewers—prioritizes the green for its students. They began by repurposing a 25-year-old building and continued to integrate sustainable methods from the paint to the play toys. Read David M. Brown’s “A Natural Choice for Preschool,” in WORK.
Go with your gut. Using it rarely steers you wrong, but when you are disconnected from it, a block occurs and can divert you away from you passions. This month Lynn Bunch, intuition specialist, will help you tap into your internal source and use it to perform more effectively at work.
The last time you patronized a hotel, you might have found a card in the bathroom asking you to reuse your towel to save water. That is one of many sustainable concepts found in the hotel industry today, and author Aimee Welch uncovers the many different ways and reasons hotels are going green in her series “A New Year and a New Green Leaf for the Hotel Industry,” running January and February.
Time to shed those holiday pounds? In PLAY read “Boot Camp Classes are Still the Hot Ticket,” by Barbi Walker, as she reveals the sharing, caring and sweating that local boot camps can provide to help you achieve your health goals this year. With owners ranging from fitness gurus to former military personnel, you can find the right vibe for you, and develop a sense of community along the way.
Finally, it’s still chilly outside and what better way to snuggle in than with some hearty soup by one of our favorite chefs, Gabrielle Bertaccini of Il Tocco food—anything he cooks is just yum. Remember to relax a bit this year and take in the beauty of the environment. On the last page you’ll see some of the places our readers like to venture to take it all in. Send photos of your favorite places to relax, or some beautiful part of the world to submissions@greenlivingaz.com or post them on our Facebook page!
Happy 2012!
Tishin Donkersley, M.A.
Editor-in-Chief
