EDITOR’S FIX

ANDREW VALLANCE is a cinephile nerd who currently lives on the west coast. Girlfriendless, he spends his time going to movies, buying DVDs and flirting. ASHLEY KRISTINA has studied astrology for over twenty years and has been reading/teaching for five. For an in depth natal chart reading, email mountainashastrology@gmail.com. CLAIRE SMALLWOOD is an avid skier, mediocre snowboarder, former personal chef, and newlyminted hockey fan. When Claire’s not on the slopes or whipping up red chile sauce, you can find her at the helm of SheJumps, the non-profit she cofounded in 2007 with a mission to transform the lives of women and girls through outdoor experiences. KEVIN MCISAAC haunts the coffee shops and streets of Fernie to find his column source material. MARIANNE AGNEW is an over-achiever who can be found hosting on the ski hill, the Nordic hut, or ringing the Salvation Army bells. She loves to paint and write about her experiences. MICHAEL HEPHER is a painter, printmaker, sculptor and musician living and working in Fernie. His work is collected internationally and can be seen at Clawhammer Press and a variety of galleries in Western Canada. PATRICK ROBERTSON is a travel writer and long-time resident of Fernie. He is an expert in planning independent travel and finding budget travel deals. Visit his website at budgetslowtravel.com and on Facebook at facebook.com/budgetslowtravel. Every month SADIE ROSGEN teams up with some of Fernie’s brightest young writers collaborating on a given theme. If you are reading this and think that you are that person, drop her a line at sadiepumps@ gmail.com. SARAH PULLEN, a first year University student, has a passion for all things creative. She looks forward to pursuing a Fine Arts degree and discovering a world of diversity and culture beyond our mountain town. SYLVIA AYERS is a tenacious naturalist and believes each one of us can have a big impact on making things better if we just know how. TYLA CHARBONNEAU is a Registered Psychologist (CPBC2385), dog momma, and nature lover. She loves talking with others about mindfulness, self-compassion, and human nature. VALERIE BARRY is the longtime owner and head trainer of Dog Partners (dogpartners.ca). She is a multi-credentialed and highly educated professional dog trainer who specializes in behaviour modification and helping families raise friendly puppies. WENDY READE is the director of Snow School at Fernie Alpine Resort, and has been with the Winter Sports School for 25 years. She is passionate about the program, proud of her team and loves teaching and coaching.

FERNIE FIX | FERNIEFIX.COM

Published monthly by Claris Media. To advertise and for general inquiries: info@clarismedia.com Box 1124, 361A 1st Ave. Fernie, BC V0B 1M0 p: 250-423-4062 | clarismedia.com KRISTA TURCASSO, Publisher and Editor of the Fernie Fix, has been passionate about writing since she could pick up a pencil. After graduating with a BA and an MBA, she found her way back to Fernie, and put this passion and experience to use through the pages of the Fernie Fix. When not at her computer, Krista is with her family, in the mountains or working with various organizations. VANESSA CROOME, Publisher and Creative Director of the Fernie Fix is a graphic designer by trade who is passionate about exploring another side of her creativity through painting. You’ll find her in the studio, on the trails inspired by what surrounds her, or in the community volunteering.

All content copyright Claris Media. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher.

Claris Media acknowledges that the land on which we work, gather and recreate is the traditional and unceded territory of the Ktunaxa people. We are very grateful for this place and the abundance it provides.

By Krista Turcasso, Editor

January…. A fresh start. Bright and shiny and full of possibilities. Right?

According to the Chinese Zodiac, also known as Shuxiang, 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit… a year where the “sacrifices of the past are rewarded generously. All the seeds of effort we have sown shall finally bear fruit whose sweetness is determined by the purity of our heart’s content.”

But these new years can lead to a lot of pressure and an abundance of expectation. If / when we fall off the course we have set for the year, we can be our worst critics and left feeling disappointed in ourselves. Take for example the Elk Valley Streak – participants set a goal to go outside and be active every day of January. It’s just one month of the year, and yet if we miss a day we might consider giving up and staying with our self-pity. The key is to pick ourselves up and to keep going. What is one day? If we start again tomorrow, we will be active for more days than if we had not accepted the challenge at all.

And we can continue to ‘keep going’ the entire year. We are bound to make mistakes – we are human! Let’s be gentle with ourselves and work towards the overall vision we have set for 2023. After reading Tyla’s column this month and listening to a recent podcast on Unlocking Us with Chris Germer where they discuss Fierce Compassion, I am working towards selfcompassion in 2023. I think of the way I speak with my children and wonder if I spoke that way to myself, how would I feel? I’m guessing pretty darn good. If I hear negative self-talk, that’s okay. Change takes work and time, and like James Clear says in Atomic Habits, small adjustments can lead to massive transformations.

Happy New Year! Happy Year of the Rabbit. It really is full of possibility, so let’s keep going.