This month marks my one-year anniversary as publisher of Natural Awakenings North Central NJ. It’s been a wonderful year, thanks to all the support I’ve received from readers, advertisers, and my great staff. Not only do I feel privileged to publish such informative articles, but I’ve also been inspired over the past year to live a simpler, healthier and more creative life.

A year ago I jumped into this enterprise, uncertain about the future, but expecting good things. Today, I’m familiar with the rhythms of publishing a monthly magazine, and very optimistic about its future. But even more importantly, I’ve made connections with some extraordinary people and businesses, and grown personally in unexpected ways.

Some changes we’ve made to Natural Awakenings over the year include additional distribution points, a new website with online articles, calendar listings and resource guide, a Facebook presence, and a new coupon site. I expect the coming year to bring even more innovation and several new features.

In this issue, we celebrate National Yoga Month. If you’ve never tried yoga, or need to get back into practice, this is a good opportunity. Many local studios are offering a free yoga class during September. See our list of participating studios on page 16, or check online at YogaMonth.org.

We also look at creativity in “Handmade Happiness” and “Practice Makes Perfect.” These articles, and a beautiful hand-thrown bowl that I recently purchased, have inspired me to take time away from the computer and enroll in a pottery class.

Enjoy the remaining days of this beautiful summer,

Ana