Well, here we grow again. And, we’re off to a good start. We made it to a new year, full of opportunities and blessing. A fresh perspective; a new chapter in our lives. Take a deep breath and smell the freshness that this newness presents. It's time for a breakthrough.

I like January. It’s like standing before a crisp white canvas with a new brush and bright paints. It’s a wide-open panorama. January is a Ferrari on an unpatrolled stretch of highway; imagination is the gas pedal. Whatever the metaphor, the past is past, and the future begins today.

The big question is—What are we going to do with this year?

Look. Live. Love. Laugh. These are my definitive, daily goals. These are not so much resolutions, but they are definitely my solutions to so many issues. Speaking of 'looking,' I stepped outside my office for a few minutes today and just looked up at the trees and the sky outside my office and quickly realized I had just spent about 30 minutes daydreaming – thinking big-picture, blue-sky thoughts. It was energizing. No, I didn’t derive any finality. I didn’t resolve any pressing problems. It didn’t earn me more money. But it did help me unplug from the deadline-oriented world inside my computer and made me consider something miles away. At minimum, it was non-productive liberation. Yet, at the same time, it produced a healthy, centered, clarified perspective.

It was a subtle breakthrough, and the thought occurred, I need to go there more often. This year I need to learn to look and see. I need to take more time to listen and hear. Call it a stop-and-smell-the-roses cliche, but whenever my family and I drive around these beautiful western states and pass signs that point to notable landmarks I always think, ‘Someday. Not today.’ That’s a thought of the past, and I am now writing it down for all to see. This is the year. This year I will stop at our landmarks and take in the awe-inspiring wonder. I will study maps before I go on any trips and will spend time drinking in the places I go. Whether man made or by the hand of God, there are so many wonders to behold, and this is the year I will learn to appreciatively take them in.

And speaking of breakthroughs, we're pulling out some new paints for our magazine this year. New topics. Deeper perspectives. Broader coverage. More engaging. More local. More digital. Our new APP will be out this winter, featuring our new, more digital, highly interactive magazine. In addition to the myriad topics of health and wellness, we are going to take in a lot more of our surroundings – travel, beauty, home living, relationships, and by all means, dining. Each month we’re going to explore a bit deeper the wonders of our great community, point out our favorites, and consider new input. We’d love to hear from you to get your ideas and suggestions about how you think our community is great, how it could be better, and what you think we should be covering. More of you would be a welcome breakthrough.

So, as we embark on 2012, here’s to your health, to every moment, every day that you wake up to the privilege of another breath, another crisp white canvas of life.

Happy painting.