I’ve been thinking this week about something that doesn’t often get said out loud.
Not the big, obvious things. Not the plans, or the trips, or even the idea of travel itself.
But the absence of it.
The quiet, unnoticed absence of stepping away.
Because for so many women — especially at this stage of life — we become very good at continuing.
Holding things together. Being the reliable one. Keeping life moving.
Even when something in us is asking, very gently, for a pause.
And it doesn’t always sound urgent.
It doesn’t shout.
It’s more like a whisper you almost miss…“Maybe I need a break.”
But then life answers back, doesn’t it?
Not now. Too much to do. Too many people relying on me. Maybe later.
And later becomes a season. And then another.
I’ve lived inside that rhythm too.
Where rest feels like something to be earned. Where stepping away feels… indulgent, almost. Where you tell yourself you’ll go — just not yet. The next thing is too important to leave now.
And yet…
When I think about the times I have stepped away, really stepped out of the day-to-day – they’ve never just been “a holiday.”
They’ve been something else entirely.
A loosening. A remembering. A quiet returning to myself. Not in a dramatic, life-changing, everything-makes-sense kind of way.
But in small, almost invisible shifts.
The way your shoulders drop without you noticing. The way your thoughts soften. The way you realise you’ve been holding your breath… for longer than you knew.
And I think that’s the part we underestimate.
Not the trip itself. But what it allows. Because sometimes it isn’t about going somewhere new. It’s about giving yourself the space to feel something different.
To hear your own thoughts again. To notice what’s been sitting quietly underneath everything else.
And perhaps that’s why not stepping away has a cost.
Not always obvious. Not always immediate. But cumulative.
A kind of quiet depletion.
I saw something recently that stayed with me – that women who don’t take time away are far more likely to struggle with their mental wellbeing.
And it didn’t feel surprising. Not really.
Because when do we get the chance to reset if we never leave the place that’s asking everything from us?
This week, I’ve been remembering one particular day on the Camino.
We were climbing up towards O Cebreiro —
a stretch people talk about for a reason.
Steep, relentless… and that day, wrapped in a storm that felt almost unreal. Hail, rain, literally soaked to the skin. It would have been very easy to question what we were doing there.
And yet…
There was something about it too. Something raw, and clarifying. Because when everything external strips back – when it’s just you, the path, and the next step – there isn’t space for all the noise you usually carry.
Just presence. Just movement. Just being there.
You can see the full story of our Week 4 Camino journey as it played out HERE.
And in a very different way, I feel that every time I go solo hiking, which now the weather has improved I try to do at least once a week.
The latest videos of that series are out now and last week was all about something I don’t think we talk about enough – the quiet magic of going alone. Check out the full series HERE.
Not lonely. Not disconnected. But deeply, quietly with yourself. And how different that feels.
Both of those experiences — the storm, and the solitude —
in completely different ways…offered space.
And maybe that’s what this is really about. Not travel. Not plans. Not ticking anything off.
Just space.
The kind we don’t often give ourselves. But perhaps need more than we realise.
So, where in your life might you be craving just a little more space? leave a comment if something here resonated with you.
Thank you for being here — whether you read every word or just dip in now and then.Until next time,
Safe travels,
Sue x
This email may contain affiliate links. If you choose to use them, I may receive a small commission — thank you. You’ll never pay more, and my opinions are always my own.
P.S. Helpful travel resources I genuinely use can always be found below:
🏠 For accommodation, I use Expedia and Booking.com primarily. They have their own loyalty schemes which is easy to progress through the levels for better discounts and inclusions.
🚍 For tours and activities, my preferred supplier is Get Your Guide.
🗺️ For multi day or week tours, check out G Adventures. I used them for trips in Costa Rica, Peru, and Galapagos.
🧳 For luggage storage on your travels, I recommend the service by Bounce.
