Recently, I had the good fortune of being surrounded by family and friends visiting from afar. It was a joyful, heartwarming period filled with shared meals, laughter and we revisited my local surroundings on the Silver Coast in Portugal through fresh eyes. What surprised me most, however, was how deeply I got to know them – as adults. We grew up together in environments focused on social events and occasions, but this time we connected in deeper conversations. It was enriching, rewarding and even a little surprising to realise how much we’d all grown.
In preparation, I had made a promise to myself: Prioritise myself by remembering to ground, center and protect my energies. For me, family visitors can trigger old wounds and thankfully this didn’t happen, I had a good time! Before anyone arrived, I wrote down at the top of my to-do list “ME TIME” and that little note became my compass. As the days unfolded, I noticed just how quickly routines change when the house is full and the calendar is packed. Within a week which extended into a ever intensifying month, self-care slipped through the cracks , and I really felt it. I became twitchy, mentally foggy and emotionally off-balance with moments of berating myself for not giving my To Do list 100%.
It reminded me that grounding and processing life, especially the full, fast beautiful bits, is essential. Without pause, we miss the clarity, the peace, the quiet nudges of inspiration. And without those, it becomes harder to function well as a human being. We can’t run on constant stimulation alone. We also need solitude, silence and self-nourishment.
I’ve come to realise that self-care isn’t a luxury, it IS my foundation. Without it, I unravel. My mind starts racing, my body aches and my spirit dims. There’s nothing wrong with being present for loved ones whether emotionally, mentally and physically. But the cost of overextending can quietly creep in if we don’t draw boundaries with love and honesty. Are you over-helping? Trying to impress? Working towards a level of perfection no one actually needs?
The only person I’m in competition with is myself, and the only expectations I need to meet are the ones rooted in kindness and sustainability. Self-care isn’t something to ‘get around to’ at the end of the week. It’s a daily practice. A form of devotion. A way of saying, “I matter, too.”
It doesn’t always need candles, oils, or sacred sound. Sometimes, it’s lying on the floor. Taking a long shower. Setting the phone aside. Breathing slowly. Journalling a few honest lines. Intention doesn’t need the pomp—it just needs your presence.
What Helped Me Reset This During an Intense time:
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Creating moments of stillness: lying on the floor and letting my body settle
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A long, cleansing shower to wash off energetic residue
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Writing my thoughts without judgement or structure
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Speaking honestly to someone I trust
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Dropping the need to be productive and simply being
Self-care doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to be honest. Show up, even messily. That’s where the real return begins.
If you’ve been feeling the pull to come back to yourself—gently, honestly, and without pressure—the Autumn Mini Series was made for you.
Each retreat day is a moment of intentional pause, where breath, art, reflection and stillness hold space for everything you’ve been carrying.
Come for one, or journey through all four—Courage, Connect, Create, and Calm—each offering a different doorway back to your inner foundation.
Your self-care isn’t selfish. It’s your return to yourself.
Bookings for our Autumn series now open – only 15 spaces per day, be quick, tickets are selling FAST!