Words Tabatha Golat, Editorial Director
Back in March, I attended an event celebrating the Power of Women in Philanthropy. The entire day was inspiring, but my biggest takeaway came from three-time Olympic rower Darcy Hortness. When asked what one thing people could do each day to move toward their goals, her answer was simple: stretch for one minute every morning. It felt manageable enough that I decided to try it myself.
I am not a morning person, and I have fully accepted this about myself. My stretches are groggy and always done before I’m fully awake, but every morning I take a minute to quietly say hello to my body. “Thank you for carrying me through the night. Thank you for getting me here again.”
Nothing dramatic has changed, but I have become more aware of movement and how this small act of care shapes my day and, because the commitment is only one minute, it’s hard to talk myself out of it. What I appreciate most is that it doesn’t feel rooted in “self improvement,” at least not in the overwhelming way that phrase is often framed. It feels like a small moment of joy within an ordinary day.
Several articles in the June issue echo this gentler approach. On page 49, “Finding Your Balance” explores goals that make life feel good while you work toward them. On page 91, “Is Longevity Simpler Than We Think?” reflects on how lasting wellness is often built through simple daily choices and connection.
Maybe a “good” life is not built through reinvention, but through small, imperfect habits repeated with care. Often, the little things we ritualize become something larger over time, whether we notice it or not. Sometimes it’s a stretch; sometimes it is a quiet moment at the end of the day asking yourself what felt good. I hope there’s something in your days that brings you back to yourself, even briefly, and stays with you as time passes.
These puppies may have already found a family, but there are many animals waiting for their forever homes at www.victoriahumanesociety.com.
Photo Janis Jean
