Morning friends!

I am just back from the trip of a lifetime to Germany, where alongside tens of thousands of other Scots, went to see Scotland play Germany in the opening game of Euro 2024. It's an international football (soccer) tournament and happens every 4 years.

Scotland haven't been very successful at football for a long time, so us being at this tournament is an achievement in itself so I wouldn't be wanting to miss out on this experience. I travelled completely solo and made lots of friends along the way. I knew nobody in these photos before I went!

It was one of those trips where everything fell into place perfectly. From the travel to the meeting of people I knew and those I didn't. I'm a huge believer of going with the flow and letting life look after you. Being open to the experiences provided allows me to never be disappointed. Many people look for the perfect experience with high expectations or entitlement. Living involves letting life decide for you sometimes, accepting that others may have it better (if they say so) and being confident in yourself to jump into these types of experiences. Sometimes the unknown of expectations makes the experience so much more novel and authentic.

I love travelling with friends however there is something about the unknown when you are by yourself that you just cannot replicate. It pushes you to be braver and believe in yourself more when nobody is there to tell you otherwise. You see the good in the world as people are out there to help you out. You can't rely on others yet have the ultimate freedom. You can access a genuine perspective of a part of the world where you're not from nor will never be again in that passage of time. It's pretty special.

People talk about the benefits of solitude and this is something to be embraced actively too. From daily activities like walking or working to bigger things like a trip. There is an element of it that is so refreshing to embrace. With the noise and chatter of the world always available to us, actively removing ourselves from that version of life can somewhat reset our perspective. Even if it is for a few hours or days.

I like to think of the topics I cover each week here as a bit of a toolbox to explore when needed. And that toolbox always gets fuller. Sometimes we get a fancy new tool which we use once a year but is extremely useful or we go back to the ever reliable paintbrush or screwdriver to maintain the little things regularly. Add this to your toolbox today to see how and when you can use it.

Otherwise, have an amazing week and I'll see you all next Sunday.

Best,

Lawrence