The Nor Way

Hope you’re well and soaking up some summer! I recently bumped into some BBK friends, who asked why I haven’t written in a while. My answer… I’m taking a break. I’ve gotten better at saying that without a trigger of guilt piercing my chest. It's hard not to feel "bad" about taking time for yourself, especially in a world where much work needs to be done.

Listening to what my heart was telling me, I knew it was time to refuel. I needed to give to self before I could give to others. I've manifested four iterations of my wellness business in the last 10 years, and the time had come to recharge.

I wasn’t seeking the energy that comes from food or sleep. I craved the energy that wakes you up when you have a good idea. The kind of energy that when you're doing something you love, you lose track of time. The kind of energy that comes when you honor your spirit.

I started by eating up more of what makes my heart leap for joy. Family, friends, fresh air, food, and information. I took up golf to learn something new outside. I took self awareness classes to learn something new inside. I also craved something captivating to the eyes. Not a local getaway, but somewhere far away, somewhere expansive, somewhere that would take my breath away. We, humans, are meant to swirl around our natural habitat. It’s how we're truly nourished.

To be fed, my husband and I picked Norway. It has everything we seek: abundant nature and great food, not to mention a high happiness quotient. From colorful cabin-studded mountainsides and majestic waterfalls to the breathtaking fjords that were miles long and miles deep, my eyes drank it up.

We ate in the home of two farmers who hunted, grew, smoked, churned, baked, and brewed everything they served us. In an abandoned farm, we met a couple who works to maintain this land where people no longer dwell. This country cares about their countryside as much as their people.

Ranked as one of the most cheerful countries in the world, we searched for why. Perhaps it's because all healthcare and college is paid for (they are not taxed more than us). Perhaps it's because they are surrounded by beauty and live among the land and sea. Perhaps it's because many people get the summer off from work to enjoy the outdoors guilt-free. Perhaps their environment is a constant reminder of how fortunate we, humans, are to experience this incredible place called earth.

To protect it and their people, conservation there is paramount. An impressive 70% of all cars and all municipal vehicles are electric. It literally warmed my heart to discover escalators that run only when approached, not 24/7. Free canoes and pools in the parks encourage health and wellbeing. You may think 20 hours of daylight during the summer is the reason for their contentment. Or, you might chalk it up to their crispy bread and salty butter served at every meal!

To me, their happiness came down to simply living in a place where people and the planet are in sync – a mutual reverence and a deep commitment to care for each other. A respect so deep that not even the 20 hours of darkness in the winter or the constant rain can sway them away from their dedication to wellbeing and happy spirits. (The Northern Lights in the winter help too.)

Inspired and enlightened, I was buoyed back up. I was ready to think about plans ahead, while not losing sight of myself. I reaffirmed my intention to help others find this sense of wellness and healing by connecting them back to nature, helping them live the "Nor Way."

First stop, my Women's Wellness Retreat to the Hudson Valley, 9/26-9/29. Like a mini fjord, the mighty Hudson River is surrounded by endless rambling hills. Together, we'll immerse ourselves in the palpable energy that comes from being connected to this awesome place. Expect to leave buoyed up, too. There are just a couple spots left! Hope you'll join me! Find details here.

Check out the rest of our Norway adventure here!

With heartfelt intention....

Pam