Yesterday was a triumphant day for me, that’s a word I would never usually use, but it sums it up. By the end of the day my legs were tired, I had colour in my cheeks from a day out in the sun (sunscreen was worn). It had been a good while since my friend and I had completed a 12.7 miles walk together and it was great to be out there covering that distance without the need to train to get to that mileage.
For me there is something deeply nourishing about being out in nature with your best friend, moving at your own pace, talking about everything, anything, and nothing. There are no expectations, no pressure, just two people putting one foot in front of the other seeing how the path and day unfolds.
The walk itself felt like a celebration of life, of friendship and of the simple joy of being able to move freely and be outside in the fresh air with beautiful scenery, listening to the birds.
The conversation was effortless and we talked about the big things, the small things, and the things that don’t really matter but somehow feel important when you have all the time in the world walking through open space.
If you are lucky enough to have people in your life who you can totally be yourself around, and no topic is off limits, it is lovely and grounding to go with the flow and enjoy spending time with someone who knows you so well. Ultimately, you will always come back to memories of things you did together that made you laugh.
Whilst we find it very easy to talk and talk and talk, there are moments, very brief moments of silence. Those moments when you’re both simply walking, listening to the crunch of the path, the birds, and the sound of your own breath. It’s a silence that doesn’t need filling. A silence of understanding and being able to enjoy the moment as it happens.
Yesterday was full — full of movement and energy, full of connection, full of achievement, full of steps and fun.
And today? Today is the opposite, intentionally and purposefully so.
After such a long, rewarding walk yesterday, today has become a day of quiet. A day to relax, to do very little, to reward myself with a break from everything. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and my book is calling me. There’s something lovely about giving yourself permission to slow down after a day of activity. It’s like letting your body exhale. Letting your mind settle and allowing your heart to rest in the softness of stillness.
I’m sitting in the sunshine, feeling its warmth on my skin, listening to the gentle sounds around me. There’s no rush. No plan. No need to be anywhere other than exactly where I am. Today is about stopping, breathing and enjoying the simple pleasure of reading my book outdoors in the sunshine.
It’s amazing how restorative it can be to do nothing energetic or that demands effort. Just turning pages, sipping a drink, watching the sun as it moves through the sky.
This contrast from the triumph of yesterday and the quiet of today feels like a reminder of how wellbeing really works. We often think we need to choose between being active or being restful, being productive or being still. But the truth is that we can thrive between the two. Movement clears the mind whilst stillness lets it settle. Activity energises whilst rest restores. One prepares the ground for the other.
Yesterday gave me connection, achievement, laughter, and fresh air. Today gives me peace, calmness, warmth, reflection, and space. Both matter to me. They are part of the same gentle journey of looking after myself.
Free days have a way of revealing what we truly need. When the world stops demanding our attention, we naturally gravitate toward what nourishes us and soothes our soul. Some days that could be a long walk with a friend. Other days it’s a quiet corner in the garden enjoying the sunshine and a book. Neither is better than the other, they are both equal. They simply serve different parts of us.
How do you like to spend your free days, when you have nothing to do and nowhere to be? Do you feel pulled toward movement and activity, eager to get outside and explore? Or do you sink into stillness, letting the day unfold gently around you?
Whatever this looks like for you, honour it. Listen to it and let it guide you. Free days are small gifts and invitations to reconnect with yourself, to notice what feels good and feels right for you with no effort. Yesterday I wanted a long walk. Today I need and want the quiet of sunshine and a good book. Tomorrow might be something else entirely, however, you go with the ebb and flow of your own life and see where it takes you.
Wellbeing isn’t a single pace. It’s a dance between effort and energy and rest and ease. It’s knowing when to push forward with activity and when to soften with stillness. It’s trusting both are valuable and deserve space in our lives.
However you choose to spend your day, enjoy it.
Thank you for reading, take care and look after you.
Love Emma xx
Wellbeing with Relaxing Lavender 