One of my favorite spiritual leaders, the collective known as Abraham Hicks, emphasizes one idea that is central to all of their very wise teachings: Focus on the feeling you want to achieve in order to obtain the life you desire. They describe feelings as a “guidance system” that signals whether you’re heading in the direction of your most aligned self—or might need to recalibrate a bit. Most techniques for deliberately crafting a life that fits your personality and dreams—manifestation, vision boards, intention setting, goal cards—all start with the same idea: getting familiar with the feeling first in order to achieve the outcome.

As I’ve zeroed in on this idea in recent years, I’ve realized that this is the key to crafting a life that fits your authentic self. While the results are worth it, focusing on this desired feeling—rather than the challenges in front of you—requires discipline as you move through daily life. This spring I’m focusing my personal journey around the answer to one question: How do I want to feel?

I will tell you that I rarely, if ever, asked this question in my teen or younger adult years. Like many of us, the broad strokes of my life happened largely as a result of pre-programmed beliefs about the trajectory someone “like me” [insert your own cultural, familial, religious and other norms here] should follow. It’s taken me years to see where I was acting authentically and where I was wearing a costume that was, perhaps, a bit tight, whether to please others or because I couldn’t envision another way. These days, I choose to hold gratitude for the many great parts of my past and to honor many of the traditions, values, and roles that have shaped me while allowing myself to step away from others. I’m working on letting the answer to this one question—How do I want to feel?—drive my choices, big and small. I keep a journal with a quick answer to this question to center myself each day.

The contributors in this issue have, each in their own way, inspired and reminded me to look deeper into this practice. Peggi Cooney shares the morning routine that has allowed her  to create both structure and joyful freedom in her daily life, The Life-Changing Beauty of a Morning Routine, p14. Event planner and sober advocate Laura Nelson explores how corporate events can be designed to ensure that all participants feel included and at ease, The Mocktail Mandate, p17. We learn about the functional beverage industry where, often, the creation of new products begins by considering what feeling that beverage seeks to provide, The High Function Revolution, p20. In our feature interview, we’re inspired by Anika Sawni’s passion for creating a feeling of joy and fun within her highly engaged sober and sober-curious audience at Grüvi, Spotlight On: Anika Sawni, p26. Even our beverage section is about choosing what works for you, The Butterfly Effect, p10. Last but not least, sober coach Heather Lowe writes about emerging from the “muck” of alcohol use and the feeling of stepping into her journey of personal growth, Pushing Through the Muck, p32. When describing how she built up the courage to pursue a happier, healthier life, Heather writes, “After a period of searching, I decided to stop looking for answers in the dark. I didn’t want to live there anymore.”

As we enter this season of light, renewal, and rebirth, I encourage you to ask yourself: “How do you want to feel?” What steps can you put in place to create that feeling for yourself?

Happy spring, with love,

Nicole Pietrandrea Hough

Editor-in-chief, AFTER Magazine