.png)
What a summer living in a van has taught me
As you may know, I’ve recently spent the summer living in a converted campervan called Bluebell. Six months ago, my partner and I packed up our belongings and hit the road.
We wanted a simpler life. Fewer bills, less pressure and more time.
It wasn’t quite that simple. Of course it wasn’t!
It took a lot of energy to let go of our belongings, sneak as much as we could into our parents’ houses, and find safe shelter for our plants. Then there was the other stuff: taking my work online and waving farewell to friends and family. It was a brave, slightly mad leap.
I like to take these every so often.
The experience has been a rollercoaster, and I have a feeling it will take time to uncover all the gems and understand the impact this different way of living has had on us.
It’s been tough at times. It’s been fun, too.
And one thing has become clearer than ever: we need roots as much as we need freedom.
Being away from our usual surroundings left us feeling untethered at times, a little all over the place. We began to appreciate what we might previously have taken for granted: having a base to return to, familiar faces, and a sense of belonging somewhere.
We realised that we could grow personally, and together, far more from a place of stability.
Now, back in Norfolk and sitting in my local library as I write this, I find myself thinking about community.
We weren't meant to do it all alone
Community, connection and roots are so important to our wellbeing.
The world of wellbeing can sometimes place a lot of emphasis on the individual. We are encouraged to do the work, fix our broken parts, combat health issues, go to therapy and come out the other side healed.
I’m an advocate of therapy and inner work. I believe we can make significant changes in our lives, and that looking inwards can be incredibly powerful.
But I’m also more aware than ever that this isn’t the whole picture. There is only so far we can go alone.
We live in a world that can feel increasingly disconnected, despite all the ways we have to communicate with one another.
And perhaps some of what we struggle with isn't ours to work through entirely on our own.
Our relationships, our surroundings and the communities we belong to all shape how we feel. We need spaces where we can be ourselves, where we feel welcome, where we can move, laugh, talk, sit quietly or simply be alongside other people.
Our communities might be our family, friends, partners, neighbours, pets or the groups we choose to be part of. They don't need to look a particular way.
I wonder what might change if we gave connection as much importance as we give personal development? If, alongside the work we do on ourselves, we made more space for belonging?
I don't think one replaces the other. But I do think they need to go hand in hand.
It is hard work sometimes, looking at ouselves. We need others to see us too!
Less, but with more meaning
Another lesson from the summer has been that more isn't always more.
Comparison is the thief of joy, as the saying goes, and living with less has reminded me how little we sometimes need to feel content.
I love our new flat, but I'm also aware that we don't need all this space. And it isn't even that big!
The simplicity of van life has left its mark, and there are things we want to carry forward. Less stuff, more intention, and a greater appreciation for the everyday things that make life feel rich.
But for me, a simple life isn't necessarily about having less. It's about making room for more of what matters.
More connection. More time outdoors. More meaningful relationships. More opportunities to feel part of something.
Perhaps it's about weaving simplicity together with roots, stability and community, with a sprinkling of therapeautic support, movement and connection along the way.
That's what I'm trying to do now: to grow roots in beautiful Norfolk, create a home and a base to travel from, and connect more deeply with the community around me.
My work is a big part of that.
I'm looking forward to growing our weekly Qigong classes into spaces where people can come together, move, breathe and reconnect, not just with themselves, but beside one another.
I love working with individuals, too, and this growing awareness of the importance of community will continue to shape how I support people in their wellbeing.
Because perhaps thriving isn't just about what we do for ourselves. Perhaps it's also about the spaces we create together, and the ways we show up for one another.
For now, I'm happy to be putting down a few roots, finding my feet again, and seeing what grows.
Comments