Alma de Verano

How we find our way.

Traveling solo is often easier to begin when you have a destination, a program, or a friend to meet.

At least for me, it was a kind of crazy idea to drive to see my friend now residing in Mijas while traveling through Spain during my sabbatical. It’s a bit of a drive from Oliva, Valencia, where I was staying—trailing the mountains and seaside, basking in Mediterranean November.

Excited to get on the road, I planned my route to reach my dwellings by nightfall, stopping to see places and visit cities along the way. Anxious about the highways at first in my tiny stick-shift Fiat, I gradually settled into road trip mode—lunching, navigating parallel parking in narrow streets, and staying in small hotels.

Walking alone at the beach on the third morning in Nerja, I noticed people smiling at me. Sitting down with a coffee and churros, I realized it was me smiling wide while strolling along—attracting smiles in return.

The Detour That Wasn’t

That afternoon, I navigated my way to Kristi’s panoramic villa.

We had been colleagues-turned-friends for over a decade, and there was the typical laughter, memories, and reflections on where we both were in life. But there was something more.

The two days we spent walking, sharing meals, or simply sitting and gazing at the sunset over the sea became a turning point in the trip for me. Without realizing it, I kept repeating something—which she gently asked back to me. Hugging each other warmly, I continued my journey toward another destination: a hike at Caminito del Rey, reflecting on our conversation in the back of my mind.

My road led me to Alhambra in Granada by accident, and the walk there felt as meant to be as the earlier legs of my journey—each grounding the pebble stones under my feet, helping me carry on. As I grabbed the wheel and drove back to the Montgó mountainside, I felt I needed to continue being here.

By the time I returned to Oliva, I had one day left for sightings yet to be seen.

Coming Full Circle

Now developing my own transformative travel coaching services for travelers and destinations, I come across the same limiting beliefs I also once carried.

I see the dreams, the aspirations, the urge to do something—to live the life we are called to lead. But we often carry a backpack full of unresolved issues that quietly weigh us down.

I now notice others repeating themselves—and I gently ask their words back to them, just as she once did for me last November.

The journey is always traveled a step at a time, without knowing the destination.

There are transportive moments along the way—moments that bring you back to yourself.

Alma de Verano

Next to me now hangs Alma de Verano, a painting I ordered from my mentor Kirsti.

It did its own winding journey, trailing through Estonian and Spanish post offices, before I finally collected it at the Denia post point and had it locally framed.

My gaze turns toward the light shining above the flowers.

Begin Your Journey

Follow your soul’s calling—whether it’s faint or banging loud—and begin taking steps toward your inner self.

Empowering solo journeys grow on you, leading you to bold decisions when the time is right.

And before that? It’s a good idea to travel to a friend and vocalize your aspirations.

Sometimes, it’s not the closest ones you say them to first.

Sometimes, it’s the person you’ll spend the rest of your life with—yourself.

Because you, too, deserve happiness.

✨ Book a free discovery chat to explore how to start your journey.

🌿 Travel to meet me or join the October 9–12 retreat in Alicante to look at your life from another angle.

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Setting Intention

If you’re not happy, chances are—no one around you is truly happy either.

When I started my sabbatical, I often heard from others: “I’d love to do the same... but I just don’t have the time.” They’d pause, exhale, and whisper maybe one day—but not yet.

Inside, though, something was already stirring. A quiet knowing that something needed to shift. That we were tired, burned out, worn thin. That we weren’t in it anymore.

Still, we’re often so good at postponing ourselves. Throwing our needs into another project, another year, another reason why not now. We choose everything—except ourselves.

For many, there’s even shame in doing something alone. Traveling solo can feel too bold. Or we convince ourselves we can’t afford the time or space to step away. There’s a fear of disappearing from the lives we’ve built—of being forgotten if we’re gone too long.

But in the end, it’s not about the time, the cost, or the distance.

It’s about doing something with intention.

I knew I needed space—so I set the intention to go far. And it gave me clarity.

You don’t need to take a three- or six-month sabbatical. Just steal a little time for yourself. A mini-break in a new environment. A solo day trip. A few retreat days to immerse yourself in something new. Or even during work travel—between the closing speech and the evening dinner—slip into a nearby park, gallery, or modern art exhibition.

When we’re alone, even briefly, our gaze shifts. We no longer relate through others—we come back to ourselves.

✨ See what happens when you give yourself space.

✨ Notice what you start paying attention to.

✨ Take mental snapshots. Jot a note. Sketch what caught your eye.

By giving ourselves time, we start craving more of these immersive, sensory moments—the ones we want to linger in.

Try a solo weekend. If that feels too much, stay an extra day after your business trip and explore slowly, mindfully. If solo isn’t your thing, join a peaceful retreat. Connect with locals and fellow travelers who are also creating space for something different. Traveling solo—together—can still give you your space.

Intentional travel lifts the weight off our chest.

Reflective moments can transport us farther than the road ever could.

And when we start paying attention, we begin to listen—to ourselves. That’s when clarity begins.

From there, the path back to yourself becomes visible. You may find the courage to take your next step—aligned, intentional, and true.

💛 Wouldn’t you like to belong to yourself too?

Happiness lives within us.

It’s waiting to be found.

✨ Curious about your own journey? Where are you being called to go—near or far?

🌿 Take a look at Back to Your Senses and begin setting your intention today.

Solo Travel: From Fear to Freedom

After years of traveling with family, I found myself in unfamiliar territory—alone. My children had moved out, and I had separated. Business trips on my own had always been manageable, but the thought of solo leisure travel made me cringe. I remember driving to our family cottage, teeth gritted, struggling to embrace the solitude.

And yet, looking back, I realize I’ve always enjoyed little solo moments—even on trips with others. Whether sneaking off to a museum, climbing a hill to explore a fortress, or wandering through a park, I’ve always found joy in those spontaneous encounters with nature, art, and culture. Still, there was a quiet hesitation about taking a full trip alone. As a woman, it didn’t quite feel natural. There’s a saying that you shouldn’t travel with someone you don’t love—but even when love is there, schedules rarely align.

Maybe I had simply sat with my solitude long enough. Maybe I had grown. Or maybe the title “sabbatical journey” sounded just grand enough to give myself permission. Whatever it was, I felt ready—excited, and terrified.

From the start, there were challenges: language barriers, navigation issues, strange door locks, power outages, and the ever-present need to plan for safety and timing. But I’ll never forget the thrill of that first full day—driving across Spain, meeting my deadlines, and finding my way. When I finally reached the Valencian coast before sunset, I unpacked in a tiny Airbnb and walked down to the beach. The sea whispered softly, the wind gentle against my face. I wept—not out of fear, but from relief, joy, and pride. I had made it. On my own. And it was more than okay. It was beautiful.

Solo travel became a grounding, empowering experience—one that now strengthens how I move through daily life. I learned to ask for help, to adapt, to trust. Gradually, the anxiety faded. I found myself meeting wonderful people, stumbling into unexpected experiences, and noticing things I might never have if someone had been beside me.

That’s the magic of solo travel: your attention shifts inward and outward at once—not toward someone else, but toward yourself and the world around you.

Now, I recommend solo travel to everyone, especially those navigating change. Whether it’s a weekend away or a long sabbatical, go when you're ready, and let the road meet you where you are. We are different travelers on different journeys, each one leading to another. Traveling solo to meet friends or join a retreat is a beautiful way to begin—traveling alone, together.

As a transformative travel coach, this is one of my passions—supporting others through life transitions or reflective chapters to plan and embark on solo journeys. I offer guidance before, during, and after the trip, helping travelers integrate their insights and carry them home.

Because the real journey often begins the moment we return.

Learn how you can begin your journey.

How the journey began

The first step wasn’t Machu Picchu. It was exhaustion.

I had been running on empty. My days were filled with responsibility, achievement, and the subtle weight of being everything to everyone—except myself. I knew something had to shift. My body knew it before I did. My spirit had started to whisper what my mind tried to ignore: You’re burned out. You’re disconnected. You need more.

People take breaks for all kinds of reasons and spend them in countless ways. For me, it was clear from the start—during my sabbatical, I would travel. But not just anywhere. And not to escape. I would travel to reconnect, to recover, and, if possible, to rediscover who I was beyond my roles, routines, and responsibilities.

The Route

I’d been planning the journey for a year—maybe longer, if I’m honest with myself. The decision to apply for a sabbatical came from a deep inner nudge that kept growing louder. I needed self-love and self-care. I needed soul searching. I needed to feel alive again, to build back the courage I feared I had lost.

I mapped my route with intention: Peru, where I would climb Machu Picchu—something I had dreamed of for years. But before that, a meaningful stopover: Iceland, a place that called to my curiosity and solitude. It would be a journey between two sacred landscapes. I’d travel alone—but not to isolate. I still longed to meet people, to see the world through fresh eyes. I just needed to begin on my own.

What I Carried

Before I fully understood what I was doing—or what it would do to me—I began stripping things away.

• My car: a symbol of status and control.

• My jewelry, clothes, and career wardrobe: curated identities I no longer wanted to perform.

• My environment: even my organization changed during my leave, as if life was quietly aligning with my internal shifts.

Transformation isn’t always a thunderclap. It’s often subtle, layered, and slow. There wasn’t one moment of change, but many. Moments of truth, of pause, of awakening. Some came before the trip, others mid-flight, and many more are still unfolding.

What I Sought

I didn’t just want a vacation—I needed to feel something new, to step away from the familiar, to find zest for life again. I longed to be inspired, to discover who I was without the structure of my career, my relationships, or the labels I had worn for so long.

I was curious. I was afraid.
But I was ready to move.

Transformation, for me, meant creating space to ask:
What makes me feel alive?
What do I need to feel like myself again?
What would happen if I followed that?

This journey wasn’t just about geography. It was personal. And though I didn’t yet know it, I was beginning something that would change how I live, love, work—and travel—forever.

Learn how you can begin your journey as well.