I just got back from a mini break. My partner and I drove six hours from our home in London to go camping in a new area we’ve never been to before. There was so much about this trip I had been craving – nature, being on the road, switching off my phone, and exploring places I’ve heard so much about. Surprisingly for us it’s the first mini break we’ve had in a little while and I guess in some ways I hadn’t anticipated how much I needed it. The chance to remove myself from my everyday surroundings to get some new perspectives.

Here’s a few lessons I’ve learnt from hitting the road again:

There’s something I love about driving. There’s an element of freedom and presence about it. I can choose silence or I can choose chatter, either way I’m there fully in the moment taking it all in. I love the sense of pure gratitude I have for my life when sitting still for long period of time and having no other ‘agenda’. Funny enough it’s a similar feeling I get from long haul flights. I’m actually one of those ‘strange’ people that loves long-haul. I feel a sense of pure liberation. That I absolutely have no other choice than to sit, still, in thoughts or sleep.

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Space is a must. This one has caught me a tiny bit by surprise. Partly because I feel I’m pretty good at creating space in my diary on a weekly basis for ‘me’ time, or to create a level of flow and balance between high energy activities and down time. What I’ve taken away from this latest mini-break is that creating space is an absolute must, and while smaller moments of space on a weekly level is great, without committing to (i.e. scheduling it in!) longer breaks there’s no real ‘off’ switch ever. I’m grateful that I absolutely LOVE what I do daily, which also means I can get a little caught up in the go-go-go. The intensity of feeling like I want to keep going and keep creating means in some ways more than ever I must be conscious of creating lots of space to just be. Whether that’s for stillness, for simple away from business time, or to physically remove myself from distractions of daily life (cleaning, tidying, socialising, family, being in business). If I keep running without pausing to top up my fuel tank then I’m not running a very sustainable strategy. The more I can create pauses the more I will re-generate and restore my energy, which actually completely supports my creative process! (And makes me an all-round nicer person to be around!).

Even though there is a part of me that love the idea of ‘fitting it all in’ still after all these years of unravelling my need to be ‘busy’, my flow is best when I have created time to ground once I’ve been away from home. I’m someone who just loves to travel. Which means when I return home and notice myself craving some couch time or dreading going out the next day I’m a little surprised at myself. What I’ve learnt (again) is that I need both. I need home and I need away. When I’ve had away time then I need to stock up on a little grounded home time. Practically speaking, that means blocking out a full day in my diary once I get back from any holiday, mini-break or business trip away. I can choose on the day what and how I use my day. Chances are though I’m going to want to be in my familiar comfort zone, at home, and in my slippers. ?

I wonder what you can take away from these lessons in your own life? Where have you become a little stuck in your routine and might you need to do differently? Or where could you be seeing things with fresh eyes and taking on a new perspective to move you forward?

Know anyone who is stuck in a cycle of busy right now? Hasn’t taken a holiday in a really long time? Or simply could do with a little pep up and shift in perspective? Share this post with them below!