About The Studio Journal
The Transformation You Can Expect from Life Reconnection Signature Program — Back to Your Senses
✔ Reconnect with your true self
✔ Gain clarity on what to focus on
✔ Feel empowered to make bold decisions
✔ Take aligned action toward meaningful change
The Studio Journal was born during a sabbatical that became something much deeper—a turning point. What began as a pause from routine turned into a journey of unlearning, rediscovery, and reconnection. I wandered, I listened, I wrote. I stepped into unfamiliar places—both on the map and within myself.
This journal is a space to share what I’ve gathered along the way. It holds reflections from the road, questions from the quiet moments, and the stories that shape how we travel, live, and grow. You’ll find pieces of my journey here, but also prompts, insights, and encouragement for your own.
Because transformation doesn’t happen all at once. It happens in the in-between. And this is a place for that.
Live for Yourself While Being There for Others
A spontaneous meeting under a eucalyptus tree became a quiet reminder that we must choose ourselves too. Through nature, reflection, and movement, we reconnect — to life, to others, and to who we are.
I had a meaningful encounter this week while called to a particular trail. Walking along the hilly Montgó side street, I stopped under a tall eucalyptus whose scent filled the air. As I admired its wide, textured trunk, an elderly lady appeared as if invited to the same spot.
In the golden setting sun, we began to talk, a blend of English, Spanish, and German unfolding between us. I learned that she had recently lost her husband of decades and was now alone in his country, far from her own circle. I listened, feeling that my role was simply to be there, assuring her that community and connection would return if she reached out.
Before parting ways, we hugged, she with her little dog, patiently waiting. Two strangers meeting under an old tree, both reminded that we are never truly alone.
Choosing Ourselves, Too
We are fortunate when life grants us long partnerships that shape who we are. Yet while we choose our partners every day, we must also remember to choose ourselves: to nurture our own paths, friendships, and independence.
One day we may stand alone, and if we’ve never practiced it, solitude can feel overwhelming. For me, learning to let others care for me has been just as important as learning to stand on my own. When we’re too used to someone else arranging things, it can take time to rediscover our own rhythm.
Solo hobbies, short trips, or longer adventures benefit both ourselves and our partners, offering space to reflect on who we are and what we seek in each other.
Redefining Our Roles
This week’s conversations reminded me how universal these transitions are; losing a partner, separating, or watching children move out. Each change reshapes our lives and redefines our roles.
That’s why it’s so vital to pause and ask:
Who am I beyond these familiar patterns? What still defines me?
Nature as a Way Back
For me, nature walks have always been my way back: sorting thoughts, reconnecting with myself, and grounding in the moment. Movement in nature unlocks emotions that words often hide.
Set out intentionally with a question to yourself. Walk in silence. Reach for a tree, feel the wind, notice the scent of the earth. When we engage our senses, emotional truths unfold, and sometimes they make us cry, sometimes laugh.
Have a wonderful weekend. Step out, even for a short while, and let the path remind you of yourself.
If you are interested in try the Luontopolku reflective walk guide.
To the Lovestories
A small group walks joyfully through an olive grove bathed in soft Mediterranean light. They pause to pick ripe fruit, their laughter mingling with the hum of nature. Hands brush over herbs and silvery olive leaves, feeling textures, scents, and connection. Surrounded by the garden’s calm rhythm, each step on this Luontopolku walk becomes a moment of presence of discovering beauty through touch, scent, and togetherness.
Autumn means learning to let go after holding tightly to the lingering morning mists, marvelling at the gorgeous hues, and rising onto your toes as migrating birds glide overhead at the pier.
A New Chapter with The Journey Studio
This year, after finishing my work in Finland, I emptied my drawers, packed my bags, and took off myself. My year of transition reached its final turning point as I embarked on my full-time journey as an entrepreneur at The Journey Studio.
Upon returning to my newfound second home in Valencia, I was privileged to welcome a dear friend, a soulmate from my Lake Saimaa woods, along on a journey that has no end. I returned to a haven I had once discovered on a mountain hike through the surrounding valleys. Together with the gentle owners of Castell de la Solana, we hosted a partner team for an unforgettable, meaningful long weekend.
Stories Around the Long Table
As we gathered around the long table, I sensed it would hold the many stories that would unfold there during our first lunch. The heartfelt tales of finding a place, a purpose, each other, and courage all spoke of love — as did mine. Love for oneself, the courage to step out, move on, listen deeply, and embark on one’s own path. My divorce, fittingly, also became final that very day.
Transformation Through Travel
Travel is a beautiful, powerful tool, a path to wellbeing and connection when pursued with intention. The sense of belonging and embrace we felt among the olive groves during the Luontopolku reflective walk, in that valley where the storm gave way to radiant daylight, reflected transformation itself. In the days that followed, we shared our souls, roamed the nature trails with the wind in our hair and the sea whispering its greetings, turning the moments into a beautiful metamorphosis.
Who Are You, Beyond Your Title?
I often ask a simple question: If not defined by your position, who are you?
The intuitive answer is deeply revealing, one only needs to understand it within. I am a connector, now surrounded by dear friends who also know who they are, and that shared awareness brings assurance and clarity beyond the norms of this world.
Freedom, Connection, and the Home Within
I am humbled to have created the trust that allowed us to come together to experience something beautiful and carry meaning home. Wet with rain and tears, we hugged one another, carrying the knowing that this was only the beginning. There are journeys yet to unfold; journeys that take us beyond trips, to the home within restoring and healing us beyond wellbeing as we know it.
I have been told that I create a sense of freedom simply by being myself. Feeling free has always driven me: moving me from one country to another. Now, I no longer need to move to feel free. With my concept of life: traveling every day, I am free within myself.
As part of this transition after my divorce, I am now officially taking my author’s name, Bruun, as my registered name. My grandparents’ name carries deep meaning for me, a return to my roots and to the family pillars that have supported me throughout my life.
Would you like to embark on your own lovestory?
Drop me a note or read more at Life Chapter Reinvention or Travel Coaching in Finnish at Mukana matkallasi.
Courage is Everything
Mirka Kristiina, a transformative travel coach sits atop a mountain in Cusco, Peru, embracing the vast landscape below. The moment captures reflection, presence, and the courage to embark on transformative journeys, connecting deeply with self and surroundings.
Taking the Leap
A year ago, on 31.7., I took a leap: a sabbatical that would change my life.
I grew up believing anything was possible; my father encouraging, my mother cautioning. I had moved abroad for studies and work, traveled across the world when I got married, and started my own business. Yet after living through a military takeover and a real estate collapse, courage felt far away.
For years, my children, my calm hometown, and my work in the municipal sector provided a safe haven. I embraced Finland fully and gave all the creativity I could to my employer.
Getting Stuck vs. Moving Forward
It’s easy to get stuck in the rhythm of daily life, sucked into work, only thinking about the next weekend. Work trips and holidays were my windows to the world, my moments to explore and discover new paths.
As the kids grew up, the older I got, the scarier the thought of making any changes became.
Until staying put became the scariest thought of all.
I’m still scared every day. But that tingling on your skin when you’re alive? That’s worth everything.
What I Gained
My sabbatical came with a price, but I don’t count what I lost. I count what I gained: myself.
The most precious thing I own. And you can find that too.
Looking back, I hardly recognize the person I was: anxious, exhausted, a tired bureaucrat. Reading the cover of my novel All That is Yours still makes me shiver:
“Anna wanted to turn away from the path, even briefly. The independent Finn longed for a new kind of freedom before finding herself organizing already organized affairs in some central headquarters in Central Finland.”
It’s Okay to Be Scared
It’s okay to be scared. But don’t be afraid to listen to yourself.
Even a single intentional walk can spark clarity.
A short trip outside your usual circles can reconnect you to yourself.
A holiday should leave you empowered, not just until the flight home, but beyond into your everyday life.
How I Can Help
I guide people to reconnect with themselves, awaken their inner calling, and experience journeys that strengthen well-being. I’ve navigated many changes in life, and I’ve never felt more alive.
If you’re ready to explore what drives you:
Fill out an Exploration Session Questionnaire
Book a Discovery Session
Join our Autumn Special, available until the end of the month
For Readers Curious About the Story
And if you’re curious about the story that inspired part of this journey, my novel All That is Yours is available as a paperback or eBook on Amazon.
Nature Trailing
The Luontopolku Transformative Retreat takes place at Castell de la Solana, a serene boutique hotel nestled in the sun-drenched Alcalalí valley in Alicante.
Surrounded by olive trees, mountain views, and walking trails, it’s the perfect setting to reconnect—with nature, and with yourself.
A Journey Back to Your Senses
My childhood summers always began the same way—by kicking off my shoes in June.
I spent those days wandering Finnish forests, following winding trails, collecting natural treasures, and diving into cold lakes. Many of us recognize the exact same things.
I’ve always loved the promise of a nature trail: it might lead to a blooming meadow, a blueberry-covered hill, or a quiet peninsula. At my Finnish lakeside villa, I cherish the short walk down the nature path to the shore.
The trail, woven with pinecones, roots, and soft moss, holds immense transportive power.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve followed trails—always toward water.
Walking helps us process what words cannot.
During my sabbatical, I found myself on many more nature trails—from the physically demanding climb to Machu Picchu to gentle, reflective walks through paths I once knew in my youth in Spain. I joined a group at Caminito del Rey and revisited familiar Alhambra paths, processing life as I walked.
I remembered how walking had always helped me think—sometimes running, sometimes foraging for mushrooms. Mostly alone.
In movement, the answers often reveal themselves.
The trail that changed everything
While walking and driving across Spain, reconnecting with myself, I realized how much clarity I gained simply by moving. I stumbled upon a real estate agency in a historic old town—because they had a hillside home for sale that caught my eye. It wasn’t the one, but the agent kept talking about the nearby hiking trails.
Eventually, I visited the green belt of Dénia, at the foot of Montgó mountain.
And I stopped.
There, right in front of me, were trails leading into and around the mountain.
Since then, my journey has continued—up the Montgó, across surrounding valleys, and deeper into the beauty of presence.
A new path opened at Castell de la Solana
One trail in Alcalalí led me to Castell de la Solana, a boutique hotel run by a Finnish couple. The moment I stepped onto the property, I heard running water. The olive grove, the mountain backdrop, the peaceful paths—it all transported me.
In another twist along this virtual trail, I discovered the Travel Coach Network, a global community of professionals helping others use travel for wellbeing.
As travel becomes increasingly tech-driven, so grows the desire for meaning—destinations and connections that truly nourish us.
Luontopolku
A Life Reconnection Program by The Journey Studio
I believe in the power of following nature trails.
My journey has taken many unexpected turns, and now as a transformative travel coach, I want to empower others to take their own first curious steps.
When we walk with awareness, clarity follows—and soon after, the courage to move forward.
What is Luontopolku?
Luontopolku means nature trail in Finnish.
It’s also the name of my signature program at The Journey Studio—a moving, grounded journey that gently leads us back to ourselves.
And it doesn’t need to happen in Finland.
Your trail is already there, wherever you are.
It’s simply waiting.
The program is for anyone ready to:
• Reclaim presence
• Navigate change
• Seek clarity
• Feel fully alive again
Whether it begins on a trail near home or at a retreat far away, I’ll walk beside you.
What you’ll walk away with:
• A deeper awareness of how your senses guide you
• Daily practices to root, soften, and grow
• A clearer connection to your direction and voice
Join us this October 9–12
I’m returning to Castell de la Solana to host our first Transformative Luontopolku Retreat in Alcalalí, Spain.
Together we’ll explore trails and villages filled with stories of reinvention, meet local entrepreneurs who have reshaped their lives, enjoy warm cultural experiences, and find peace in a deeply restorative setting.
The retreat blends nature, movement, stillness, and story—creating space to realign with what truly matters.
The nature trail is never a fixed route.
It begins the moment we take the first step.
If you’re curious about the retreat—or simply ready to begin your own intentional path—I’d love to tell you more.
Luontopolku Retreat Info -)
📩 Let’s connect: Contact The Journey Studio
From Alone to Aligned: How a Lakeside Cabin Taught Me to Listen
Spending time alone in a Finnish lakeside cabin, I didn’t find silence—I found alignment. This post reflects on how stillness, space, and nature revealed what burnout had hidden, and how solitude can guide us gently back to ourselves.
Not long ago, the thought of solo travel—or even a weekend cottage trip—made me pause. I was used to being surrounded: by people, work, responsibilities, the constant motion of a busy life. But before I even realized burnout was knocking, I sought space and solitude. Not just physical distance, but emotional space. Space to hear my own thoughts again.
I returned to something deeply familiar: the Finnish lakeside. A simple Blueberry Villa my father built in the 1990s. A silent forest—or so it seemed. I used to hate driving there alone, getting busy with the garden, treating the terraces and pier, or clearing the forest. We’re self-sufficient there: wood-burning oven, fireplace, and a lakeside sauna tucked into our own woods.
At first, I brought all my thoughts with me—the mental noise, the pressure to produce, the urge to fill the silence. But over time, the quiet worked its way in. While exhausting myself outdoors, I noticed the gentle fall of a pinecone, the texture of birch bark, the whisper of the lake, the humming of the tall pines on our land, a place we call the Pineman. The forest was not so silent after all.
I began to relax during my weekend getaways, becoming mindful of the path with its exposed roots leading from the villa to the lakeside, listening to the waves while sitting on the pier, simply enjoying the stillness. The traditional sauna ritual—throwing water on the hot stove, listening to the fire crackling beneath it, and dipping into the cold lake between steam baths—was profoundly calming. I swam in icy water, and something in me softened. I didn’t need to speak to belong. Nature welcomed me without needing me to be anything more than I was.
I realized I was alone, but I wasn’t lonely. I was part of nature—something bigger. I was beginning to feel again. I started journaling—not because I had to, but because my hands wanted to remember what my heart was trying to say.
Though the awakening during my sabbatical journey changed me, I realized I had already taken the first steps earlier. Transformation isn’t a single event; it’s a series of quiet, essential shifts. The times spent at our lakeside cottage reawakened my senses and kept me going. They gave me clarity—then and now. They reminded me of something vital: the journey back to ourselves often begins with the simplest acts of presence. Since I managed alone there, I could manage journeying anywhere. Everything beyond that only added to my contentment.
This experience became the foundation for my signature program at The Journey Studio: Back to Your Senses.
It’s a guided path to reconnect with what you may have lost touch with—your body, your emotions, your sense of wonder, and the clarity that comes from being truly present once you start to listen.
The program is built around five natural elements:
Earth for grounding and physical awareness
Water for emotional flow and softness
Fire for courage and personal ignition
Air for mental clarity and breath
Space for stillness, intuition, and trust
You can begin with 1:1 coaching from anywhere in the world. Or, you can join me in Finland at a peaceful lakeside villa, embracing the roots of Finnish happiness—or in Spain, where we walk and reflect among mountain paths, citrus groves, and ancient watchtowers. Each experience is curated not just to inspire—but to help you listen.
Because when you start to listen, you start to return to yourself.
If you're navigating a life transition, healing from burnout, or simply feeling called to explore your next chapter more consciously, this program is for you.
Learn more about the Back to Your Senses Life Reconnection Signature Program or schedule a free clarity call at www.thejourneystudio.co