Detours That Lead Us Home
5 Lessons from a Passport Mishap
Last Friday, I had my sights set on the UK. I was packed and ready for Bordeaux airport, eager to celebrate friendship and a week of joyful adventure. After two postponed attempts (thanks to sick dogs), I was determined to make it this time.
But just before departure, I discovered my passport had expired, and that sinking feeling of disappointment hit hard.
Then, life quietly redirected me. Instead of flying north, I packed the car, turned south, and followed a spontaneous road trip into the sunset.
I arrived in a peaceful corner of the world, near Pau, to rest in a 16th-century house imbued with monastic calm, alongside a dear soul. There, I did nothing but read beautiful words, swim, eat simple food, and just be. No responsibilities. No timelines. No dogs to walk.
I softened and received what I so often offer others: space to let go, to feel held, and to simply exist without being needed.
In just a few days, I released the familiar structures that shape my everyday. And in their absence, something new returned: rest, inspiration, and a fresh perspective.
So here’s to the plans that fall apart, the doors that close, and the unexpected invitations that follow. They remind us that when we let go, energy shifts — and life gently opens in a new direction.
Now home again, I’m preparing to welcome guests on retreat, where they too can rest, replenish, and reconnect. Not to escape life, but to meet it with a full heart and a clearer sense of what truly matters.
5 Lessons from a Passport Mishap
1. Don’t dwell in disappointment — follow the invitation.
When plans fall apart, resist the urge to fix or force. Often, the unexpected offers exactly what you didn’t know you needed. Pause. Breathe. Then follow the new thread.
2. Say yes to spontaneity — even when it disrupts your roles.
Let go of the myth that everything must be earned, managed, or justified. Sometimes the soul needs unplanned joy, even if it means putting down responsibility for a while.
3. Intend to do absolutely nothing.
Create space for silence, stillness, and not knowing. Let your mind empty. Let your body exhale. Doing nothing isn’t lazy — it’s essential for deep replenishment.
4. Drop the invisible patterns that hold you.
We often operate within habits and identities that subtly limit us. A break in routine is a chance to notice, loosen, and release what no longer serves.
5. Let energy shift — and vision return.
When we stop trying to control the outcome, something softer arises. A new sense of clarity. A different kind of vitality. From here, life begins to move differently.
Until next time,
Much love, Tamsin x
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