Welcome to Issue No 2 of INSPIRE ME

Feels like home

Welcome back to INSPIRE ME Magazine. Launching issue number two is just as, if not more, exciting than the launch of our inaugural issue. Because it means we’re on a roll! We’re back with tons more dynamic content for you. Our first issue was so well-received with a lot of readers visiting our site. Thanks for being here, and taking in all the great content produced by our contributors. Some are back again with this issue to share their brilliance, and I’m so happy to welcome new writers and the expertise they bring to share with you. Be sure to share what you find interesting with your people!

The theme for this summer issue is HOME. Both the space where we physically dwell, but also our geographical locations and the notion of pride of place. I thought this topic to be especially poignant given the turmoil of the past 15 months.

Travel restrictions, lockdowns, and different levels of isolation have given us many new perspectives on home, how and where we spend our time, who we spend it with, and reminders not to take any of it for granted. Now it comes down to handling the reintegration into our communities as restrictions ease in our cities, provinces, across the country, and even the globe, as travel slowly returns. These conditions are unprecedented in our times, and it’s a lot to take in.

The summer issue is packed with lots of great content surrounding this theme of HOME. Read about the concept of Pride of Place, and defining and discovering ‘home’ during the pandemic.

We hear from a real estate mogul about the sporadic housing market, and how she manages an extremely busy lifestyle.

Learn the best ways to transition from working at home to heading back to the office in our WELL-BEING section. Discover how to create a home sanctuary space as well as how to practice Hygge all summer long.

The Spotlight shines on Knotty Lemon Designs and the maritime folk artist behind the business who is inspired by a love for Atlantic Canada and a passion for nature.

We have advice on how to create an interior beachy boho vibe in the DWELLING section, and find beach-inspired home decor to shop now. Our gardening expert has advice on figuring out how you want to feel in your home garden and how to achieve that feeling.

In DINE, we have the best twist ever on a classic campfire snack, and sommelier-suggested summer wines selections.

Whether you’re visiting Nova Scotia this summer or enjoying a staycation there’s so much to see and do. Be inspired to try some safe summer hiking as you’re EXPLORING this summer. Learn how a multiple-business owner’s life has unfolded in NS, a place she now calls home after falling in love with the province, plus how her tour company is revealing hidden experiences on the North Shore of Canada’s Ocean Playground.

Our indulgent shopping guide is a beach bag haul with all the essentials you’ll want on hand for the ultimate trip(s) to the beach. That’s where you’ll find me on my days off!

For me, my Home is Nova Scotia. I come from a military family, but am also much younger than my three siblings. They moved every two years for quite some time, but by the time I was five we were settled in Nova Scotia. I’ve been here over 30 years. I’m grateful to have such strong connections to a place and really solid roots. By contrast, my husband has lived in six different countries over the past 30 years. Many of our friends left to find work and adventures after university but we’ve been happy to do that right here from our HOME base.

I’m living in my sixth physical dwelling here in Nova Scotia but for me, home is not just my address but the space around me, wherever it may be. My house is where I spend a lot of my time—I’ve worked from home since long before the pandemic.

Home is the place I return to or settle in at the end of a long day or after time away (travelling is amazing but oh how good it feels to walk back through the front door, whether it’s been a weekend or two weeks). It’s where I want to be when I don't feel well, and where I love to host friends and family.

So whether HOME for you is a place, a person or a feeling, I hope you find time to enjoy a whole heck of a lot of it this summer.

Be sure to give us a follow on Instagram @inspirememagazine.ca so you don’t miss any of the content we share. After a really great giveaway to celebrate the launch of INSPIRE ME Magazine, rest assured, there are more coming. Good luck!