Dear First name / friend
Hello, hello! Did you miss me? I was on holiday in Morocco last week with no access to a computer and, despite my best intentions, I didn't manage to pre-prepare a newsletter before I set off! So, I hope you're feeling refreshed and ready to dive back in.
It feels good to get away, doesn't it? Sometimes I worry that going on holiday is just another form of escapism, much like TV or social media, where we get momentary relief from whatever's going on in our lives at that moment, only to simply have it all to deal with when we come back. But, to doff my cynic's cap, I realised the benefit is not just as simple as ‘leaving your problems behind’: it's about having experiences that shift your mindset altogether so that the problems themselves are altered or perhaps no longer problems at all.
All our experiences change us. When we travel, we haven't just moved from A to B. We've been irretrievably, irrevocably and often unconsciously shaped by the things we see and the people we meet. I met a woman who drives horse transport lorries to and from races; I will always look at these on the motorway slightly differently and think of her. I went surfing for the first time and was warned I would never look at the sea the same way, instead noticing waves in a way I hadn't before. An author mentioned surfing in a book I was reading; now it means something to me, because of an experience I've had. I'm reading a book about food (Avocado Anxiety) and learning about the history of bananas; surely that means my whole interpretation of this rather funny-looking fruit will never quite be the same again?!
These things may seem trivial; minor; insignificant, but surely they're not? There's meaning where there wasn't meaning before. Decisions I had left behind me to be made on my return suddenly had such obvious answers. So, I don't think these things are just about a mindless escape, rather they can be a mindful experience that allows a shift in perspective.
Mindful moment: We are all shaped by our experiences. When we meet new people and try new things, we will never be the same again. These changes may appear small and insignificant, but having new experiences means when we go from A to B, we only ever come back to C. People you meet, books you read, food you eat - none of these is insignificant. Don't underestimate the power of these small moments of learning to help you keep growing and moving forwards.
