When I look outside, I see white mountain peaks. Something that feels almost surreal for the bay of Poros. We seem to be lying right between the major weather fronts here. Some even call this place Hurricane Hole, because it truly protects us from strong winds. When the sun comes out, the temperature rises quickly.

Today is a colder day though, and snow has settled on the mountain tops. A strange sight. But we enjoy it. The heater is on inside, the wind gently rocks us from side to side, and we feel comfortable. Safe, even.

Maybe this is also a reflection of the phase we are in. On one hand, there is that familiar itch. The desire to move, to do, to create, to start things. On the other hand, especially for me, I notice that I am still recovering from a very intense period. The Christmas weeks when we travelled back to the Netherlands, followed by our trip to Athens. But even before that, knowing you will leave the boat for a longer time takes a lot of preparation. Finding a safe place, getting the boat ready, cleaning everything, emptying the fridges, handling all the practical details. And mentally, you live towards that moment for weeks.

Now we are back, and winter seems to be making itself felt again. It feels like there is still a long stretch ahead before spring truly arrives. And yet, in just two days, it will be 18 degrees again. We will sit in the sun, feel its warmth on our faces, and slowly remember what it is like to live with light and heat on our skin. So no, we are certainly not complaining.

Still, this is a phase of thinking. Of wondering what we want. At some point, the boat needs to come out of the water for about a month to repair the keel. Where we will do that is still unclear. Do we move first? Do we stay in this region? That feels like the biggest question right now.

I think we are leaning towards moving southwards if the weather allows it. Towards the end of this month or mid February. Because the further south we go, the warmer it gets, even if it is just a degree or two. That alone sounds incredibly tempting. I have even heard that heading towards Crete can make an average difference of four degrees. It feels like a smart option, especially because in spring we expect mostly southern winds here. From Crete, that would give us a good starting point to slowly move north again, both west and east.

So yes, that is the plan. Still very vague. And I notice that this vagueness does not sit entirely comfortably with me. Does that mean I am still stuck in a mindset of wanting to plan too much? That I still struggle to let go of living without a plan, without a clear goal?

It feels like we are already creating a new destination beyond the present moment. What comes next. Where do we go after this. As if I personally need a clear dot on the horizon, or maybe several dots. But perhaps this feeling is also connected to the fatigue I am still carrying from the past weeks. The weather is unsettled, we are searching again for a rhythm with work and school on board, and true relaxation still feels a bit far away.

So over the coming weeks, I want to explore this more. Is it truly a need for direction, for a dot on the horizon? Or is this the moment for me to finally learn how to really let go. To release the expectation of knowing what we will do tomorrow, next week, or next month.

Because the daily life continues anyway. The days fill themselves. We are never bored. So why do I need to know where we are going?

We have no fixed route right now, and we do not need one. We have time. And yet, it feels as if having time is still a luxury I do not fully allow myself.

So that is the exercise. Letting go of the need for a plan, and learning to truly enjoy the gift of time.