It is a time of year-end reflection and New Year intention-setting for many of us, and I find myself feeling deeply grateful for the natural health and green-living businesses featured in this magazine—and throughout Charlotte and the greater Charlotte region. These are largely small businesses striving to make both our communities and our planet healthier, helping to elevate our collective frequency. This is noble work, and the world desperately needs to be operating at a higher frequency. Thank you to all who have chosen this as your vocation.

As for my own New Year intention, I’d like to be operating at a higher frequency myself. The good news is that we continue to feature events, workshops, retreats, and practitioners who offer services that ultimately help us do just that. This January 2026 issue feels especially rich in that regard.

In this month’s Baby Steps to a Life Well Lived, Marlaina Donato writes, “This year, instead of lofty resolutions, let’s choose baby steps toward better health or a more peaceful life….” I love the idea of taking baby steps toward a higher frequency. Every issue of the magazine offers those kinds of small, meaningful steps, making it a valuable resource. I look forward to adopting some new ones in the year ahead—and to looking back at this time next year knowing they truly made a difference.

Wishing you a peaceful and intentional 2026,

Shannon