Adusting To A Slower Pace- Article

Adjusting to a Slower Pace

One of my earliest memories is in an airport and trying new foods in places far away from my home. It would be more than fair to say that I had a childhood full of privilege when it came to travelling. My parents worked hard to be able to afford to take their family abroad, and as a result I have taken on their love for travelling. Every penny I have saved from my first job at the age of 16 has typically gone to travelling somewhere new and exciting. My countdown app was always pinging my phone, counting down the days to the next trip and now it sits there untouched.

Lockdown taught me a lot of things, but one thing I did not see coming was the love I truly have for the country I am from. We actually took Staycations every summer growing up which I have fond memories from. Just for context a Staycation is where you take a holiday, or if you are American a vacation, to somewhere within your own country or even create a holiday experience within your own home. However, for some reason as soon as I hit 18, I grabbed my passport and my bags and was off. Ever since then, I have taken any and all opportunities to travel. Italy

to visit a friend for reading week? Yes please. Ten-hour layover in Paris on the way home from living in Canada? What an opportunity. One week of solo travelling in Copenhagen for my birthday? What a dream. As much as I love travelling and can’t wait to do it again, I have come to realise that perhaps it is not the be all and end all that I used to believe it was.

Throughout lockdown, I found myself not just adjusting but enjoying a slower pace of life. Living life slowly and focusing on the present has always been something I have struggled with. I used to think I thrived off of being constantly busy, especially when travelling and then not understand why I was burnt out. When you travel somewhere completely different to where you are from there is a lot to process. Whether that is the culture, the language, the food or even just the different water and air. It can take its toll on our bodies. As someone known for going hard or going home, I tended to jam pack my schedule full of things to do in this new place. Trying to cram as much into whatever days I had. My solo trip to New York resulted in me leaving my hotel room at 6am and not returning until 10pm.

As a postgraduate teaching student, I have yet to be in a position where I can travel without budgeting intensely. Most of my trips consist of hostels, pot noodles and whatever

free excursions exist. Now, this is an excellent way to get to know places more locally as you have plenty of time to walk around but living off pot noodles whilst running around a city is not the best idea. In lockdown, I found myself craving some time away from my home, my desk and most importantly my screen. After working from home was forced into many of our lives (for good reason of course) I, like others, struggled to draw the line between my personal life and work life. Some days doing work until unsightly hours and working far longer hours than I would have in normal circumstances.

When it was time to finally go on a Staycation, I did my research and decided on Loch Ness. I wanted to go to a location that I hadn’t been to before but also somewhere with plenty of opportunities for being outdoors. My main goal in Loch Ness was to live as screen free and itinerary free as possible. My choice of accommodation made the first option easy as I stayed at Loch Ness Glamping (I highly recommend) and the Wi-Fi did not reach my cabin as it was the furthest away. I spent my whole week mostly with a few essential items: a notebook, a pen, a wetsuit, and some trainers. Living an alarm clock free week was complete bliss as I just woke up with the natural light entering my pod. I enjoyed long walks, multiple open water swims, a little sightseeing and a whole lot of writing. If you are looking for a break from your hectic world (and I mean

a real break, not a break you need a break after from) then I highly recommend going on a staycation. I am already planning my next trip, and honestly Nessie I might be coming back for you because there were some stunning and calming views as well as some wonderful local cafes.

Words by Kirsty Taylor, Kirsty is a 23 year old student teacher and the founder of Continue The Voice. When she is not teaching or competing in triathlons. She is drinking wine, writing poetry or podcasting. You can check out her podcast here, and her poetry here. You will see her featured on quite a few pieces of work as she likes to get stuck in.