Editor’s note

There’s been a lot to deal with lately and the nightly news makes for tough viewing. As life continues to be disrupted, it can feel all like a bit much. When things feel overwhelming, I like to get a handle on the things I know I can control. I can’t solve the numerous issues happening in the world right now – from COVID to Afghanistan – but I can take charge of how I run my day-to-day life. In this issue, we’ve got two excellent features that will help you get life sorted and have you feeling like a winner. If finances are getting you down, turn to page 98, where we explain how to think about (and action) funding joy, rather than being bogged down by a budget spreadsheet. And if everything’s feeling a bit chaotic (piles of paper, too many appointments, missed dates) you’ll love our Calm Your Chaos feature (p92), which is full of helpful tips on managing everything from nightly dinners to exercise and your health appointments. Which leads me to the must-read Annual Cycle of Care (p88), outlining what check ups you need and when, to keep yourself in tip-top condition.

And don’t think I forgot about the food, because there’s plenty of that as well. I’ll be heading straight for the pie feature – crumbly, flaky pastry atop a variety of warming fillings? Yes please! Have you invested in an air fryer yet? I love mine for quickly cooking marinated chicken thighs, sausages and roast vegies and we’ve got plenty more ideas for this magical appliance starting on page 50 – it’s such a quick and healthy way to cook!

This issue, Kate’s story (p116) is a cracker – she ignored her diabetes for 15 years before a pre-surgery check-up jolted her into action and she hasn’t looked back since.

I do hope you’re going well and look forward to hearing what you think of the issue and what you’d like to see in our pages.