From the Spiral 🌀

Hello beautiful souls,

This month marks the end of what I’m calling Asia Chapter One. I say “chapter one” because I know in my bones I’ll be back. But this first round has felt like the boldest solo adventure of my life so far. It stretched me, softened me, and reminded me that I am so much more capable than I ever gave myself credit for.

May also holds my solar return and a handful of emotional anniversaries. It’s been a potent, reflective time—so I gave myself the gift of slowing down. I’m writing this now from peaceful Pokhara, Nepal, a lakeside city where I’ve been spending the past few weeks. After the intensity of Vietnam and Sagarmatha, it felt right to land somewhere quiet. 

While here, I’ve been thinking a lot about identity and the conversations we all fall into while traveling. The small talk. The where-are-you-froms. I get it—we’re trying to find connection and orientation. But when I say I’m from the U.S., it feels like a misrepresentation. I haven’t lived there in almost six years. Yes, being American shaped who I was—but does it define who I am today?

I don’t think so.

A friend here recently told someone, “Don’t ask her that. She’s a child of the universe.” And I laughed when she said that because that answer feels a little closer to the truth. I felt seen. And I felt grateful in that moment that I continue to attract people who love me and see me for who I am.

The more interesting question someone asked me recently was: “Who are you?”
That one stopped me. Because… I’m not sure. I’ve only just felt confident enough calling myself an artist. And even that word feels slippery some days.

I’m constantly shifting. Shedding. Discovering new layers. The woman I am today is not the woman I was last year on my birthday.
And for the first time in maybe 13 years, I celebrated this birthday without a drop of alcohol. It felt good. Freeing. I’ve been drinking less in general lately—not as a rule, but because I don’t need to escape the hard feelings anymore and I feel I can fully enjoy life without it. I spent most of my twenties escaping. These days, I stay. I sit with what’s uncomfortable. I breathe. I move through it and know it will pass.

Some days I feel wildly aligned. Others, totally lost. But I’m learning to trust the spiral.

That symbol has been showing up for me everywhere—first on the Camino last year, repeatedly throughout my travels since, and now again in Nepal. And I’ve been thinking about how, from one perspective, the spiral just looks like we’re circling back to the same struggles, repeating the same patterns and pain. But when we shift our view, we see the spiral in three dimensions. We’re not going in circles—we’re rising. Evolving. Meeting familiar patterns with deeper wisdom and more grace. Leveling up.

Even when it feels like stagnancy, I know I’m still moving. Sometimes the pause is sacred. It’s the inhale before the next creative exhale.

This chapter gave me the space to return to parts of myself I’d been missing: the artist, the storyteller, the soft observer. I’m not trying to squeeze my life into neat little boxes anymore. I’m allowing it to unfold in its own weird, wild, breathtaking way.

I’ll be heading back to Europe for the summer—closing another meaningful chapter, and reuniting with some people and places that shaped me deeply. I have a feeling this summer will bring big full-circle energy. At first I was annoyed I had to interrupt my backpacking trip in Asia with a bureaucratic return to Europe, but I am so grateful it’s all playing out exactly as it should. (Spoiler: it usually always does).

And another adventure is on the horizon. My boots aren’t collecting dust for long—and the sea is whispering. 🌊👣

Here’s to the next spiral. The next chapter. The next becoming. 🌀

I hope you can make someone smile today,
Holly x

P.S. My first YouTube upload since my Steps to the Soul series, I made a video about things I wish I knew before I started the Camino. 

P.P.S. If you missed it last month, I created a mindfulness guide called The Path Within. It’s full of reflections and tools that have helped me feel more grounded, especially in moments of transition like this one. You can grab it here 🦋

I also made a guide more specifically for those interested in the Camino, are planning their own walk, or have already walked. It’s called The Mindful Camino: A Guide to Presence, Peace, and Post-Walk Integration, and you can get it here 💛