EDITOR’S LETTER

Peta Mathias has been a Kiwi icon I’ve admired from afar for many years. I remember reading her memoir, Never Put All Your Eggs in

One Bastard, years ago and thinking what a wild, funny, remarkable woman she was.

Her TV shows over the years

– as well as her flow of more books – only reinforced my admiration for a woman who was so wholly herself: colourful, adventurous and living an unconventional life.

To me, she encompasses everything that I would like 2019 to be about: a year of stepping outside of comfort zones, of embracing opportunities; a year of living life more in the moment, and with joy.

With the start of a new year, you may well be looking for some inspiration for what you want to achieve over the next 12 months. In this issue I think you will find it in spades.

The women we have featured are nothing short of extraordinary. From the indefatigable Catriona Williams, a former equestrian who became a tetraplegic after a horror horseriding accident, and who is determined to walk again; to tennis star Jelena Dokic, who is rebuilding her life after the abuse she suffered at the hands of her own father; and the seven women featured in our Change for Good story (page 32), who are helping to make life better for others.

Not to mention money guru

Mary Holm – who has some great personal finance advice for Kiwi women – and, of course, the ever-inspiring Michelle Obama. (Her autobiography, Becoming, was top of the pile of my holiday reading!)

Never fear, though, if you’re still not sure what you want 2019 to be about for you – our Astrology Special may just shed a little more light…

From all of us at The Australian Women’s Weekly, we wish you a happy and healthy 2019 and look forward to sharing the rest of the year with you.

“There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” - Nelson Mandela