2023 and 2024 were busy years for me, landscaping and garden wise. Whilst I took temporary breaks in-between projects, I had only one ‘holiday’ in 20 months.
So what, you may say. That’s more than most…
Well, I am not complaining. The work was enjoyable, creative, and challenging, and I have brilliant customers who I do repeat work for, year on year.
Yet, I reminded myself, late 2024, one reason I left the ‘corporate grind’ within a global organisation with a final salary pension scheme and set my own business up was to choreograph life on my own terms (or at least attempt to!)
So, it was late 2024 when I committed to slow the landscaping down and take the UK winter off.
After all, who wants to work outdoors when the weather shifts from rain to sleet to hail to snow to sun, in the space of 24 hours? Dynamic, yes. A pain in the ass when you’re trying to work – most definitely.
I’m not one to sit around, so I searched for inspiration on how to use time. As synchronicity would have it, I received an email from a yoga teacher I know from my second favourite place in the world (after Cornwall, obviously). That place is Cape Town, South Africa.
As well as my passion for landscaping and improving outdoor spaces for people, I have an interest in the practice (and study) of yoga. And I was presented with an opportunity to complete my teacher training (not necessarily to teach, but deepen my understanding of the practice) over the UK winter time.
I jumped at the chance, wrapped up work commitments in the UK, slowed the business down for a few months, and flew to Cape Town, late 2024.
The training was beyond what I expected…
I won’t go as far as life changing, but a journey of learning and growing in confidence. A solidification of what I had picked up through various yoga classes, retreats, and teachers over the years.
I was then offered an opportunity to cover classes for friends I have in the city and ran outdoor sessions at an impromptu festival I attended, deep in the Cederberg mountains of the Western Cape, over New Year!
I also ran one-to-one classes with senior execs of companies who loved the difference gentle movement can make, if done with intelligence, to release tight shoulders and stiff backs.
I even facilitated classes in my home city of Derby when I returned, early 2025, to visit family and friends.
It’s incredible to share back some of what I’ve learnt and see others benefit.
So, that’s an update. Perhaps another take on Adventures In Happiness (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, take a look at my first book here.)
I’ve missed writing. I’ve also missed travelling, exploring, and learning. Undertaking my yoga teacher training course ticked all those boxes.
I’ve also missed landscaping so it’s back to Cornwall for the year ahead. I’m excited to get back into garden work and the diary is looking busy with projects for the next few months.
I’ll still be practicing yoga, of course. Perhaps I’ll facilitate sessions in-between the garden projects, and I’m keen to work with people on a one-to-one basis…
Who knows where this could lead?
Watch this space…
John xx
PS, Cape Town (and South Africa) has INCREDIBLE gardens and nature. Like the UK, but super-sized! I’ll be sharing more about that in a later post as, to be honest, I was still researching from a gardening point of view whilst I was there. Such beautiful nature!
John Alex Clarke 