Stepping away to come home to myself.
Last week, I gave myself permission to pause.
I travelled back to my hometown for a few quiet days — no packed schedule, no big plans, just time with my mum, long walks, and a slower pace. I didn’t even take my camera. I knew I needed to see differently for a while — not through a lens, but through rest. I needed to feel instead of capture, and maybe even stay empty for a little while.
This season has been full already. Spring always brings so much energy — the light shifts, ideas start bubbling up, and beautiful projects begin to unfold. It’s inspiring… but also, it can be overwhelming. I found myself carrying a mind full of half-formed thoughts and messy ideas, some exciting, some exhausting. Even my daily rituals — morning walks, yoga, stillness — weren’t quite enough to clear the noise.
So I went home.
One morning, my mum and I walked into the nearby forest to pick wild garlic. It’s a bit of a tradition during this time of year — the forest floor turns vibrant green, dotted with the soft, delicate leaves of wild garlic (medvehagyma). You have to pick it before it blooms — when it’s freshest, most potent and full of vitality.
There’s something so grounding about it. Collecting these beautiful leaves, smelling that subtle garlicky scent in the crisp air, and knowing how many nourishing things you can create from it. Salads, soups, pestos… my mum even made pogácsa with it — a soft, savoury Hungarian snack, warm and comforting from the oven.
In between, I had big walks with no destination, deep conversations with old friends, and long pauses where I just sat and watched the clouds roll by from the balcony. I let myself stop. Not forever. Just long enough.
And in that stillness — not doing, not chasing, not posting — something shifted. Clarity found its way in again. Slowly, softly.
I’m back now, and it feels like I’ve given myself the tiniest homemade retreat — created not with fancy plans, but with intention, quiet, and presence. I’m so grateful I gave myself that space.
And now, I feel ready to share again — visions, images, ideas, all beginning to bloom.
✨ If your heart or mind has felt full lately, I hope this reminds you: it’s okay to step away. It’s okay to do nothing for a little while. Sometimes, not creating is how we create the most meaningful work later.
If you enjoy these slower, behind-the-scenes reflections, you’re very welcome to sign up for my newsletter — it’s where I share photo stories, creative musings, and glimpses into life as a yoga photographer, away from the scroll. 🌿
With love,
Krisztina x
