The word “rest” may give rise to images of swaying gently in a hammock strung between two trees, or lying flat on the floor in a restorative yoga pose. For some of us it means having enough time and mental bandwidth to read a book; for others rest means immersion in nature while hiking in the mountains or walking on the beach. Rest for you may be eating delicious takeout in the company of friends or family, or instead bonding with loved ones over preparing and enjoying a home-cooked meal together.

So how do we rest if the pace of our modern day life makes it tough to be restful or even find time for rest? Leaving the phone and consciously choosing to spend a little time in nature is one of the best ways to start cultivating our reconnection to restfulness. Taking even five minutes each day to stand outside, whatever the weather, and simply experience your surroundings, bringing awareness to your senses, is a great place to start. Then expanding the time, if possible, to a period away from your normal routine, in a place where you can access nature for large chunks of the day, is one of the best ways to garner the whole-body-and-mind benefits that restfulness gives.

Staying at Tofino Hummingbird Cottage can give you this opportunity. When I stayed at the Cottage for a week while my home was painted, I decided to see what a vacation at Tofino Hummingbird Cottage would feel like for its guests.

I pretended I was on holiday, leaving all work tools behind and I spent time just sitting on the sofa or deck, thoughtfully doing nothing except enjoying the delightful bird life amongst the greenery with my hands wrapped around a warm cup of aromatic tea. There was time and space to do everything calmly and slowly – cooking nourishing meals, reading, listening to the sea, walking over the road to the beach and staying as long as I liked. I was able to meditate and do yoga on the deck. Journalling every day helped me get in touch with my emotions and feel more grounded overall in life. The simplicity and gentler pace of the week refreshed me immensely.

Guests who have come to the cottage with the intent to rest and renew have echoed the experience I had – frequently guests say how peaceful and calming it is in the cottage. I am thankful to have been able to curate this rejuvenating space for those who visit. If you are reading this, I hope to see you here someday soon too.