A dose of fresh inspiration
For obvious reasons, over the past 18 months many of us have experienced a shrinking of our usual horizons; we’ve spent much more time at home, travelled less widely, seen less of our friends and family and had fewer opportunities to try new things. Even going out for an afternoon of shopping has been off-limits for great swathes of time, so it’s not surprising that many of you have been in touch to say you’re craving a fresh start and would like inspiration and ideas across all areas of life. And I very much hope that’s exactly what you’ll find within the pages of our October issue, where we reveal the new season’s trends
in fashion (page 20), beauty (page 67) and homes
(page 103), plus delicious ideas for what to do with
autumn’s best seasonal ingredients (page 136).
I also hope that reading our interviews with three intrepid Good Housekeeping readers, Angela, Gail and Lisa (page 44), may encourage you to step outside your
comfort zone and have a go at something new. I found myself really uplifted by each of their stories – almost literally in the case of Angela! How incredibly brave she was to try wing walking while raising money for a good cause – something she says she would do again ‘in a heartbeat’ because it has given her back her sense of self. I think you’ll also be inspired by our interview with
cover star Fiona Bruce (page 12), who is rarely off our
Question Time, Antiques Roadshow, Fake Or Fortune? and as a BBC newsreader. Fiona reveals how the past 18 months have been for her and says that learning to live at a different pace has given her new perspective. She also, like many of us, relished the additional time it gave her with her family. But now she’s particularly excited about getting back to a live audience on Question Time, as they have such a unique input into the show. I think we’ll all recognise that desire to connect with real people rather than via a computer screen – I know I do!
You may still feel less than confident when it comes to booking holidays away, but travel editor David Wickers says there is plenty to be optimistic about. This month, he’s chosen to focus on the return of cruising, with a special section that he hopes will inspire some planning for 2022 and beyond (page 169). There really is a cruise for everyone, he promises, so do dip in and I hope you’ll find yours!