Editor’s letter

GET READY FOR THE “NEW” NORMAL. AGAIN.

BY JULIE LAWRENCE

II’m always kind of amazed at the human being’s ability to adapt. When COVID hit and we were all forced inside our homes, life was pretty much unbearable, and we had no idea what to do with ourselves. It was scary.

Thankfully, we had Tiger King to get us through the first uneasy weeks.

We were nervous to go out to get groceries, we didn’t bother putting on bras, we made questionable hair dying choices, we gained 10 pounds — we were completely lost!

But, gradually, we began to adapt.

We created a schedule for ourselves because, well, we had to. We got out of bed, showered and tried to stick to regular work hours. We started running the stairs in our apartment building or following our favourite trainers on social media. We made Zoom dates with friends, learned to cook with Hello

Fresh — we got on with life.

But here we are at another turning point: the world is opening up for us and we have to pivot again. Like any other kind of change, it’s hard and can be anxiety-inducing. Here’s the thing though — we’re different now.

The pandemic has changed us. And in many ways, it has changed us for the better. We have taken care of ourselves, our relationships, and the planet better than ever before.

As we emerge from the darkness, I challenge you to take the lessons we have learned along the way and put them into practice in this new normal. If you aren’t sure how, we have you covered in this issue. Dr. Michele Kambolis, author of the acclaimed book When Women Rise, invites every woman to nurture her inner wisdom and strength, transcend the prevailing fears of our time, and rise into her highest wellbeing. Plus, we check in on two women who are at the pinnacle of their sport. Cover girl and tennis phenom Bianca Andreescu takes you through a typical day in her life, detailing how she fine tunes her mind and her body to be at the top of her game when it really counts. And Ellie Black, fresh from the Olympics, talks about her experience in Tokyo, where things did not go exactly as planned. Finally, we meet CBC Sports Journalist Signa Butler who is making waves in a field traditionally dominated by men. She talks about challenges she faced along the way and how she overcame them to become a play-by-play commentator at the Olympics. All of these women have been forced to change and adapt in order to achieve their dreams. They have so many lessons to teach us. Read their stories with an open mind and I am certain you will pick up some great tips and tools to sprinkle into your life. Remember that you are stronger than you think and more supported than you know. Let’s help each other as we take on the world. There is safety in numbers. Together, we got this! Cheers!

JULIE LAWRENCE EDITOR @editorjules1