I’m now counting the days until I return to my beloved Croatia.
I’m more certain than ever that it’s the place I want to live long-term. Although it’s been a really fantastic visit back to the Lake District, filled with many wild adventures, I’ve had some big realisations about how much better suited I am to the Dalmatian lifestyle.
What’s more, like the desert misses the rain, I miss swimming in the sea, and I literally ache to immerse my body into those turquoise blue waters again.
September, one of my favourite months, probably the best in terms of climate, is just around the corner, and the anticipation of long coastal walks, a cold gemist on the Cavtat Riva, and getting back on the paddleboard again, is a powerful motivator to finish this last project in the UK and get on that plane back home.
One of the things that’s really struck me is just how much time I spend outside when I’m in Croatia, and how I spend my evenings.
I’m so out of touch when it comes to what’s on television, or in the news, and who’s who. I loved catching up on “Freeze The Fear with Wim Hof”, but I only recognised two out of eight of the celebrities.
It comes as a surprise to people when I tell them that I don’t watch television at all in Croatia.
“So what do you do for entertainment in the evenings, then?”, I’m asked.
I pause for a moment, and think about what my life is like there, and the answer comes easily.
“I chase sunsets”.
I realise that, most days, I am making sure I catch the sunset from somewhere. Whether I’m in Dubrovnik, Zadar, Cavtat or the Velebit mountains, the routine is the same. I need to catch the sunset.
It’s been one of my life goals for some time now – to catch as many sunsets as I can.
This came about after reading the book “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed, a book which inspired so much of my work and my spirit of adventure.
“There's always a sunrise and always a sunset and it's up to you to choose to be there for it. Put yourself in the way of beauty.”
No matter what day you’ve had, you can watch the sunset, let it all go, and know that the sun is going to rise again tomorrow.
These things we know for sure. The sun is always going to rise again tomorrow.
I remember a great Coach friend of mine telling me about how she overcame the toughest times in her life. Susie was one of life’s treasures, someone I aspired to be like – strong but soft, a true lioness, and full of wisdom.
She told me that she would remind herself that the sun was still going to rise the next day, no matter what was happening. This became her mantra and kept her going, just one day at a time.
I make a mental note, as it gets later in September, to start to catch the sunrise as much as I can, as well as the sunset.
Where the sunset teaches us to let things go, the sunrise is a reminder of a fresh start, as a new day begins, we have a brand new opportunity to create something new.
It seems like catching both may just be the answer to bringing in the light into the world again.
Watching a sunrise or watching a sunset never fails to make you feel better, and unlike watching the news or living vicariously through other people’s lives on TV, it’s a reminder that you’re alive, and life is still pure magic.
Read more Gillie here...
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Gillie Sutherland grew up in the north of England, before settling in Devon, but has now swapped her UK address for one on the Adriatic in the very south of Croatia, in Cavtat. A professional Wellness Consultant she now runs retreats and online courses from her Konavle base. She also writes a weekly column for the Devon newspaper, The Express and Echo.
To find out more about Gillie go to www.behappyfit.co.uk