After separation, life can sometimes feel heavy with “to-dos.” Court dates, paperwork, schedules, and the endless juggle of parenting… joy can easily slip to the bottom of the list.

But here’s the thing: joy isn’t a luxury. It’s a lifeline.

Especially for families going through change, sprinkling simple, happy moments into the everyday can bring stability, connection, and a reminder that laughter still belongs in your home. And what better time to invite joy back in than spring — a season of fresh air, blossoms, and sunshine that calls us outdoors?

You don’t need a big budget or fancy plans to create memories with your children. In fact, it’s often the simplest experiences that leave the deepest imprint. Let’s talk about a few easy, affordable ways to reconnect with joy this season. 🌸

There’s something about the first warm breeze of spring that feels like an invitation.
Windows open, curtains fluttering, the air scented with jasmine or freshly cut grass… it’s as though nature whispers, “It’s time to begin again.”

If you’re walking through the tender season after a separation, you may feel anything but renewed. Maybe your days feel heavy, or you’re not sure how to piece together this new version of your life. I want you to know: that’s okay. Renewal doesn’t happen overnight. Just like spring, it unfolds gently, little by little.

When I moved from Germany to Australia, I packed everything I thought I would need.

My paperwork. My essentials. My “just in case” items (far too many).
And a version of myself who was used to having everything in order.

I liked plans. I liked knowing what came next. I liked control.

But very quickly, I learnt something that changed me—
You can have the best-laid plans in the world, and still find yourself standing on a beach, crying into a chai latte, wondering why nothing feels the way it is “supposed” to.

Letting go was not on my checklist. But it became my biggest teacher.

And if you are going through a separation, a move, or a major life transition—
You might already feel it too: that tug-of-war between holding it all together and wanting to just exhale.

This blog is for that version of you. The one standing in the messy middle.
Let us talk about why letting go—of control, of perfection, of timelines—might be the very thing that sets you free.

I will never forget the first time I stepped off the plane in Australia.

The light was different.
The accents were different.
Even the air smelled unfamiliar—salty and warm, wrapped in something wild and wide open.

I had moved halfway across the world from Germany, leaving behind family, friends, routines, language… the identity I had known for most of my life.

And although I had chosen this change, it still shook me.
I felt like a grown-up beginner. Everything was unfamiliar. And as much as I loved the adventure, I also had moments where I missed what was known and comfortable.

But here is what I learnt from that experience—

There is a quiet ache that often follows separation.
Not just the loss of the relationship—but the way your friendships start to shift too.

The couple friends fade.
The invites slow down.
The group chats go quiet.
And in the middle of that silence, you might find yourself asking—who do I belong with now?

As a divorce coach, I hear this all the time. It is one of the most unexpected parts of the healing process—realising that your social world might need a complete replanting. But I also want to remind you of this…..

 I have sat across from countless people—some still raw from the shock of it all, others months or years into rebuilding—each asking in their own way, “Who am I now?” After separation, there is often a quiet moment when the roles you have known—partner, planner, caregiver—begin to dissolve, and what remains feels unfamiliar. I have seen this moment enough times to know it is not weakness. It is the beginning of a new identity being shaped.

When it feels like everyone else is coupled up: Surviving the social chill

There’s something about winter that can make you feel like the only one on the outside looking in.

Maybe it’s the cosy couple photos on your feed—matching beanies, weekend getaways, wine by the fire.
Or the invites to dinners where you know you’ll be the only one without a plus-one.
Or just the heaviness that settles in when the evenings grow long and quiet, and your phone stays silent.

It can feel like the world is pairing off while you're figuring out how to sleep in the middle of the bed again.

And if you’ve recently separated—or are deep in the rebuilding season—it can hit even harder.

Shared custody, cold hands: Navigating winter handover days with grace

There’s something about winter handovers that can make everything feel heavier.

Maybe it’s the way the cold gets into your bones.
Maybe it’s the grey skies and the hurried goodbyes in chilly car parks.
Or maybe it’s that little lump in your throat as your child disappears into the backseat of another car—still clutching the teddy they didn’t want to forget.

Parenting after separation is full of transitions.
But in winter, those handover moments can feel particularly tender.
The silence afterwards. The chill that lingers. The emotional aftershocks that ripple through both you and your child.

Winter nostalgia: Honouring the good without getting stuck in the past

There’s something about winter that invites reflection.

Maybe it’s the quiet.
The familiar chill in the air (or sometimes, the lack of it).
The way the days wrap themselves in soft light and early darkness.

For many people who are rebuilding after separation, winter can feel like both a comfort and a trigger—especially when memories of how things used to be come creeping in.

A favourite recipe.
A song on the radio during school drop-off.
The smell of a slow-cooked meal on a Sunday afternoon.
A photo that pops up in your phone’s memory feed.

Winter, more than any other season, seems to hold those memories a little closer. And while some bring warmth, others sting with the ache of what’s changed.

The scent of safety: How simple winter smells can ground you and your children after separation

There’s something about winter that brings everything closer. The light is softer, the nights arrive sooner, and life seems to slow just enough for us to feel more.

And when you’re going through a separation, that more can be overwhelming. More stillness. More memories. More questions.

But in the quiet of winter, there’s also room to breathe—and surprisingly, scent can be one of the most powerful tools to help you and your children feel safer, calmer and more grounded.