Mini-Retirement (Week 3)

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I hope this finds you well.

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There comes a moment during every mini-retirement when the pace naturally shifts.

The excitement of arriving in a dream destination starts to fade. The list of "must-see" sights gets shorter. Your days begin to settle into a familiar rhythm.

That's where I am right now in Bologna.

At this point, I know the city like the back of my hand.

I've explored the city, found a few favorite restaurants, and settled into a daily routine that no longer revolves around rushing from one activity to the next.

And I'll be honest: the first instinct is to fight that stillness.

Most of us are so conditioned by busy lives, rigid routines, and endless to-do lists that we associate downtime with laziness or wasted time.

If we're not doing something (working, producing, achieving), we feel like we're falling behind.

But that's precisely what a mini-retirement is all about.

Because for the first time in a long time, I don't have to do anything.

And more importantly, I don't feel guilty about that.

Lately my days have been delightfully simple.

I've finished three books and just started a fourth.

I've been walking to the Sanctuary of San Luca almost daily (an uphill trek that's become both a peaceful ritual and a surprisingly solid workout).

I've been clearing out digital clutter, enjoying dinners out nearly every evening, and sipping wine on the balcony while watching the sun set.

No alarms. No meetings. No urgent tasks.

Just presence.

And in a few days, the pace will shift again.

My best friend and his wife are flying in from Scotland to join us (just as they've done on previous mini-retirements to Barcelona and Budapest).

The energy will pick up. The laughs will be louder. And we'll create another set of shared memories.

But right now, I'm just slowing down.

What's the point of all this?

The point is to emphasize that you don't need a mini-retirement to slow down.

Most people wait for the right moment to slow down. For the busy season to end. For everything to be "caught up."

And that moment rarely comes.

Because here's the truth: you don't need to fly to Europe or take a month off to experience the peace that comes with slowing down.

What you need is to intentionally give yourself permission to do less and feel good about it.

To take a walk without tracking your steps. To read a book with no purpose other than enjoyment. To sit on your porch (or balcony) with a glass of wine and watch the world go by.

That's not laziness.

That's living.

Slowing down isn't just about relaxation, it's about recalibration.

When you slow down, you become more aware of what you truly enjoy, what matters most, and what you're doing simply out of habit.

You realize how much time you spend reacting rather than making a choice.

And you stop mistaking "busy" for "important."

In stillness, you reconnect with yourself.

And that's when clarity shows up.

Not because you chased it down.

But because you finally created space for it.

The Final Point

Whether you're on a mini-retirement or not, make time to slow down.

Schedule a slow morning this weekend. Cancel a nonessential plan. Let your next day off be truly off.

Give yourself permission to do nothing and enjoy it.

Because slowing down doesn't mean falling behind.

It means finally catching up…

With yourself.

Quote that caught my attention:

“We’re a species that rushes through everything, then complains that time flies.”

—Steve Maraboli

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