Where Rest Meets Joy.
Three weeks of no work and minimal plans is what 41-year-old me would define as bliss.
I wanted to lean in and really make the most of this time, as I know myself — how easy it can be for the days to disappear, leaving me with that familiar feeling that I didn’t quite “nail it.”
Over the past few years, I’ve spent time reflecting and honestly considering what I want my life to be like — or more accurately, what I want it to feel like. How do I want to feel as I move through my days? Day to day, I feel pretty good with the work I do; my days have a natural flow to them. Yet when it comes to time off, I’m always excited at first, and then I can feel this void — an emptiness, and even a quiet sense of failure.
As I’ve come to understand more about myself, my brain, and my own programming, I’ve worked to soften this pattern. Not by avoiding it, but by working with it. Asking: what’s happening here? And what does my body, mind, and soul actually need?
What I came to was this: slow mornings. Exercise that moves my body and makes me feel stronger each day. Coffee. Making food with my husband. Reading a great book. Pottering around the house. Spending time with my dogs. Being with my closest friends — the ones who remind me how inspiring life can be. Walking. Being in the ocean. And going on adventures that are slow, rooted in nature, and give me that deep sense of feeling alive and in awe.
Staying close to home, we decided that taking day trips would be a beautiful opportunity to immerse ourselves more deeply in nature and walking. The simple pleasure of walking is something I’m understanding in a new way. I have always walked and enjoyed it, yet something has shifted in how valuable this simple act feels — how much it plays a role in how I feel, offering both a sense of achievement and peace. I’ve also noticed that walking helps me drop the construct of time, softening me into more flow and ease in both my mind and body.
What I’ve also found fascinating about walking different tracks in and around the Auckland region is that there are clear patterns and structures — certain types of ‘nature programmes’ if you will - that repeat themselves. We were just outside of Matakana, walking the Ti Point walkway, and it nearly mirrors the tracks between Whangapoua Beach and New Chums Beach. I grew up there and have walked that track many, many times.
As we walked the Ti Point walkway, I felt a true sense of time collapsing. I could feel several different versions of myself all at once, existing on top of each other. What pleased me most was that the present version of me felt the most peaceful and calm — my body more expansive, rather than the younger versions (even from quite a young child), who were often tied up with feelings of tension and anxiety.
I felt more excited by the prospect of my holiday / time-off by having a loose plan and, in a rough sense, a goal. It gave me a sense of authentic purpose, curiosity, and connection in how I chose to carve my days out. So we decided to do at least one walk from each direction around Auckland — North, South, East, and West. New places, old places, places we could explore together. Resting into simplicity and the privilege of how close we live to such incredible locations.
Coming back to work in the new year has felt more enjoyable than in the past, I think for two reasons. The first is that I’ve been shifting and shaping my workdays into something I genuinely enjoy — balancing movement, creativity, teaching, admin-ing, downtime, time spent with my people, and of course, the doggos. The second has been consciously spending the last three weeks as authentically as I could: being open and honest with myself, and softening into the reality of how things are — and just how beautiful they actually are.
What I’ve learned most of all is that rest comes less from stopping, and more from joy, authenticity, and connection to who I am and the life I’m living. Letting life flow, while still being an active participant, has meant that I feel more alive, inspired, and rested than ever before.
Here are some of the of the special places we visited…
Tiritiri Matangi Scientific Reserve - John’s Work Christmas party
Muriwai Beach - Camping
Hunua Waterfall (South)
Long Bay Coastal Track / Okura (North)
Tawharanui West End Walk
Ti Point Walkway
Mangemangeroa reserve walk (East)
Peace in my Garden