There’s something beautifully fitting about launching InHabit Magazine in the fall. I love that the French refer to this time of year as la rentrée, the return or reentry; as the slower pace of summer fades, fall brings us back into routine. Full of fresh starts and new school years, it’s like turning the page to a new chapter. 

In this inaugural issue, we explore beginnings. Life’s second half is full of them — some chosen, others thrust upon us. Some are simpler, though not always easy, like learning a new skill or getting outside every day; while others are impossibly complex, like reconfiguring life after losing someone you love. 
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Whether in the shifting landscapes of our careers, our relationships, or our bodies, midlife often brings the experience of feeling somehow between two places; the beginning and the end, young and old, familiarity and uncertainty, holding on and letting go. The second half of life invites us not to resolve or do away with these tensions, but to lean into them.

What’s in a name

When we were considering names for the magazine, I sought inspiration from writers I admire — those who brave life’s wild terrain with curiosity and compassion, and share their findings with the rest of us. One afternoon, I picked up Consolations, a beautiful book of essays by Irish poet and philosopher David Whyte. I thumbed through the pages, opening it at “Vulnerability,” where he writes:

I paused and read it again. And again. This beautiful passage, as Whyte's writing often does, resonated deeply. And inhabit — that solid, humble word — provided shape and definition, a sturdy frame for our vision.

Our name as it’s written, InHabit, nods to two beautiful invitations of life’s second half: 

First, to fully and courageously inhabit our messy, beautiful lives — exactly as they are — and, second, to cultivate habits, practices and perspectives that expand and enrich them.

Inside the issue

I’m thrilled for you to explore the first issue of InHabit Magazine!

In my conversation with Evangeline Lilly, she opens up about life and spirituality in her second half, and her evolving relationships with fame, writing and acting. 

A beautiful book excerpt from Ben Katt’s The Way Home speaks to finding your place in the world, no matter where you are.

We talk about navigating the uncertainty of new beginnings — and why it’s so hard! And we share the candid, compelling stories of people starting over. 

For a touch of escapism, take a journey through Europe’s best food cities, and check out the gorgeous Kiwi Collection piece full of luxury hotels worth daydreaming about.

And there’s so much more.

My sincere hope is that InHabit becomes a companion as you navigate your second half. That you find yourself reflected and challenged, comforted and empowered — helping you live your own beautiful, imperfect life with curiosity, compassion and courage. 

Here’s to all our honest, messy, glorious beginnings.

Warmly,

Annie