Summer 🌞! A time to relax, de-stress, and unwind, spend time with loved ones – and let go of work for the time-being.

I’m back from a soulful vacation in Seoul, South Korea, with my teens.

The girls went crazy with everything K-pop (& some K-drama)! I loved the cute, colourful and often furry K-pop mascots.

We all binged on the yummy street food. Enjoyed walking around the city, soaking in the sights and sounds. For a bit of culture, we visited the Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art (MMCA) at the beautiful Deoksugung Palace. I admired how much greenery there was in and around the urban jungle, and dragged them to the green spaces. We visited the cat cafes for some feline love.

A full day trip outside Seoul also took us to the breathtaking Garden of Morning Calm, beautiful Nami Island (both sites of popular K-dramas), and Alpaca World, our first brush with adorable alpacas.

The change of scenery and the cooler weather was a refreshing change. As was the ability to just relax and enjoy the present moment – very different from the usual busy-ness back home in Singapore, where I always feel like I am juggling multiple responsibilities.

As an entrepreneur, it can be incredibly stressful to take time off, because of perceived lost business opportunities. In the beginning, I struggled with taking time off, and felt guilty about everything – about ignoring the new business, not being fully present with my family, and for not taking care of myself.

However, my own reflections and especially working with my speaking business coach Monique Blokzyl over the past few years has taught me several valuable lessons:

☀️Gift things for yourself – you are the most important person in your life

☀️We need to have a good balance between playing hard and working hard

☀️Use some of the downtime to recharge, reflect, and plan

☀️Opportunities exist throughout the year, you just know where to look

☀️Working with joy and ease happens with the right mindset, and systems and processes

These are simple hacks, but require effort and consistency to put into practice. The rewards are tremendous.

Happy summer holidays to those still vacationing! And to those who are back to work, or like me, balancing work and holidays – I hope you are taking time off for yourself, and for whoever and whatever matters in your life 🩷.