What Greece Taught Me (Beyond the Olive Oil and Sunsets)
I just got back from a trip that honestly felt like a dream.
For 10 days, I explored Athens, and the beautiful, quieter islands of Skiathos and Skopelos (my absolute favourite!) in Greece.
Skopelos is where the Mamma Mia! movies were filmed—and the island really is as magical as it looks in the movies! The pace on the islands was slower, the temperature was cooler than usual, but still really nice, and everywhere looked like a postcard.
We spent one day sailing around the islands close to Skopelos on the Aegean Sea, and swimming in the clearest water - in some spots it looked like the Lake Huron shoreline.
Another highlight was driving around the island visiting some of the Mamma Mia! shoot sites while listening to the soundtrack. It may sound cheesy, but it made me tear up, as I did at several other times during the trip.
The trip gave me more than just beautiful memories. It offered me some unexpected insights that I’ve been thinking about since I got home, and I thought I would share them with you today.
1. Food is meant to be savoured —together.
The food in Greece? Wow. Fresh, colourful, and so full of flavour. But it wasn’t just what we ate—it was how we ate.
There were no fast food spots on the islands. Meals were slow, social, and meant to be savoured. For locals, dinner doesn’t start until after 9pm, stretches for hours and includes wine, laughter and good conversation.
Our requests to eat around 6:30/7pm so we could get up early for morning yoga before the day’s activities, were met with amusement.
It made me realize how easy it is to forget that food isn’t just fuel—it’s also a source of pleasure and a reason to gather.
2. “I can’t” isn’t always true.
Each morning started with yoga taught by our incredible guide Penny. She said she went easy on us, but some of the moves sure didn’t feel that way to me!
When she’d suggest a posture that felt out of reach (like a back bend or a head stand), my reflex was, “I can’t do that.”
I noticed the fear that bubbled up—of getting hurt, of doing it wrong, of failing. But Penny didn’t let me stay there. With her help, I did things I didn’t think were possible… like this head stand that also brought me to tears.
The lesson? It’s okay to need help. And I am often capable of more than I believe—especially when I stop trying to do it all alone.
3. Saying yes can bring the most beautiful surprises.
Going into the trip, one of my introverted fears was “What if I don’t enjoy spending so much time with the other people?”.
But the relationships formed with our small group of four women—plus our guides Penny and Joanna—turned out to be one of the big highlights of the trip.
We are all very different—different ages, life stages, professions, and stories—but we connected. We laughed, supported one another, and made memories I’ll always treasure.
Penny said it beautifully: “Together, we added a new thread to our story.” And that’s exactly how it felt.
Now I’m back to real life— life is less dreamy, but still beautiful. And I’m holding onto these reminders:
• To slow down and really taste life (and dinner).
• To challenge the inner voice that says “I can’t.”
• To say yes, even when something feels uncertain.
If you’re curious about the kind of food I do eat regularly when I’m not in Greece, here’s a link to a simple, delicious meal plan I use with clients. It’s full of fresh ingredients, vibrant flavours, and fuels your body with what it needs.
