Welcome

It doesn’t really pay to be resistant to change, does it? Whether good or bad, it’s inevitable. So, isn’t your best bet simply to make the most of it when it does happen or, better yet, be the driving force to make it happen? This is the refreshing perspective of Millie Mackintosh, who’s been (to put it lightly) through the ringer since she last graced the cover of this magazine two years ago. A very public divorce, fielding hateful comments about your next romance and a failed business aren’t exactly your average daily stressors. And thinking about her quiet strength and strong-willed resilience brought another woman to mind: me.

Change is afoot in my life this month

– I turn 40 – and, if I’m honest, entering my fifth decade not only provokes mixed feelings (on the plus side, I’m an actual grown-up now; on the other hand, am I old?!), but it’s also encouraged me to take a step back and look at what I’ve achieved in those decades – and, do you know what, it’s pretty bloody impressive.

I grew up in a very deprived area of the South Wales Valleys to working-class parents who left school when they were 12 and 15. I was the first person in my extended family to go to university and kicked off my journalism career immediately afterwards on a prestigious national newspaper’s graduate-training scheme, despite the fact that I didn’t have the master’s degree required. Since then, I’ve travelled the world reporting breaking news, interviewed A-list celebrities, covered heartbreaking court cases, won professional awards and now have my dream job editing one of the most successful magazines in the UK.

If that all sounds self-indulgent to you, I call bullshit. It’s celebratory – and the attitude towards we women recognising our own achievements is something else that I’d like to see change. We too often feel the need to appear humble. We seem reluctant to brag about our achievements. We apologise before making valid points. We spend years perfecting the art of self-flagellation while we consciously look to praise others and help them succeed. Well, I’m not above praising myself and, when I look at my almost 40-year-old self, I’m proud.

I’m going to see my forties as a time to embrace change, whether that’s getting back into the competitive rowing I loved as a university fresher (follow our guide on page 84 to have a go at the fitness world’s new love affair yourself ), making simple tweaks to my home to ensure it’s serving my health (page 70) or swapping meditation for breathwork (page 63). Because when it comes to embracing change, what’s the worst that can happen?

Please let me know what you think of the issue. Until next month.