Healthy meal plans prepared—check. Gym membership obtained— check.

Greens and exercise are my new best friends. I’m an animal, a fire-breathing, healthy beast (or at least I think I am), and this time, my new friends are sticking around and have turned into consistent habits. There is something distinctly different about the way I’m feeling and acting, physically and mentally. Not only are the two items listed above checked off of my To Do list, they are actually in use on a daily basis.

For the record, I have previously been successful initiating the endeavors listed above many times in the past. That’s the problem. I’m generally good at initiating action. The trouble is that loss of inertia often grounds the best laid intentions and initial actions. The stumbling block for me in the past has been turning initial actions into consistent and durable habits.

For example, I mentally perceived it as “extra work” to prepare healthy meals when I started my 15-day cleanse. A full month after the cleanse was over, healthy meal prep time was efficiently integrated into my routine and I don’t think twice about it now. As a matter of fact, I enjoy it and look forward to preparing healthy, wholesome foods to nourish my body, mind and spirit. My mindset has changed, and I now consider the process a wonderful daily gift to myself. The same thing has occurred with a consistently early wake-up time and daily exercise. These activities have turned into daily habits that I enjoy and anticipate.

I attribute the successful conversion of intentions into habits to The Happiness Advantage, a book by Shawn Achor, which describes seven principles that fuel success, and parts of which include an enlightening look at how we create new habits, how to leverage the power of our mindset and why willpower is not the answer.

My wish for you is that you create lasting positive habits for yourself and use the resources within these pages to create your own path to wellness and success. You’ll find information and providers that include healthy nutrition, fitness, integrative medicine, natural remedies, coaching and loving self-care, for ourselves and our pets.

This month’s main feature article focuses on Animal Welfare. I hope you’re inspired to reach out to a local shelter the next time you are looking for a pet and to be an advocate for all the wonderful creatures that share our planet.

Keep moving forward and as always, feel good, live simply and laugh more.

Dave Korba, Publisher