Latest news with #reinvention
Condé Nast Traveler
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Condé Nast Traveler
17 Best Things to Do in Athens, From Hitting the Beach to Gazing at Ruins
As one of the world's oldest cities, there's no surprise at the sheer amount of things to do in Athens—the destination is a master of reinvention. After a dark decade on the brink of Grexit, Athens has morphed into southern Europe's capital of cool. Long weekenders are swooping in to check out the exciting food scene and check into the new wave of cool hotels in Athens. Artists and designers are settling in for good, lured by affordable rents, the promise of sunshine, and an anarchic spirit where you don't have to play by the rules. There's nothing orderly about Athens: traffic is chaotic, life is messy, the architecture a mash-up of Byzantine and Bauhaus, neoclassical and nondescript. The Parthenon still dominates the skyline—and will forever be one of the key things to do in Athens—but for most Athenians the antiquities embedded among tightly packed apartment blocks are an afterthought. It's in the graffitied backstreets and café-lined squares, the factories converted into galleries, bars hidden in arcades, and secret coves for skinny dipping where the heartbeat of Athens is racing. Beyond the classics, these are the best things to do in Athens.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Telegraph
My friends died in the Shoreham air crash – so I turned my life around
Reinvention is more than just a positive lifestyle choice; it's a necessity as society changes. The traditional three-stage life model — education, work, retirement – has been replaced by the 'multistage' life. The job for life has gone out of the window. It's time to embrace the many versions of you. Take Angela Rippon. The 80 year old has had a six decade-long career in journalism and broadcasting, full of twists and turns – and including a memorable turn on Strictly Come Dancing. One of the most searched terms about her is 'Can Angela Rippon really still do the splits?' Yes she can – and if like her you want to 'stay young until the day you die', you may need to reinvent yourself along the way. Leslie Kenny, a longevity expert from the Oxford Longevity Project, explains that there is evidence to prove that reinvention is a powerful tool for a healthier, longer life. 'It reawakens curiosity, builds resilience, and helps us shift from surviving to thriving. That shift is what gives us extra years and, more importantly, better years,' she adds. Dr Mohammed Enayat, founder of longevity clinic, HUM2N, agrees. 'Reinvention in midlife, whether through career transitions, dietary improvements, or optimised sleep and movement routines, triggers positive epigenetic changes that directly impact the ageing process,' he adds. 'In clinical practice, we observe that embracing change reduces harmful stress hormones, enhances metabolic function, and significantly improves both health span and lifespan,' he adds. So, if you're planning on living a longer, healthier and happier life, it's time to start reinventing. Need some inspiration? Here's how three brave midlife individuals navigated their big change. 'I was a Headteacher – now I'm a channel swimmer and lifeguard' Married mother of two, Hildi Mitchell, 54, from Brighton traded the demanding world of head teaching for the open water I began my career in academia with a PhD in social anthropology. My first reinvention came in 2003 when I left the university world to become a primary school teacher. I loved to teach and a role for headship came up at my local primary school. It was my dream job. But it wasn't easy. Like many, my husband Jon and I juggled careers and looking after our children, Polly and Elise. I loved my job, but I think many of us sleepwalk through life, ticking off the next task. I kept fit and healthy – running, swimming and cycling. I wasn't fast but always consistent. Then it was 2020, I combined turning 50 with COVID and a surge in stress levels. I led my school through the pandemic and headed the local branch of the national headteachers' union. Parents and staff relied on me and turned to me for answers that I didn't always have. I felt the weight of it in my body. My mum had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in her 50s. She never got to retire and live out her dreams, and that also weighed on my mind as I navigated the pandemic and kept the school afloat. Then in 2021, my friend Izzi died suddenly from COVID due to complications from diabetes. She was five days younger than me. An astrophysicist and serial reinventor, she lived life to the full, and we had such fun taking off on impromptu road trips and swimming holidays. Her death reminded me how fragile life is. I'd trained as a swim teacher 18 years earlier. I always had a dream to swim the Channel, but I'd kept putting it off: 'I'll do it some time' I told myself. It was Jon who said 'some time' may never come. So, I did it. I booked the Channel swim. And then I resigned from my role as head teacher. The day I had to hand in my notice, I sobbed in my car. I had no clear plan, just the North Star of the Channel swim. But I knew I couldn't keep going as I was. I had taught children as part of my role as a part time swim coach, and loved swimming. So I thought I would combine my two passions. I retrained as a beach lifeguard. This was harder than the Ironman I'd done, surrounded by 20-somethings, trying to clamber onto the board. After day two I told my husband Jon I wanted to give up. But I didn't. Now I work at a 50m outdoor pool called Sea Lanes in Brighton. I clean toilets, fish hair out of drains, sit on the lifeguard stool in all weathers, and I love it. I'm working about 30 hours a week and taking home about 40 per cent of what I did before. That was supposed to be a full time job but I worked about 60 hours a week. So in some ways it works out well in the sense of having more time and more joy in my life. I've cut back on spending, cancelled subscriptions, like Amazon Prime, and I feel more mindful about how I spend my time and money. I completed my solo Channel swim in July 2024. And now I'm planning to swim the Bristol Channel – and maybe even the North Channel, for the triple crown. Setting goals is vital, without the Channel Swim, I may never have taken the plunge. I had a vision and now I'm living that out. I'm making sure I enjoy it. Status and money are not important to me, and I'm not worried about what others may or may not think. What does matter is having a choice and living a healthy and happy life. 'My friends died in the Shoreham air crash and it was a catalyst to get fit and change my life' A decade ago, Nigel Lambe, 55, was a father of three caught in the corporate grind. Today, he's reinvented himself as an entrepreneurial fitness coach It's been said that people overestimate what they can achieve in a year, and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade. I'm a natural planner, I set long and short-term goals and it's how I've always lived, but if I went back to 2015, I think I'd be amazed to see the life I have now. Aged 40, I was the classic slightly overweight businessman, married, three kids in private school, commuting to London to my corporate role as the chief executive of eCourier, a London-based logistics company. In 2010 I switched careers to start a successful coffee company and brewery. But the first time I did anything you could call 'sport' was after the 2012 Olympics. Like many others, I got swept up in the Bradley Wiggins hype. It wasn't long after this that I opened a cycling café and started a social cycling club — no egos, no competition, just community and enough activity to justify a few beers. That group became a space for people like me to get together, have some fun, and tick the fitness box. Then, in August 2015, everything changed. Two friends, Dylan and Richard, from the cycling group I'd set up were killed in the Shoreham airshow crash when they were out on a ride. It was devastating. A brutal reminder that time isn't promised. I started a programme of therapy, which had a big impact on how I moved my life forward, and it pushed me to stop and take stock. By 2017, my 18-year marriage had ended. Divorce, stress and three kids depending on me — it cracked something open. The following year, I met my partner, Grace, online – she's lived in the UK for many years but was born in Nairobi. By now, I was doing some parkruns and getting a bit fitter. And after focusing on running during lockdown, the change that had started four years before was accelerated. I put more energy into fitness and began serious training for a duathlon (cycling and running). I set a goal of becoming an age grouper (i.e. representing my country for my age). I qualified and ran my first duathlon race in Irish kit in Bilbao. My goal? Not to come last. I didn't and am now preparing for my fourth race for Ireland, the World Championships in Spain this June. Next up was marathon running. In just two years, I managed to achieve a PB [personal best] of 3.27 at the Brighton Marathon. While training for the marathons, I was set to go on a three-week trip to Kenya, to visit my partner's family. I decided I might need some time away from the new 'in-laws', so I signed up to a two-week running trip with the Kenya Experience who organise training holidays for amateur runners based in Iten, 2,400m at altitude – the 'home of the champions'. I didn't just get fitter from that trip. I was inspired by the small town of Iten and the Kenyan culture. I loved the people and the contrast of their society to ours. At that point, I was working as chief executive of Sussex Innovation, part of the University of Sussex. I didn't wait, I invested in the Kenya Experience as both a runner and a business coach and am now helping to expand the business. And over the last year, I've also worked hard to qualify as a triathlon and endurance running coach (while working full-time). Reinvention isn't what I was consciously doing. I wasn't trying to change who I was, but in always trying something new, I've certainly reconnected with who I'm meant to be. At 55, I feel like I'm just getting started, and I'm looking forward to discovering what's next. 'I ditched wine for Ironmans' In 2020, Myanna Duncan was juggling her full-time career as a scientist, being a new single mum, and grieving her mother. Wine o'clock was firmly fixed in her day, but aged 40, she decided enough was enough My daughter was born in lockdown, and six weeks later, my relationship ended. I was suddenly a single parent, raising her alone while working full-time as a Behavioural Scientist. Just nine months earlier, my mum had died suddenly. I was grieving, overwhelmed and trying to keep everything going. Like many new parents, I slipped into an unhealthy daily habit when Ruby became a toddler. I'd collect her from nursery and pour a glass of wine while making dinner. When I wasn't alone, I was catching up with the girls from my maternity leave 'wine club'. I wasn't drinking excessively – two to three glasses of wine. There were no wild nights or blackouts. But it was a bad habit that affected everything: my sleep, mood, energy and general wellbeing. I was always tired, without really knowing why. Alcohol is sneaky. It slowly wears you down without you noticing. I'd always stayed fit. I did my PhD in 2009 at Loughborough University, the home of sport. But after having a baby and a C-section, my body changed and I felt sluggish. By the time I turned 40 in 2023, I realised how deeply the bad habits had become embedded. Still, it wasn't until March 2024 that I finally gave up alcohol for good. As a scientist, I needed evidence to help shape my 'why'. I read This Naked Mind by Annie Grace. It explained not just the lived experience of quitting, but the science behind why alcohol is so damaging. I'm all or nothing, so I decided to stop, as an experiment. I was amazed by how quickly I felt better. I was sharper, less irritable, my skin was clearer, I lost weight and was leaner all around, and I had more energy. It wasn't easy. Drinking had been my way of coping with stress, and it was central to my social life. My first test was a ski holiday in Austria in April 2023. Ski trips had always been about the après as much as the skiing. I swapped booze for Red Bull and powered through with caffeine. I remember thinking, if I can do this, I can do anything. The first three months were the hardest. If you're thinking of quitting, it's worth having a game plan. Even as someone sporty, alcohol was ingrained in my life. At university, I played water polo and drinking after matches was how we bonded. It's easy to become dependent without realising. In the early days, I used the excuse of 'training for something' to dodge the inevitable question: 'Why aren't you drinking?' The biggest motivation to stay a non-drinker has been how good I feel. Your 40s can be a great time to enjoy the benefits of endurance sport, especially for women. My fitness improved quickly. My Parkrun time dropped from 28 to 20 minutes. At Hyrox Manchester, my training partner Joey and I came second, just behind the world champions. I'm back competing in Olympic triathlons and have an Ironman 70.3 coming up in September. I still have friends who drink, and I don't judge. But now, when I go out, I enjoy the food and the company, not just the drinks menu. My social circle has shifted too. I've got more fit friends, and the Hyrox community is so supportive and inspirational. We train, grab coffee, and go for lunch. I could never have imagined this life four years ago. It's changed beyond recognition, and I've never once wished I hadn't stopped drinking.'
Fox News
10-07-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Washington Post CEO urges staffers who don't 'feel aligned' with paper's new direction to take buyout
Washington Post publisher and CEO Will Lewis is urging staffers who don't "feel aligned" with the paper's new direction to take a buyout and leave. In a memo sent to staff Wednesday, Lewis touted the Post's "reinvention journey" it has taken in recent months, including its "reimagining" of its opinion pages that "champion American values" among other company initiatives. "The moment demands that we continue to rethink all aspects of our organization and business to maximize our impact," Lewis wrote in the memo obtained by Fox News Digital. "If we want to reconnect with our audience and continue to defend democracy, more changes at The Post will be necessary. And to succeed, we need to be united as a team with a strong belief and passion in where we are heading." "I understand and respect, however, that our chosen path is not for everyone," he continued. "That's exactly why we introduced the voluntary separation program. As we continue in this new direction, I want to ask those who do not feel aligned with the company's plan to reflect on that. The VSP is designed to support you in making this decision, give you the ability to weigh your options thoughtfully and with less concern about financial consequences. And if you think that it's time to move on to a new chapter, the VSP helps you take that next step with more security." "Regardless of what you decide, I want to thank all of you for everything you have done for this organization. If you choose to move away from The Post, thank you for all your contributions, and I truly wish you the best of luck. If you believe in our next chapter, I'm excited for the work ahead of us," Lewis concluded the memo. The Washington Post did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Lewis' memo came less than two months after the paper launched its latest buyout program specifically targeting veteran staffers that would conclude at the end of July. According to a VSP document previously viewed by Fox News Digital, nine months of base pay would be given to staffers employed for 10-15 years, 12 months of base pay for 15-20-year veterans, 15 months of base pay for 20-25-year veterans and 18 months for anyone who has worked at the Post for more than 25 years. All of them would also receive 12 months of pay credit in their Separate Retirement Account (SRA). The Post has suffered a dramatic decline in subscriptions, which was further fueled by multiple boycott campaigns against the "Democracy Dies in Darkness" paper over decisions made by its billionaire owner Jeff Bezos. The first was in October when Bezos halted the paper's endorsement of then-Vice President Kamala Harris just days before the November election. The second was in February when Bezos announced his directive for the Post's editorial pages to promote "personal liberties and free markets" and vowed not to publish pieces opposing those principles. Both instances sparked a mass exodus of paid subscribers and several resignations, including opinion editor David Shipley, who opposed Bezos' new policy. Last month, the Post tapped Adam O'Neal, formerly of The Economist and The Wall Street Journal, to lead the opinion pages.
Skift
10-07-2025
- Business
- Skift
Skift Global Forum 2025: A New Era Demands a New Map
The last five years were about resilience and regrowth. The next five? Reinvention. Skift Global Forum 2025 is where travel's next chapter takes shape — through bold ideas, strategic clarity, and the people reshaping the industry. September 16–18, 2025 | The Glasshouse, New York City This year's theme is clear: "Travel 2030: People, Platforms, and New Paths Forward." We're in an era of perma-disruption — political tension, AI breakthroughs, shifting platforms, economic whiplash, and travelers redefining what they want. The travel industry isn't waiting for stability anymore. The most forward-thinking leaders are rewriting the rules right now — and you belong in the room where it's happening. Navigate What's Next and Lead With Purpose This theme captures how people, breakthrough technologies, and bold strategies are reshaping how we move, connect, and belong. On stage, you'll hear from leaders at global brands and rising startups challenging the status quo. Topics include: How airlines are innovating under pressure Navigating political and cultural upheaval, reshaping global travel Why destinations are prioritizing sustainable tourism over pure volume How hotels are redefining hospitality for a new generation The role of AI, personalization, and loyalty in a fragmented marketplace The rising power of sports, food, culture, and entertainment as drivers of travel demand and telling stories Real strategies to make travel more regenerative How travel continues to unite a divided world Leading through constant change and staying ahead of the curve Tangible Insights. Unscripted Conversations. Lasting Connections. This isn't just another travel leadership conference — it's where big thinking meets real strategy. The clarity, connections, and candid conversations you'll only experience at Skift Global Forum: Frank conversations with travel's top CEOs Clear strategies for growth in uncertain times New connections through expert-led roundtables Real-time insight into platforms, personalization, and what travelers want next You'll leave with clarity, confidence, and fresh partnerships to lead through disruption and thrive. Don't Miss Your Seat in Travel's Most Influential Room If you're building, leading, or rethinking the future of travel, this is where it all comes together. Seats are limited, and early-bird rates won't last. Join us in New York this September. This is not just another event. It's the forum that moves the industry forward. Skift Global Forum: What to Expect Now in its 12th year, Skift Global Forum has become a global benchmark for what's next in travel. Kick things off at the Opening Night Event on September 16, then dive into full days of main stage talks, networking, and industry collaboration on September 17–18 at The Glasshouse. Read More
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Washington Post CEO Encourages Staffers to Resign if They Don't ‘Feel Aligned' With Its Reinvention
Will Lewis, CEO of The Washington Post, encouraged staffers who do not 'feel aligned' with the news company's 'reinvention' to resign in a company memo on Wednesday. Spotlighting the Post's so-called 'voluntary separation program' that offers buyouts for exiting employees, Lewis said 'I truly wish you the best of luck' to employees who are weighing whether or not the company's direction is for them — and that 'if you believe in our next chapter, I'm excited for the work ahead of us.' More from TheWrap Washington Post CEO Encourages Staffers to Resign if They Don't 'Feel Aligned' With Its Reinvention Jasmine Crockett Says Podcast Appearances by Less 'Vibrant' Reps Hurt the Democratic Party: 'Not Even Being Shady' | Video Steve Bannon Speculates Linda Yaccarino Ditched X Because She Can't Control Elon Musk Jen Psaki Explains How History Shows Elon Musk's Bid for a 3rd Political Party Won't Work | Video Lewis' memo was first reported and shared by The New York Times' Ben Mullin. Read it in full below: Will Lewis emails the Washington Post staff, encouraging those who "do not feel aligned" with the company's future plans to consider the buyout offer. — Ben Mullin (@BenMullin) July 9, 2025 'Over the last year, we have embarked on a significant reinvention journey to make The Washington Post more appealing to, and trusted by, today's audiences,' Lewis' memo began. 'We are reimagining our Opinion offering to champion timeless American values; tackling traditional subscription fatigue head-on through flexible access; launching new, engaging product improvements such as From the Source; and embracing AI rapidly across all of our workflows. 'But we are far from done,' he continued. 'The moment demands that we continue to rethink all aspects of our organization and business to maximize our impact. If we want to reconnect with our audience and continue to defend democracy, more changes at The Post will be necessary. And to succeed, we need to be united as a team with a strong belief and passion in where we are heading.' Lewis then said that he understands that The Post's 'chosen path is not for everyone' before citing the company's voluntary separation program, saying that's 'exactly why' it was introduced. 'As we continue in this new direction, I want to ask those who do not feel aligned with the company's plan to reflect on that,' he said. 'The VSP is designed to support you in making this decision, give you the ability to weigh your options thoughtfully and with less concern about financial consequences. And if you think that it's time to move on to a new chapter, the VSP helps you take that next step with more security. 'Regardless of what you decide, I want to thank all of you for everything you have done for this organization,' Lewis concluded. 'If you choose to move away from The Post thank you for all your contributions, and I truly wish you the best of luck. If you believe in our next chapter, I'm excited for the work ahead of us.' Representatives for The Post did not immediately respond to TheWrap's request for comment. More to come … The post Washington Post CEO Encourages Staffers to Resign if They Don't 'Feel Aligned' With Its Reinvention appeared first on TheWrap.
