Blending soulful insight, dry wit, and hard-earned real-world wisdom, these articles offer more than just feel-good inspiration — they’re field guides for anyone who’s found themselves standing at a crossroads or stuck in a life crisis. Whether you’re navigating an empty nest, a career change, a major loss, or just a nagging sense that your life needs a rewrite, you’ll find thoughtful guidance, gentle provocation, and the occasional laugh — all aimed at helping you rediscover clarity, reclaim your purpose, and set off in a new, more aligned direction.
- Not All Who Wander Are Willing (featuring the Camino de Santiago)
An Accidental Walker’s Unexpected Journey to Clarity and Calm What is this post about? Clare once considered parking slightly farther from the office an extreme sport. So when she clicked “confirm booking” on a Camino de Santiago walking retreat, she knew something in her life had officially gone off-script. Clare was not a hiker. Clare …Continue reading “Not All Who Wander Are Willing (featuring the Camino de Santiago)”
- Why You Keep Abandoning Yourself (And Why Self-Abandonment Has Nothing to Do With Being Weak)
Understanding Self-Abandonment as a Nervous System Response, and how to Stop the Cycle for Good People-pleasing is a survival response, not a character flaw, and what it takes to rewire this response. What this is: A deep, science-informed look at why so many capable, intelligent people spend decades minimising their needs, suppressing their feelings, and … - Divorce FAQ: When Extended Family Turns Your Divorce Into a Spectator Sport
Managing Your Cast of Supportive Characters Article 1 of 10 | Divorced: Bruised-but-not-Broken Series There is a moment, usually about three weeks into your separation, when you realise something alarming: your divorce no longer belongs to you. You were busy — sorting out bank accounts, crying in supermarket car parks, googling “can I keep the …Continue reading “Divorce FAQ: When Extended Family Turns Your Divorce Into a Spectator Sport”
- 5 Kinds of Listening That Will Help You Navigate Life’s Biggest Transitions
The Hidden Art of Hearing What Life Is Really Telling You Quick Snapshot: What You’re About to Read What this is: A fresh look at the overlooked skill of listening, not just to other people, but to your body, your instincts, your grief, your silence, and even your horses (stay with me). For people at …Continue reading “5 Kinds of Listening That Will Help You Navigate Life’s Biggest Transitions”
- Were You Born With Empathy Or Did You Become a Pseudo-Empath to Survive? Part 2
And Other Questions That Will Start Arguments at Dinner This is Part 2 of the original article about whether we are born empaths or whether we become empaths, because Part 1 apparently struck a nerve. Thanks so much to everyone who wrote to me! Few questions in popular psychology generate more passionate responses than this …Continue reading “Were You Born With Empathy Or Did You Become a Pseudo-Empath to Survive? Part 2”
- Are You Born An Empath? Or Do You Become One? Part 1
An Honest Look at a Controversial Question During my recent travels, I talked to people from different cultures, and discovered that although empathy is a well-recognised concept in many cultures, “being an empath” is not. I started thinking: So is being an empath actually a thing? Like, a real, scientifically valid thing? Or is it …Continue reading “Are You Born An Empath? Or Do You Become One? Part 1”
- Finding Love Again: A Valentine’s Day Reflection for the Recently Divorced
There’s a certain irony that comes with facing Valentine’s Day as a newly single person. The holiday arrives with its parade of heart-shaped everything, seemingly designed to remind you of what you no longer have. But what if we viewed this moment not as an ending, but as an intermission—a chance to reflect on what …Continue reading “Finding Love Again: A Valentine’s Day Reflection for the Recently Divorced”
- The Memory Of Sight
How my brain built a new world from fragments of failing vision I recently read Kim Peek’s story. Bit of a revelation, it was. To me, anyway. From the moment he was born in Salt Lake City in 1951, doctors urged his parents to place him in an institution. They said he would never walk … - The Mindful Traveller’s Guide to Making Every Mile Matter
Your Camino de Santiago Crossroads Retreat Begins the Moment You Close Your Front Door Behind You – How to transform travel delays, mishaps, and detours into powerful lessons in mindful travel My own experience: Stranded At The Airport: What 50 Hours of Delays Taught Me About Stress and Self-Care What this is: A field guide …Continue reading “The Mindful Traveller’s Guide to Making Every Mile Matter”
- Start Over Smarter: How to Start Over Without Starting From Scratch
What five years of intentional cycles taught me about renewal, reinvention, and the courage to start over and evolve what actually works Introduction It’s nearly time to step into what comes next: the 2026 retreat season. In just over three weeks, the first guests will arrive at Esprit Meraki. Boots will crunch on gravel that’s …Continue reading “Start Over Smarter: How to Start Over Without Starting From Scratch”
- Stranded At The Airport: What 50 Hours of Delays Taught Me About Stress and Self-Care
What marathon delays taught me about managing stress during major life transitions What This Is About You know those self-care and stress management mantras about setting boundaries, prioritising yourself and protecting your peace? Nothing wrong with them. But after spending 50 hours getting from my front door to my destination (yes, you read that right), … - How Mindfulness Intensifies Your Retreat Experience During Life Transitions
Mindfulness Can Turn Your Retreat into a Life-Changing Journey (Not Just a Holiday) What this is: A practical guide to using mindfulness as the bridge between “going on a retreat” and actually experiencing transformation. This explores how present-moment awareness turns travel from escapism into a catalyst for the next chapter of your life. What this …Continue reading “How Mindfulness Intensifies Your Retreat Experience During Life Transitions”
- Should You Book That Retreat During Your Life Crisis? (The Answer Might Surprise You)
Retreats During Life Transitions: Escape Route or Expensive Mistake? What this is: A straight-talking exploration of whether booking that getaway during your divorce, career crisis, or major life upheaval is genuine self-care or just really expensive avoidance. Spoiler: it depends entirely on why you’re going. What this isn’t: A guilt trip about deserving a break … - Stop Waiting to Be “Healed” Before You Start Living Your Life
Healing Is NOT the Destination What this is: A reality check for anyone who’s turned healing into their full-time job and forgotten they’re allowed to live whilst doing it. This is about reclaiming permission to exist messily, joyfully, and imperfectly whilst growing. What this isn’t: Another productivity hack disguised as wellness advice. This isn’t about …Continue reading “Stop Waiting to Be “Healed” Before You Start Living Your Life”
- The Silent Burnout: Why Most People Miss the Warning Signs During Life Upheavals
The Transition Trap: Why Smart, Capable People Burn Out Without Realising It What this is: An honest look at why silent burnout sneaks up during life’s earthquakes, when you’re too busy surviving to notice you’re running on fumes. What this isn’t: Another “practice self-care” listicle or suggestion to take a bubble bath whilst your life …Continue reading “The Silent Burnout: Why Most People Miss the Warning Signs During Life Upheavals”
- Why Hitting Rock Bottom Actually Makes Your Brain Smarter: The Science of Dopamine Dips and Resilience
Your Setback Is Rewiring Your Brain for Success: Understanding Dopamine Dips, Plasticity, and Life Transitions What this is: A neuroscience-backed exploration of why your worst moments might be creating your wisest self, with practical strategies for harnessing your brain’s natural rewiring process during life transitions. What this isn’t: Toxic positivity dressed up as science, or …
Ready to start again, stronger than ever before? This quiz will help you find out. It is not just about measuring where you are right now; it’s about shining a light on the areas of your life that feel meaningful, as well as those that might need attention. It’s an opportunity to reflect, recalibrate, and take steps toward a life that’s not only successful but profoundly fulfilling. Take The Quiz
Author Bio: Dr Margaretha Montagu – described as a “game changer”, “gifted healer”, “guiding light” and “life-enriching author” – is an experienced medical doctor, a certified NLP practitioner, a medical hypnotherapist, an equine-assisted psychotherapist (EAGALAcertified) and a transformational retreat leader who guides her clients through life transitions – virtually, or with the assistance of her Friesian and Falabella horses, at their home in the southwest of France.