Set yourself a daily challenge!

Do you wake up and say, ‘How can I challenge myself today?’ Maybe, like me, it’s something modest, such as stretching deeper into a yoga pose than you could manage before. But Michelle Lee took this challenge further than most: she decided to row single-handedly across the Atlantic. And she did it – rowing for 68 gruelling days! When Michelle dropped by our office (you will meet her on page 90), her handshake was hard and firm. “This experience has changed me forever,” she told me, explaining how daily life on land seems far too humdrum. But the most touching thing she revealed was what she’d learned about herself along the way. What she missed the most at sea was simple human kindness: “Just someone to say, ‘Here, love, have this cup of tea.’ ”

Her story affirms the ability within each and every one of us to rise up and be more, and live richer lives if we dare to challenge ourselves.

Recently, I spent a soothing morning aboard the luxury cruiseship Seabourn Encore, trialling their Mindful Living program. It started with what’s called crystal sound therapy, where you listen to a hum emanating at a specific pitch from bowls being ‘played’ – a bit like running your finger around the rim of a glass. Sounds whacky? To my profound surprise, the pulsing tones jettisoned all busy thoughts from my brain. A gentle yoga class followed, and then a calming meditation. I floated off the ship in a state of blissed-out calm.

I’ve been curious about the Seabourn Wellness Cruise program for some time, as it was devised by Dr Andrew Weil, a long-time contributor to Prevention, and a founding father of the global movement to integrate evidence-based Western medicine with alternative and complementary therapies.

It’s exciting to see the range of new travel/holiday options evolving to enrich us far more than lazing by the pool. Wait until you see the experiences our travel writer Ute Junker has in store on page 114.

Enjoy this issue!