The French have a word for the thing we’ve forgotten how to do: Flâner. The art of strolling without a destination. There’s even a word for the woman who does it well: flâneuse.
And that’s counterintuitive when it comes to goals, to the direction of your life. We talk so much about having a vision: for our life, for who we want to show up as, for who we want to become, and how we execute that vision and take action in alignment with it. That involves moving even through uncertainty and discomfort. We talk so much about self-care: exercising, journaling. But we don’t talk enough about freeing ourselves of the pressure to be efficiency-maxxing our life at all times.
There were times when relaxing felt like being unproductive, and I had to learn the hard way. Lately I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by consuming everything around me: other people’s dreams, their success, their desires, to the point that I’ve inhibited mine.
A lot of what shapes our thinking, our ideas, our taste, happens below the level of conscious attention. And in order for those ideas to surface, we have to give ourselves the space to stop reaching. It’s proven that you need to allow yourself to get bored, because that’s how new ideas come up.
Wandering. When you simply allow your senses to fully absorb what’s around you, and you bring yourself to places you’ve never explored, it’s uncharted territory for your brain. The added benefit: Flâner is how you’re actually unlocking ideas, resetting your nervous system, and building taste.
You have to disconnect from the world, to connect to yourself.
What's Worth Your Attention
Worth Exploring
Some of my favourite recent experiences to get inspired.
Thermea Spa. A no-phone policy on the grounds. I have to admit, I caught myself reaching for my phone more times than I could count, to search information, to scroll, to immortalise the moments. But I couldn’t. I realised we are so accustomed to using this tiny device, and now with AI, we don’t even have to use our brains. So I had to sit in silence. And that’s when my senses opened up to sounds, colours, textures, people. My brain had to create my world now. I wasn’t consuming someone else’s.
Canoe restaurant. Breathtaking views, set on the 45th floor, with a front-row seat to nature’s sunset spectacle while your tastebuds indulge on the food. I’m a sucker for views and outfits. The experience isn’t complete without styling an outfit and adding a little sparkle to your evening. I like to take inspiration from the place, and this time I chose contrast: earthy tones to ground me against the dreamy sky.
From the salon,
— Sabina