I Felt Her Tiny Arms Squeeze Me and Everything Changed
Her small arms wrapped tightly around my shoulders as we caught a wave in the South of France, her laughter bursting into the wind. In that instant, barefoot on a board, sun warm on our backs, water spraying around us, I felt something shift in my chest. Not fear. Something deeper. A quiet moment of joy that etched itself into memory.
We were halfway through a five-week road trip in Luna, our 19-year-old motorhome. Just me, my husband, and our two girls. Instead of a flashy resort holiday or far-flung destination, we’d chosen this. The girls weren’t thrilled at first. Their friends were heading to hotels and planes. We were driving through French Aires.
But we knew what we needed. Time together, off-script, before life moved on.
And yes, five weeks on the road is a privilege. But it’s one we created intentionally. I left a career in law back in 2008 to start my tea company, eteaket. I walked away from a predictable path because it wasn’t making me feel alive. The pressure, the long hours, the future-focused lifestyle that promised enjoyment later felt hollow.
So I made a different choice.
Why Tea Was Never Just Tea
To me, tea is a portal. It’s a pause, a return, a breath. It reminds us to check in before charging ahead. Our world is designed to keep us spinning… chained to productivity, distracted from presence. Even when running my own business, I found myself becoming trapped in the same hamster wheel. More sales. More staff. More everything.
As my business grew, I saw how even running something I loved could become overwhelming. At one point, we had a retail shop, a bustling tearoom, a wholesale arm, ecommerce, and 14 staff. The pace was constant, and so was the pressure.
When lockdown hit in 2020, I turned inward. I explored the Chinese Five Elements and from that created the Tea Mind System. It’s a simple idea. Build pauses into your day using your tea break. Those tiny windows of presence became anchors. What started as three quiet minutes turned into a new way of living.
Eventually, I closed the public-facing spaces. We focused fully on online and wholesale. It made no sense on paper. But it brought clarity, freedom, and space.
Space to be present for my business. For my family. For myself.
To grow my business in a way that makes sense to me.
The Fire of Summer
Which brings me back to that wave. That laugh. That squeeze.
That moment in the sea with my daughter reflected the heart of what summer is about, especially in the Five Elements framework. Summer aligns with the Fire element. High energy, joy, connection. When in balance, Fire brings laughter and vitality. When off, it turns into burnout and agitation.
I'm naturally more aligned with Water. Calm, introspective. So this kind of season doesn’t come easily. I packed for growth, not rest. Fourteen books. Three online courses. Journals. I had plans.
I barely finished the first book.
What I did instead was lean into the season. We slowed down. We let go of fixed agendas. We drank tea by the sea. Walked together. Surfed. Sat quietly. Laughed. I noticed the moments I would have missed if I’d been chasing productivity.
One Cup. One Sunset. One Shift.
There was a night in Surlac-sur-Mer. We were parked high on the dunes, facing the sea. The sky was washed in pink, the ocean stretching endlessly. I brewed oolong for the four of us and passed the cups around. No one spoke. My daughters leaned into each other, watching the sun slip beneath the horizon.
In that silence, something settled. That cup held more than tea. It held stillness. Presence. Connection. I knew they would remember it. I knew I would too.
How It All Came Together
Our trip became a full expression of the Tea Mind in action. We kept things simple. We lived outdoors. We rested when it rained and rose with the sun. We made space for each other and for the strangers we met along the way. We moved, we laughed, we listened.
We also let go of screens. We weren’t perfect about it, but the change was immediate. Fewer distractions. More calm. More clarity. We noticed how good we felt and how quickly that faded when we returned home.
Just four days back and already the contrast is stark. Being indoors more, surrounded by noise and devices, changes our energy. But now we know what to watch for. We took a walk by the sea yesterday. The wind felt like it was filling us back up.
We Aren’t Who We Were
The girls insisted they wanted space once we got home, but we’re still having dinners together, sharing films, talking more. The trip brought us closer. It showed us our resilience. My eldest surfed double-overhead waves. My youngest spoke French to locals. My husband, found his rhythm in the surf lineup.
And I let go of the reins of eteaket. Not because I was giving up. But because I trusted myself to return stronger.
And I have.
What I’m Keeping
I’ve returned with a clearer focus. My days are rooted in what matters. I’m choosing to live courageously, to follow my creative instincts, and to trust the quiet, steady path forward.
The Tea Mind isn't a productivity hack. It’s a way of being. It reminds me to pause, to notice, to align. It gives space for the small things that make a big life. Laughter in saltwater. Tea at sunset. Time spent fully present with the people I love.
The world hasn’t changed. But I have.
And I’m ready for what’s next.
Ways to connect with me 💬
DM me, jump in the subscriber chat, or connect via my website, LinkedIn or Instagram 😁 I offer tea supply, tea training, tea for wellbeing courses and mindset coaching. Find out more about my tea business, eteaket, here: https://www.eteaket.co.uk/
Thanks for joining me on our pause for tea to rebalance and thrive. 🍵 If you enjoyed this post, it would make my day if you’d comment, hit the heart button or share it. Your actions will help me reach more people. 💖 Thanks for your support! ✨ Erica x
Sounds wonderful Erica - thanks for sharing - a big hug to you , Stuart and girls . A wonderful , uplifting , calm read about a real adventure . ❤️❤️❤️❤️ love to you all . Celia XXXX
A lovely read, thank you Erica 😊