Welcome to our 2021 Natural Living Directory. Please keep this handy all year, as it’s designed to be an at-a-glance guide to the many health and wellness resources in our community. In addition to the extended community resource listings with glossary, there are profiles of local wellness providers, profiles of books by local authors, numerous articles, and an expanded astrology column that covers all of 2021. Please also support the local advertisers on these pages. These are the small businesses we must keep in mind as we collectively rebuild our communities and their economies.

Like everyone else, I am super excited to say goodbye to 2020 and grateful that we are now in a brand-new year that holds the promise of brighter days. January and February will still be challenging, but at least we now know the end is in sight. As dark as this winter may seem, I know that in March, when the days begin to get noticeably longer and the anticipation of a better spring and summer is just around the corner, the excitement will be palpable. Which reminds me that I have great news to share: Tonight I learned that Omega plans to reopen their Rhinebeck campus in July. I’m thrilled because this is one of my favorite places to go to for an uplifting weekend workshop or retreat and to meet like-minded people. Can’t wait to see the new catalog!  Maybe we’ll see you there this summer.

Do you wonder what our lives will look like in a post-Covid world? Now is a great time to create a vision board to help with that. Vision boards help identify new desires and bring these new intentions into focus. The last vision board I did is still hanging on my wall, but it’s obviously outdated. I remember putting it together during a power failure years ago, when I was craving alone time and less work. The board could have been titled “Relaxation”—it had pictures of solitary figures lounging in hammocks, time spent alone in nature, and less work. Check, check and check. Time for a new vision board!

My 2021 vision board will reflect my new desires for an active social life, with big, happy crowds at uplifting events. Lots of unmasked smiling faces and people hugging. I most certainly will put an Omega retreat picture on it. And there will be pictures of my mom and me in the same room, enjoying time together. I haven’t hugged her since March. There will still be nature pictures on my board, but there will be other people in the pictures too. What would your vision board show? If you create one, please share it with us on Facebook @WakeUpNaturally.    

Because of Covid, there are plenty of things I will no longer take for granted, like the hugs. I know there are many people who have experienced big losses in their lives or are facing extreme health or financial challenges. Let’s all make an effort these next few months to reach out to friends, family and neighbors to connect, offer support, and ask for help if needed.      

And if you need something fun to do at your computer this month, sign up for a free basic membership at KnoWEwell.com. It’s like Facebook, LinkedIn and WebMD combined—a secure, curated community platform—and it’s still free for an annual membership through the end of January. KnoWEwell is a new national partner of Natural Awakenings, and it’s just getting started. Check it out. You can find details on page 2.

We hope you stay safe and stay uplifted. Enjoy the start of our new shiny year!

Marilee