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.
Seeking Answers
Mirka Kristiina Bruun, travel coach, in nature during a Finnish Happiness reflection walk.
Transformative travel coach and founder of The Journey Studio, smiles warmly while leaning on a wooden railing at dusk. Soft evening light highlights her face as Mediterranean pine trees rise behind her, capturing a moment of calm presence and the ease that nature brings.
I still get lost sometimes and need to return to my nature trails to reconnect. Even in the excitement of building something new, there is a mountain of tasks waiting, not always favourites, yet necessary.
What Is Weighing on Me?
This week, between pitching competitions where I got to speak about my Luontopolku Back to Your Senses® method, the way to Finnish Happiness, to the finals and receive supportive feedback from wellness-tourism leaders, I found myself wondering: What is weighing on me?
There is the pressure of things undone, the constant whisper to do more, the old feeling, shared by so many of us, that we still need to prove something. Even after letting go, the echo returns. In conversations this week, we explored that balance: how to stay engaged without losing ourselves, how to understand what is “enough,” and how to find a renewed sense of meaning and direction.
When I Return to the Trail
Every time I return to a trail intentionally and start listening to the nature around me, something shifts.
The stormy waves inside quiet down.
A pigeon lands and meets my gaze.
A poster on a wall brings back a memory of who I used to be.
When I note down the intuitive thoughts that arise, I begin to see what is missing, why I feel the way I do, and what needs to be released or added to feel whole again.
Nature Shows Us the Way
Nature shows us the way if we choose to listen.
But when we are burned out, overwhelmed or moving through transitions, we often don’t hear anything at all. We operate in a trance, not fully present in our own lives.
We need to break that cycle. Step out.
Travel helps awaken the senses and shift perspective, but we are not always able to travel far. In the end, it wasn’t the height of Machu Picchu that changed me. It was the depth I needed. Myself I sought.
About Luontopolku Back to Your Senses®
The Luontopolku Back to Your Senses® method I developed during my Travel Coach studies doesn’t require distance. It requires listening.
In Finland, we say:
“The forest answers what you shout into it.”
Luontopolku Back to Your Senses® is a nature-based transformational wellbeing and travel method that guides individuals back to clarity and inner balance. Rooted in mindful presence, nature practices and reflective guidance, it offers a structured yet intuitive pathway toward emotional renewal and meaningful change.
Finnish research shows that even 10 minutes in nature calms the heartbeat. Nature walks lower cortisol, support burnout recovery, prevent depression and increase mindfulness.
Luontopolku, nature trail in Finnish, draws from ancestral knowledge, Finnish science and global wellness insights, including the principles of Japanese forest bathing.
Slowing Down to Listen
Meaningful change happens when we slow down, tune in and allow nature to support our inner journey. Through movement, reflective exercises, sensory awareness and meaning-centered travel coaching, Luontopolku becomes a gentle companion toward self-understanding and inner clarity.
By following the steps in the Luontopolku® guide, you begin by asking what you wish clarity on. Then you step into nature, holding the question lightly.
Magic happens: answers appear in leaves, patterns, symbols.
You pause. You listen.
You write down the intuitive thoughts that surface.
The more intentionally we return to nature, the clearer the inner voice becomes.
A Path You Always Walk With Yourself
At 54, I gained the courage to change my life.
And so can you.
You are always journeying with yourself: listen closely to know when to stay on your path, or when it’s time to turn.
Wishing you a wonderfully slow weekend.
Take a mindful walk.
And if you feel called to explore your personal journey through a guided session, online or as a reflective Luontopolku Back to Your Senses® walk, you’re warmly welcome to make a booking.
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.
Horses Can Talk
Mirka and Anne-Marie riding horses during the last horse coaching session where she went out on her own horse Jack the first time.
How Jack the Irish Cob and a walk in nature led to courage, connection, and healing
We should walk the walk—not just talk.
I believe our steps can lead us intuitively to where we are meant to go.
Since I began walking—literally and metaphorically—serendipitous events have kept unfolding. I started my sabbatical tour of Spain by driving to Oliva beach in the autumn of 2024. Soon after settling in, I found Centro Hípico Oliva and went riding the very next day.
By January, I had moved to Dénia and, through booking a hairdresser, discovered she kept her horse at the same stables. I returned to ride with her. The natural beauty of Oliva's nature reserve—with water bodies, birds, and wildlife framed by mountains—soon became a grounding space for me. Alongside Montgó, it offered peace.
Meeting Jack
This July, a curious Irish Cob named Jack caught my attention. Observing me with his stablemates, he seemed to seek connection. He was talkative, a little cheeky, and clearly eager to do more. I suggested to his owner that I ride him out, but she was hesitant—terrified, in fact.
Jack had lived in Spain for a year but had never gone out on a hack. His owner only rode him in circles, gripped by fear from a fall when Jack was younger.
A Coaching Journey in the Saddle
Anne-Marie, Jack’s owner, had also recently acquired Novela, an 18-year-old Spanish mare. Longing to ride Jack outdoors again, she agreed to a one-week plan that combined intention setting, coaching, and gentle progress.
I rode Jack while Anne-Marie rode Novela. The horses sensed her nerves, and Jack, being a spirited soul, added a dose of macho energy to our first ride. We rode several times together, gradually increasing the distance, adding gaits, and building confidence. Anne-Marie and I also had one-on-one sessions to ensure everyone—horse and human—felt safe and seen. Jack responded beautifully—curious, expressive, and engaged. On day seven, Anne-Marie rode Jack confidently by my side, a moment she called a triumph.
Walking Toward Courage
Anne-Marie’s dream was to ride Jack to their new home in the countryside. But until we met, she hadn’t found anyone to support her in that journey. Yesterday, she did it—with me walking beside her.
It was exactly what she was meant to do, and she did it with pride. She's now smiling, glowing, and enjoying her horse—and herself—more freely than before.
Let the Journey Lead You
I don’t know how these things unfold—but they do. Since I’ve been walking my walk, staying connected to my senses and inner nature, I move lighter every day.
Would you like to dare something new for yourself?
Don’t let fear hold you hostage. You can walk around it.
Send me a note. Let’s see where your path can take you.
🌀 — Mirka Kristiina
Transformative Travel Coach | The Journey Studio