Welcome to a new year! January is a natural time to contemplate the state of our life and initiate new possibilities, yet how quickly a fresh, “new me” attitude can sink into oblivion beneath the tasks and challenges of everyday life. I like to record my intentions for the new year both in a journal and on a vision board for maximum impact, and prominently place the board where I see it often. Seeing the images throughout the day provides powerful messages to my conscious and subconscious mind, which attracts marvelous outcomes.

Researchers know that visualization works; Olympic athletes are among those that have long used it to improve performance. Psychology Today reports that the brain patterns activated when a weightlifter lifts heavy weights are similarly activated when the athlete only imagines (visualizes) lifting weights.

The secret to creating a vision board that works is to focus on images and words that express how we want to feel, not only the people and things we want in our lives. The more we can experience the desired feeling now, the more effective the exercise becomes.

My last vision board had a big heart in the center that radiated out to everything else, evoking a felt reminder to bring an open, embracing heart to all I do. I inevitably include representations of nature walks, yoga poses, healthy, luscious food and people laughing together. Yours may include uplifting photos, quotes, inspiring passages and even multimedia pieces that make you feel good and embrace the good you desire.

Anyone that has radiant health on a vision board likely understands the individual responsibility involved in creating it. Practicing prevention measures and improving personal habits along with working with a professional trained in natural and integrative healthcare helps to set you on the right course. Instead of popping pills to cover symptoms, many of today’s functional medicine practitioners are investigating and using less-invasive, more effective ways to identify and treat the root causes of distress.

This month’s special Health and Wellness issue articles, including Lisa Marshall’s “The Rise of Functional Medicine," and Linda Sechrist’s “Functional Medicine is the Basis of 21st Century Healthcare,” provide a timely reminder of how a challenging health condition or crisis can redirect us to either get back on track or find a new and better track for repairing, restoring and sustaining health.

I was fascinated to read the stories from the pioneering local health practitioners Linda interviewed who, failing to find solutions in mainstream medicine, found their way to functional medicine. They have learned firsthand the effectiveness of dietary supplements, allergen-free diets, exercise, mind-body practices and toxin avoidance as their primary tools. I attribute my own progressive health track to an early interest in natural health care. It’s a path that affords greater self-care and well-being on all levels.

Kudos go to all our Natural Awakenings advertisers that selflessly contribute their talents and resources to our community, together offering a whole-person approach to well-being that encompasses body, mind and spirit. We’re in good hands.

To a healthy and miraculous year,

Sharon Bruckman, Publisher