May-Learning How to Slow Down Again

There is something about May that always softens me a little.

Maybe it is the longer evenings, the smell of fresh grass after rain, or the way nature quietly comes back to life after months of coldness and grey skies. This month felt gentle in a way I desperately needed. Not perfect, not easy every day, but grounding.

Lately I have been craving slower places. Places that remind me there is more to life than rushing constantly, consuming constantly, worrying constantly.

We spent time visiting Hatchlands Park, Petworth House and Park and Basildon Park, and every visit felt like stepping into another world entirely. The kind of world where time moves slower.

I always find myself emotional in places like these. Walking through old halls, libraries, gardens, and rooms filled with history makes me think about how many lives existed there before us. How many conversations happened around those tables. How many mornings started with tea near those windows. There is something comforting about old houses that I cannot fully explain. They remind me that life was never meant to feel so rushed all the time.

At Petworth, seeing deer peacefully walking through the park felt almost unreal. Everyone around us became quiet for a moment, simply watching them exist so naturally and freely. It reminded me how healing nature can be when we truly allow ourselves to slow down enough to notice it.

And Basildon Park felt magical in its own way too. Knowing that films and period dramas were created there made everything feel even more nostalgic to me. I love places that carry stories within them. Places that make you feel connected to another time for just a little while.

Some of my favourite moments were actually the simplest ones. Sitting down for English tea after long walks. Ordering warm meals when we were tired from exploring. Browsing through bookshops slowly without needing to buy anything immediately. Holding books in my hands and reading the first pages quietly. Those little moments felt richer than anything rushed or expensive ever could.

One thing that made me especially happy this month was sharing these experiences with my partner. He is slowly stepping into a world that has always felt deeply comforting to me,  countryside walks, historic houses, old literature, tea rooms, peaceful gardens, slower rituals. Watching him discover beauty in these things too has honestly meant a lot to me. It feels personal somehow, like sharing a part of yourself that is difficult to explain with words alone.

I also spent time with a friend walking in nature, talking for hours about life, worries, dreams, and everyday things. I think we forget sometimes how important simple companionship is. Not loud plans or perfect days,  just walking together under trees, breathing fresh air, and feeling understood.

This month I started reading Jane Eyre again in English, and it brought back so many feelings from my childhood. Jane Eyre has always stayed close to my heart. Even when I was younger, I remember feeling deeply connected to the atmosphere of the book — the loneliness, the emotional depth, the quiet strength, the old English settings. Returning to it now feels comforting, almost like returning to a familiar version of myself.

All of these moments slowly shaped not only my thoughts, but also the collections I have been creating recently.

My Countryside Garden Collection was deeply inspired by these experiences and by the English countryside itself, the gardens after rain, old stone houses, soft floral air through open windows, peaceful parks, quiet villages, wild deer, fresh mornings, and the feeling of being emotionally transported somewhere gentler. I wanted each scent to feel like a memory rather than simply a fragrance. Like a peaceful afternoon hidden away from the noise of modern life.

I realised lately that candles, for me, are not really about decoration. They are about atmosphere and emotion. About creating a home that feels comforting to come back to. A softer way of living.

Even my new gift line, beginning with Warm Vanilla and with more scents soon to come, came from this feeling. I wanted to create something simple, timeless, and personal. Something that feels thoughtful in a world that often feels too fast and disposable.

I think we live in a time where people are constantly encouraged to consume more, become more, chase more, buy more. New trends appear every week. Social media often makes us feel behind in life if we are not constantly upgrading ourselves somehow.

But lately I have been asking myself — what actually makes a life feel beautiful?

And honestly, I do not think it is found in endless consumption.

I think it is found in the quiet things people often overlook.

Fresh coffee in the morning before the world wakes up.
Rain against the windows.
A conversation that lasts hours.
The smell of books.
Lighting a candle in the evening.
Walking slowly through nature without checking the time.
Finding beauty in ordinary routines instead of constantly escaping them.

Slow living, at least for me, does not mean avoiding responsibility or pretending life is perfect. I still work hard every day behind the scenes. I still worry. I still feel pressure sometimes. There are difficult days, long hours, mistakes, learning curves, and moments of self doubt.

But something inside me changed.

I no longer want to rush through my own life while waiting for happiness to arrive later.

I want to notice it now.

In small rituals.
In nature.
In books.
In creating with my hands.
In peaceful homes.
In meaningful conversations.
In lighting a candle at the end of the day and allowing myself to simply exist for a moment without constantly chasing the next thing.

And maybe that is truly what I want my brand to become.

Not just candles.

But small reminders that life does not always have to be loud to be meaningful.