Last month, I had the pleasure of attending the 2017 Natural Awakenings Publishers’ Conference in Orlando. Publishers from all over the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic gathered to learn how to better serve readers and advertisers and to enjoy the nurturing experience of being together face to face, enriched with goodwill, laughter and lots of hugs.

While the magazines’ U.S. publishing team frequently communicates via conference calls, webinars and a group email platform, nothing can replace meeting up with an amazing group of heart-centered colleagues. Upon arrival, I simply closed my eyes to identify peeps by their voices.

The next morning, we kicked off the weekend by going around the room to briefly share our stories of how each of us came to publish a Natural Awakenings magazine. It became clear that we all began with a similar underlying drive to do something with deeper meaning, beyond anything we’d done before.

 Our stories are not unlike those of our local advertisers, contributors and team members I connect with every day throughout Greater Boston. Even after six years of publishing, I still pinch myself when thinking about the extraordinary blessing it is to meet, network with and hear the inside scoop of how and why so many practitioners and business owners choose a career in wellness and sustainability in order to help others improve their quality of life. Many entered their current field of work because of the suffering they witnessed in a friend or family member and their deep desire to find a way to spare others similar strife.

This month’s feature story, “Break Free of Chronic Pain, Natural Ways to Feel Much Better,” by Kathleen Barnes, will likely resonate with many. The alarming statistics point to the prevalence of chronic pain among Americans under conventional medical care. We all know someone with this need and are thankful that our experts offer effective, natural alternatives for relief.

This month we’re also celebrating summer with yummy recipes to help you kick off the season with happy taste buds. See this month’s Conscious Eating article, “Backyard Pizza Party,” by Claire O’Neill, to try out some healthful recipes and let us know what you think; we love feedback.

To good health and happiness,

Maisie Raftery, Publisher