Being on time (most of the time being super early) I have down to a tee but I am beginning to think I’m not actually making the most of my time. The Dude and I moved to Scotland so that we could have a change of lifestyle; more micro-adventures, more evening walks and enjoying the longer days.
And yet here we are on the longest day of the year already and I don’t feel like I am doing enough.
Don’t get me wrong my days are packed with my VisitScotland Coo-Viser adventures, blogging (of which I am aware I have been rather slack of late), photography and spending time with my Dude too but I don’t feel like I am ticking much off my list.
Or are my expectations too high? I have to sometimes remind myself that we are not just up here on holiday anymore, we live here and have many years ahead of us to explore.
It’s like an itch I need to scratch. The need to discover new things, places, food, people, wildlife, landscapes. I could go on. If I am honest maybe my summer of travelling around Scotland in a heilan coo van isn’t really helping! The more places I visit and the more people I talk to to more I add to my list, adding more pressure to myself maybe?
So why is it that I feel this pressure or urge to do more than I am currently doing? Like those who follow the trends and Twitter accounts of their favourite celebrities I have found my own favourites on Twitter. Not moving in the same circles as people who are famous for doing nothing in particular, I have found my own social media faves, blogs and Scottish writers and I am blaming some of my itchiness on them!
In no particular order:
Sam over on The Wee White Dug – Lovely photos, very knowledgeable, great inspiring blog posts too and all round lovely lady. And of course, Casper the cutie.
Ben of Benvironment – Knows his stuff, very passionate about wildlife and the countryside, all round good guy and does his bit for Scotland.
Kay of TheChaoticScot – describes what she does as “inspiring you to see more of Scotland.” She does it very well. Job done I’d say!
These guys aren’t, of course, soley responsible for my desire to explore my new homeland but they’re certainly not helping. I have no idea how they pack everything in. However if you are looking for inspiration or just love Scotland I can highly recommend their blogs.
In the meantime, making the most of my time, days off and light evenings will be more of a priority and hopefully managed better! If you are good at maximising your precious time and turn it in to micro-adventures then PLEASE feel free to share with me.
It’s difficult to really make the most of your time, I think it takes a lot of forward planning – something I’m terrible at as you know. That said, we are so much more spontaneous than most people and this often works to our advantage – at the drop of the hat, we can go off on holiday and explore our local area. Next week we’re off on a last minute break again. And I know you’re the same as me in that respect – which will definitely work to your advantage in the long run.
Nat.x
Hi Mel,
Thanks so much for including me in your blog and I hope I inspire others to get out and explore more as I really believe it is good for your body, mind and soul. I totally understand that itch, I suffer from it daily!
I think it is good to have a curious mind and not waste your life sitting on the couch watching TV if you have the ability to get out and appreciate the wonders of our planet, including the bits of it on your doorstep. It is an addictive past-time as there is always somewhere new to visit and something new to learn, although to me, going for a country walk is just as valid as a 6 month expedition. Every experience has its own rewards and enriches your life. Blogging has really helped me realise how much I’ve actually done as it is easy to fall into the trap of always planning your next adventure but forgetting to reflect and savour those you’ve had already
Susanne (AdventuresAroundScotland)