The Gift of Stepping Away

May 20th, 2026 - FRIDAY HARBOR, SJI

This afternoon, I will ferry back home to Seattle from San Juan Island. I just spent three days and nights here. No matter how long my visits are, it is always a letdown to leave. I have been coming to the island at least once a year for the past decade and a half, and never seem to have enough of it. There are a few favorite spots here I always visit, and just sitting and staring into the distance, watching the nearby islands, the blue/green water and the white boats coming and going makes me peaceful and happy. I love it just as much when the days are grey and the clouds hang low over the trees.

I have many happy memories from this place. Visits with friends, with groups from our Women’s MeetUp, and solo trips. Memories of hiking, sitting around a fire eating cheese and cherries, laughing and sipping wine at the island’s winery, discovering lagoons and hidden beaches, making friendships, and visiting the lavender farm which sadly isn’t there anymore. My heart swells with gratitude as I remember all that.

There are so many blessings to travel. Other than the obvious ones, of getting away from routine and obligations and seeing new beautiful places, I think what I cherish most is the permission that being away from home gives me, to slow down mentally and just be in each moment.

As soon as the first evening there, I noticed a deeper level of physical and mental relaxation that I wasn’t fully aware was missing at home. It made me curious to take a look at my home life and find what I could tweak about it that would allow me to experience more peace and relaxation there too.

The funny thing is, as I allowed myself to truly and fully let go into the present moment and just be in it for a while, my creativity and inspiration began to pop up. I found myself alternating periods of just sitting at the window and drinking in the natural beauty, with periods of unexpected creative work.

We had just talked about this in my recent workshop, about how true rest and relaxation is in fact conducive to productivity and creativity, contrary to the bad rap of being “a waste of time” that rest has in our culture.

I love the opportunity travel gives me to see my home life from a different perspective. Looking at it from afar, I appreciate what is already there for me as well as notice what could be changed to maximize my wellbeing on the home front.

Thanks for reading.

Got questions or thoughts to share? I’d love to hear from you, by email or face to face over a drink!