Press Pause Adventures

Do you have dance parties in your kitchen?

I do.

This was something I really got into with my nieces when they were little!

I love to PRESS PAUSE & DANCE!!

💃🏽 This past weekend I danced under the blue skies and in the sunshine at a music festival with hundreds of people.

💃🏽I danced with my husband and friends on a train station platform when we missed our train.

💃🏽I danced with friends in a local establishment and played the tambourine in a spontaneous pit stop.

I love to dance and dancing makes me feel alive!

How about you?

After this bank holiday weekend I’m dancing my way into a short week.

When you choose to PRESS PAUSE & DANCE, it involves concentration, and stamina that helps you switch off from the stresses of everyday life. Dancing exercises the heart, lungs, muscles, joints, and ligaments, and it tests your balance, muscle strength, and coordination.

And.
It.
Is.
Good.
Fun.

So who’s joining me?

Let’s PRESS PAUSE & DANCE!! 💃🏽

Dont judge me. I kill plants! There I said it! I am the worst gardener ever! It’s not that I want to be the worst. I just am.

Then I realised why!!!

I haven’t taken the time to actually PRESS PAUSE & GARDEN! I am always rushing. Better things to do. Would rather pay a gardener….

So today I’ve decided I want to do better.

My new PRESS PAUSE ADVENTURE for this weekend is a visit to the garden nursery - always loved that name…implies young ones being taken care of and nurtured! Kindergarten for plants!

I’m going to make an effort to learn more so I can be more present and engaged in my garden - which is increasingly growing wild!!

Having lived in England for 10 years now, this is the first proper and expansive garden we have had! Real grass…(yes one of our homes even had fake grass 😜again…please don’t judge!) and an apple tree and bushes and plants galore!!

Despite neglecting this garden it graciously served up a feast for our eyes in Spring. I am in awe of how the seasons so painlessly transcend from barren nothingness into beauty and splendour!

So this weekend I shall PRESS PAUSE & GARDEN and try not to kill anything!! I will do this with love and patience and at a slower pace that can only be learnt from nature….

Ok so what just happened?? Did you see it?

Anybody who decided to PRESS PAUSE & STARGAZE last night was in for an absolute treat!! With any luck you can see it tonight as well!

The skies lit up magically around the world as the aurora borealis/northern lights gave a spectacular light show!! This is caused by heightened solar activity that produces auroras that dance around the Earth's poles.

Spectacular!

What is so interesting is that this extreme solar storm was the strongest in two decades which made it perfect for a collective PRESS PAUSE ADVENTURE sighting!!

But it doesn’t come without warning….

This rare solar storm has the potential to disrupt communication, GPS, and other satellites….

Ummmmmm….that would be another interesting PRESS PAUSE ADVENTURE….🤗no technology for a bit might be just what our world needs to recalibrate to real human connection!!

It might give humans more time to PRESS PAUSE & STARGAZE instead of gaze at a screen?

Last night we had our Inaugural get together on the beach for 2024!! This will be our third season of what has now fondly been coined as “Beach, braai, boerie & banter”. (If you’re not South African that means “Beach, BBQ, well seasoned yummy traditional SA beef sausage & talking nonsense”😜)

In between the UK clock changes during summer we get together every Thursday with a group of locals (old and new friends!) to PRESS PAUSE & BRAAI with fellow South Africans. This has grown to include British people who now also join us to PRESS PAUSE & BBQ!

It’s a social kind of PRESS PAUSE ADVENTURE that involves magical sunsets, good conversations and wholesome fresh air while cooking food on the fire!! 🔥

It’s a little Thursday night routine we have come to love but it’s in that routine that our other PRESS PAUSE ADVENTURES come to life. Many exciting stories are retold around the fire in our little community that has grown organically with everybody welcome!

So why don’t you PRESS PAUSE & BRAAI/BBQ this weekend!! Who knows what PRESS PAUSE ADVENTURES await!!

We are planning on doing just that again tomorrow with friends because in England when the sun shines we PRESS PAUSE & BRAAI!!! Who can resist a smoky fire ADVENTURE with sizzling coals, fresh salads and delicious home cooked food straight off the grill!!

You know that feeling when your world is forced into slow down mode because your body nudges you to PRESS PAUSE & HEAL….

That’s been me for a while now. Just coming out at the tail end of double eye surgery.

This has been an adventure too! I’ve been forced to use my ears more and my eyes less (my husband is pleased I’m listening way better 🤣)

So as I PRESS PAUSE & HEAL I’m feeling grateful for the wonderful adventures my new healed eyes will bring!! These are my top 5:

🙌Magical sunrises and sunsets!
🙌People watching!
🙌Appreciating art - books, poetry, paintings!
🙌Watching ingredients transform cooking a meal!
🙌Walks in nature!

There’s many more I can add to my list but for now I’m going to PRESS PAUSE & HEAL as I pop on my headphones with some chilled music and visualise the blissful PRESS PAUSE ADVENTURES vibes yet to come!!

Ohhhhhhh who is having a yummy self indulgent PRESS PAUSE & UNWIND kind of Sunday?

Me me me!!

Today so far has been all about me day and I’m loving it! Seldom do us ladies take time out of our busy schedules to focus on self care.

So today I have taken the gap! With my hubby out doing boys stuff it’s time for me to do my girls stuff!

📕 Frivolous girlie magazine reading. Love the Psychologies magazine and a few other little trashy side numbers I cannot mention here as my reputation may be tarnished 😆

🫥A good facial scrub and mask for my home brewed mini facial. Picture messy Shrek greenish clay and a not so sexy look 🫠(but hopefully the wrinkles dissolve!)

🪑 Chair massage machine thingie on (it does what it says on the box!)

📱 Some mindless social media scrolling (just a little teeny bit I promise to be good!)

📺 Reality show binging(yes love those!!) watching the final of Design masters shortly!! Shhhh don’t say who won (yet)!!

☕️ Hot cup of herbal tea and yummy rusks (hard biscuits for dunking) from South Africa that sooth my soul!

🎉Online chit chats with friends sharing bits and bobs. A bit of juicy non harmful innocent girl gossip banter here and there! (Don’t act all innocent now! We all do it right?) 😇

☀️ Making a few plans for a Sunday Sundowner micro adventure overlooking the ocean. This may or may not involve some sunshine if the weather holds out!

To me having a little solo PRESS PAUSE ADVENTURE at home can be just as rewarding as an expensive visit to a decadent spa!!

Go on try it ladies! Gents you’re welcome too!! I dare you!!

The benefits as you PRESS PAUSE & UNWIND are not only good for your mental wellbeing but research has shown that unstructured downtime also contributes to halting the aging process. Okay so I may have just made that up but I’m sure I just read that somewhere in one of my magazines or was that in a recent Psychiatry journal? 🫣

Who knows? All in my world right now is a deliciously hazy relaxing Sunday bliss kind of blur as I PRESS PAUSE & UNWIND🙃😜and right now the only thing that matters is ME!

Okay okay so this PRESS PAUSE ADVENTURES project has taken a delightfully scarily weirdly unexpected turn of events!

I turned 50 last month and it’s been my hardest month to date!

🪼Even as a self employed business owner.

🪼Even with great family & friends.

🪼Even with a beautiful home close to the beach.

🪼Even with the freedom of being childless.

🪼Even with my white privilege.

🪼Even with my hobbies and adventures.

🪼Even with my accomplishments.

Why?

Well because I realised the real PAUSE in my life this past month has been MENOPAUSE!!

So let me speak about the elephant in the room that so many of my similar aged friends and business associates and colleagues have confirmed!

When you reach this age of transitions….(and no this doesn’t only apply to females!! 🤗)

You may find the need to PRESS PAUSE & BUILD (in one or more of these areas) a new:

🪼opportunity

🪼job

🪼hobby

🪼challenge

🪼adventure

🪼friendship circle

🪼income stream

🪼passion project

🪼training/course/workshop/degree

🪼sense of meaning

🪼higher purpose

Yes I can tick some of these on the list. So after much deliberation on whether or not to take the plunge…
This is me deciding to jump in both feet first…🥶

After majority of interest in PRESS PAUSE ADVENTURES being from peri and menopausal women…(thanks to those of you who have already reached out!!)

I know there is a space for PRESS PAUSE & MENOPAUSE!!

If you’re still reading this thank you.
Just winging it and writing from the heart here!! 1st of the month and all that jazz makes for a new beginning right?

If you know me, you already know my passion and career for two decades has been building family resilience and supporting children facing challenges as a child psychologist, educational consultant, and kids life coach. Currently I also have almost two years of a Psychiatry Doctorate at Oxford under the belt…so I know my stuff when it comes to mental wellbeing.

Now I want to share my lived and learned expertise with women like me!!

Passionate, vibrant, fun, go getting, self driven, motivated, excited by life kind of women…

Who have always made or mostly tried to make things happen, but are feeling slightly weathered by this storm called MenoPAUSE nobody warned us about!

I feel like this last month after turning 50 hasn’t been my best month…in fact the lead up to my birthday was a nightmare 🫠😉

I’ve had all sorts of health issues…not to mention brain fog, loss of motivation, fatigue and oh me oh my the irritability!! (Again not sure this is only likited to women 🙃)

Full disclosure I am not an expert in MenoPAUSE…I also don’t have all the answers….but what I do know is the neuroscience behind our different developmental ages and stages!!

So I’m inviting you to explore this with me!

I have a few exciting ideas and don’t worry I’ve written them down in case my Menobrain forgets 😜🫣

May is my month to PRESS PAUSE & BUILD this project! I’ve been speaking about this and designing this wellbeing concept in my spare time for almost three years.

So if you’re interested pop me a DM!!

Who said this hard stuff has to happen alone hey? Who said it can’t be fun!

Let’s PRESS PAUSE & BUILD together! Let’s make an adventure of it as a community of amazing women (and me ?) doing amazing things as we are strapped into this rollercoaster of life!!

Mmmmm…. There’s something about a hot cup of tea that helps you to PRESS PAUSE and relax!!

So as I wind down after weekend of micro PRESS PAUSE ADVENTURES, I’m not only sipping on some tea but I’ve chosen to sip on a cuppa of DETOX tea!

Living in the modern world can be a tough business for our bodies. Toxins, stress, pollutants, and everything else swirling round can put our health and well-being through its paces.

This is where your choice to give yourself a breather can help you recalibrate and recharge!

Doing this with a simple PRESS PAUSE & DETOX tea comes with a whole heap of benefits!

🦋It helps to flush out toxins
🦋keeps the body hydrated
🦋it’s full of antioxidants
🦋encourages the immune system
🦋helps your metabolism to thrive

Go on PRESS PAUSE & DETOX so you’re ready for your next adventures ahead!

A few fun facts…

🙌Our first first PRESS PAUSE & PLAY 7-day retreat was piloted in September 2022 in Lymington with clients from the USA and Europe. We were still at the design stages of our branding concept back then!

🙌We have been running weekend and 4-day PRESS PAUSE & LEARN adventures since 2009 in other parts of the world geared towards supporting parents and professionals interested in wellbeing for children and families. This is our heartbeat and now we are launching under our new brand in the New Forest!

🙌We love working with families with children of all ages interested in building their bonds, communication and resilience and we have hosted awesome 1-day PRESS PAUSE & UNPLUG family memory building adventures. No mobile phone in sight!! Tech free because we believe families who play together stay together!

Bookings open for bespoke adventure play dates . Reach out!

Yes yes I know….there was a PRESS PAUSE and silence for a bit!! But (drum roll) behind the scenes things have been in flow despite a few little setbacks - that’s life right?!

We have been living in the moment and enjoying making memories with lots of micro adventures!! A note to those of you making excuses as to why you can’t do the same….

Anybody can do this even if health or finances or resources are limited!! Memories don’t need to cost the earth! They can be found in simple gestures and random acts of kindness.

Turning 50 on 2 April was quite a big milestone for me!!! I made so many new memories and I was spoilt with love!!

Where do I begin?? A big Easter weekend “Bling in Spring” party with friends! Popcorn and movie nights! Cabaret shows and reggae concerts. Chocolate cake!! Walks and shopping. Resting, swimming and spa treatments. Micro Adventures galore and they still continue!!!

Oh and did I mention the chocolate cake….The highlight for me because you can’t PRESS PAUSE & PARTY without chocolate cake!! Freshly baked and iced with love by my hugsband!!

So here I am unpausing PRESS PAUSE to pop in and say things are still simmering and brewing nicely. Slowly slowly wins the race.

Sometimes our PAUSE is to catch our breath…sometimes it’s to gain momentum to pick up speed!! Sometimes it’s simply to PRESS PAUSE & PARTY!!! 🎉 Happy 50th to me!!

Collecting memories rather than things is the best hobby ever but it’s not as easy as popping to the store!! It takes patience and a careful blend of planning so that you can PRESS PAUSE and enjoy life as it happens!!

Did you know??

PRESS PAUSE ADVENTURES is not about the traditional!!

It’s not about the expected!!
It’s not about fancy frilly experiences!!
It’s not about breaking the bank to join!!
It’s not about taking leave and jet setting to the other side of the world!

We are a lifestyle brand offering the best home grown adventures in the heart of Lymington in the New Forest!!

Carefully curated SECRET sea and forest experiences designed to tickle your curiosity and inspire you to PRESS PAUSE & EXPLORE!

You never know what to expect except expecting the unexpected (phew that alliteration was an ADVENTURE in itself 😂).

Reach out and ask us and we might….no promises…just might…🥰🙌✨💡😉Invite you to our upcoming PRESS PAUSE & EXPLORE taster sessions!!!

Hope to see you there if you dare!!

This morning a friend sent a meme saying today she is “counting her blessings and not her calories”. It had a big picture of a yummy pink ice cream! (See in comments below).

That really got me thinking!

So I decided to PRESS PAUSE & COOK up a storm tonight that Mamma Italy would be proud of! Pasta pronto! 🍝 🇮🇹

Sometimes life’s ADVENTURES are found in reflecting, choosing and taking action! A simple meme can catapult us into our ADVENTURE for the day!!

Guilt free living is an ADVENTURE in itself! Everything done in moderation leads to a healthy life!! So pasta here we come!!

Good healthy nutrition has been proven to support good brain health!! But….nobody has done any research (yet…I see a gap here 😂) on the benefits of gratitude and giving thanks for our food even if it’s the occasional pink ice cream!!

What will be on your PRESS PAUSE & COOK menu tonight? I dare you to have a cooking ADVENTURE in the kitchen!! Make a mess! Have fun! Have gratitude!

Today Women from around the world will PRESS PAUSE & CONNECT to celebrate International Women’s Day!!

May we remember those who made this day possible and that not all adventures into the history books are glamorous. Like suffragette Miss Emily Wilding Davison who in 1913 threw herself in front of the King's horse at the Epsom Derby in protest for women's rights to vote. It was quoted her death was because of “misadventure”.

May we celebrate all the women around the world who have made sacrifices for their families, for their communities and for the world 🌍 When we PRESS PAUSE & CONNECT we find the strength to stand for a common cause and make the world a better place ❤️

Did you know!! There is nothing more important to your health and wellbeing than your breathing. You do it naturally everyday - without even thinking….25 000 times a day…in and out!

Yet many of us have no idea just how important it is to just PRESS PAUSE and BREATH.

We came across Journalist and his book “Breath - The Science of a lost art”. He travelled the world to figure out what is going wrong with humans and their health and very simply it all links back to mindful breathing!!

At PRESS PAUSE ADVENTURES we aren’t breathing and mindfulness gurus but what we do know is this….

When we have a little micro adventure - not the hiking up the mountain type - just your everyday garden variety doing something fun type - cycling or walking the dog ….our breathing accelerates, our lungs expand and we feel great!!

What will you do today to PRESS PAUSE and BREATH?

PRESS PAUSE and take time to be inspired by Steve Jobs!! This will be a half hour well spent if you haven’t seen this speech already!!

Spoiler alert 🔔Key take aways:

✅Live every day as if it’s your last day.

✅Family is more important than your job.

✅Accolades, awards, titles, money and fame will never be your legacy.

✅Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.

✅ Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.

✅Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. Steve famously said..:

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address (with intro by President John Hennessy) Help us caption and translate this video on Amara.org: http://www.amara.org/en/v/tx/Drawing from some of the most pivotal points in his life, Steve Jobs, chi...

The skies are blue, the sun is out and it’s zero degrees! Perfect conditions for a little impromptu spring micro adventure!!!

What will you do today to make memories on Sunday Funday?

With PRESS PAUSE ADVENTURES you can expect the unexpected because you never know what sits on the other side of your choice! Sometimes you deserve to just PRESS PAUSE and RECHARGE!

The best adventures are mobile phone free!!! No calls, no texts, no e-mails, no social media…

Ahhhhh…..bliss!!!!

Instead of plugging in…it can be a game changer when you choose to unplug instead!

We challenge you to PRESS PAUSE & UNPLUG...and stop scrolling!!!

🙌You can do it….
🙌You’ve got this…
🙌Go find your adventure…

Sometimes you need to disconnect to reconnect!!! Just making time for meaningful connections can bring the most unexpected adventures!

Go on be brave!! We dare you!!!! Or if you want some inspiration ask us about our Family Digital Detox 1-day retreats!

Did you know this morning, Stephen, co-founder of Press Pause Adventures (he's the optimistic one in our relationship) wished me Happy Spring Day in England!! With me (Zelna, the wifey - how do we tag ourselves by the way?) being the avid researcher...I looked out of the window at the windy, rainy, cloudy day and the evidence showed that I simply could not agree!

Being married for 25 years....we have had a few disagreements in our time...but I couldn't resist PRESSING PAUSE and learning if this was true. So I did what any wife born and bred in South Africa where Spring is always 1 September....would do...I simply asked the artificial human (whatever his or her or their name is??) out there:

"Is today spring in England?"....and the answer was this....

"Spring is deemed to start at the Vernal Equinox (near 20 March) Summer at the Summer Solstice (near 21 June) Autumn at the Autumn Equinox (near 23 September) Winter at the Winter Solstice (near 22 December)."

"By the meteorological calendar, spring will always start on 1 March; ending on 31 May. The seasons are defined as spring (March, April, May), summer (June, July, August), autumn (September, October, November) and winter (December, January, February)."

So we are PRESSING PAUSE on the official Spring Day today...I nearly, almost agreed with Stephen but thank goodness I know how to PRESS PAUSE and LEARN...I kind of like this artificial intelligence guy/gal at times!! Although I'm still pretty confused....

But...since we much prefer real in person relationships...watch this space for announcements of a potential official Spring Day celebration!!!

An adventure awaits on the horizon....interested...save the date for clock change day 31 March!!! Unless of course you are getting a head start and celebrating along with Stephen today already!!

Wow....our first post....my mind keeps telling me I need to get this perfect...but it's all about planning for progress and not just perfection right!! Hence doing this today...29th of February 2024...a leap year...so if this doesn't go to plan....we don't have to celebrate this 'soft launch' for another four years😜. So watch this space....introductions and more cryptic clues to follow!