Hi Reader,
Today’s newsletter is being written later than usual.
Sunday mornings are normally my time for this, but today is different.
I’m flying back to the UK tomorrow and, although I’ve had the best time here in Italy (my husband and I cycled almost 700km!), I noticed something interesting along the way.
Cycling is, hands down, one of the best ways to explore. New places, familiar places, it doesn’t matter. Everything feels more alive, more open, more freeing.
But – here it comes! – it also gives you space.
And space, sometimes, invites everything else in.
Here's what happened:
As I cycled through some of the most beautiful routes and cycle paths, I also found myself thinking, overthinking, planning, replaying, imagining.
What was meant to be relaxing and exciting slowly became moments of deep reflection...a bit of anxiety about the future…and other thoughts that just wouldn’t let go!
Ugh.
And that’s when this quote came to mind:
Wherever you go, there you are.
– Jon Kabat-Zinn
Because here’s the reality: no matter how far you travel, you still bring yourself with you.
The thoughts.
The worries.
The unfinished conversations in your head.
Or even that mess you left behind when you left your house!
We can try to quiet that noise by going away, staying busy, watching something, reading something, going out, doing anything that helps us not think too much.
But sometimes…that’s just escape.
And I caught myself doing exactly that – escaping while also exploring.
Urgh. Not ideal.
So here’s what I’m taking from this:
When I get home, I’m not just jumping back into routine. I’m also going to take a few intentional steps toward the things that kept showing up on those rides.
Because avoiding them didn’t make them quieter – it just made them follow me, uninvited.
Real life is waiting for me.
My clients are waiting for me.
And thankfully more work is waiting for me.
I hope this experience has resonated with you and, if it has, I'd like to invite you to reflect on the following:
Next time you find yourself reaching for an “escape” – whether that’s a trip, a walk, a series, or even just that silly online game, pause for a moment and ask yourself:
Am I doing this to explore…
or to avoid, to escape?
There’s nothing wrong with needing a break. We all do.
But if there’s something sitting quietly (or loudly) in the background of your life, asking for attention, then maybe that’s where your energy needs to go next.
Because the goal isn’t to build a life you need to escape from.
It’s to build one you actually want to be fully present in.
Ciao for now!
With positivity (and a gelato),
Lucy
