05/08/2026
Something I’ve been sitting with since my personal identity workshop is this:
I don’t think I’ve just been craving more time off.
I think I’ve been craving freedom.
For a long time, I’ve associated freedom with annual leave — having enough days left, booking the next trip, counting down to the weekend, or waiting for that period where I could finally switch off.
But the more I’ve reflected on my own experiences with trauma and my mental health, the more I’ve realised that there’s something deeper underneath that craving.
I don’t want my sense of freedom to be dependent on how many days I have left in my holiday allowance.
I want to build a life where I have more autonomy over my time, more space to regulate, more choice in how I spend my days, and more permission to actually listen to what I need.
And I think that’s one of the biggest identity shifts for me:
Understanding that I’m not simply looking for more holidays.
I’m looking for a life that feels more free.
Not because I want to run away from life — but because I want to create one that feels aligned with who I am and what I’ve been through.
That realisation has given me a lot to think about.
What does freedom actually mean to you — beyond having time off work?