Finding Calm in the Chaos (One Autumn Walk at a Time)🍂

Some days, the only thing that gets me through the noise is a walk — buggy wheels crunching through leaves, Red Bull in hand, and a mind racing with deadlines, nap times, and module notes.

There’s something about autumn that slows everything down — even if just for a moment. The air feels softer, the world a little quieter, and suddenly, I can breathe again.

Between work shifts, coursework, and motherhood, I often feel like I’m spinning plates. But these walks remind me that pausing doesn’t mean I’m falling behind — it means I’m resetting.

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☕ The Mental Load of ‘Doing It All’

It’s easy to get caught in the idea that we should be juggling everything effortlessly — work emails, university deadlines, playdates, meal plans. But motherhood and study don’t come with tidy boxes. It’s all woven together, and sometimes the only way to untangle it is to step outside for a bit of air.

My autumn walks have become little acts of rebellion — choosing a moment for myself when life says I should be productive instead.

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👶 Perspective Between the Leaves

I push the pram down the same path most days. The trees change, my to-do list doesn’t. But somewhere between the sound of rustling leaves and my toddler’s giggles, I realise — this is balance. Not perfect, not planned. Just real life, lived one messy, beautiful step at a time.

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🌤️ Permission to Pause

We talk a lot about productivity, but not enough about recovery.

If you’re a mum, student, or both, here’s your reminder: you don’t earn rest — you deserve it. The work, the love, the effort — it all counts. You don’t have to be constantly chasing progress to be doing enough.

So next time the world feels a bit too loud, grab your coat, your buggy, your headphones, and take five minutes outside.

Let the leaves crunch. Let your brain reset. Let yourself just be.

Because sometimes the best way to find balance is to stop searching for it — and simply take a walk.

Rachel x