Getting Away… July 4, 2023

Hello friends,

I just got back from my trip, a wonderful week away in the middle of nowhere, no people, no tech, just five of us, living in cabins surrounded by the bush, the wildlife, the sounds of kookaburras in the morning and the sound of the river slowly slushing past, reminding us that we are in fact, alive.

The best part – no thinking about anything of importance.

I looked forward to this trip more than, I think, any holiday in the past. I was overwhelmed. The need to do everything, be a great writer, a great marketer, to be the best parent, the best teacher, all running through my head, knowing I was falling short. I wasn’t good enough… for myself. I was Samson, holding everything up, balancing what I thought was important on my shoulders. My mental health was at an all time low. I needed to get away, clear my head, do, well, nothing. The lack of technology allowed for precisely that. And I told hubby that this is my holiday too. If I don’t want to go for a drive, or for a walk, I shouldn’t have to.

It was perfect! We did go for a drive, built a lovely snowman, had snowball fights, did some four-wheel driving, went on walks and hikes. We played trivia, we played card games, we sat by the fire, talking nonsense.

And I wrote. Out in the cold, by the fire, music playing, more relaxed than I’ve ever felt. I finished the last draft of my new book. I enjoyed writing again, without everything that goes with it, just the act of writing.

 The moral? Forget the other stuff. Well, not completely forget it, some things still need to be done, but I began writing for the love of it and somewhere along the way, I forgot how to love it. It became a pressure. I’ve come back with a new outlook, not so new, but a revived outlook. I hope I can keep this sense of hope, that I can sustain this feeling.

And if I can’t well, I’m going to take off out of this rat race again. Find my centre, love what I love.

So if you’re struggling with whatever you love, take some time, forget the trials, even for a minute. Do what you need to bring you back to what you love.

Until next time,

Rit.