Mentor Note:

The things we remember most are rarely the things we planned. They're the people who made us feel at home. — Sally Polihronas

Lets Dive in...

Hello Reader,

By the time you read this, I've traded beautiful villas, bustling cities, and some of Europe's most breathtaking destinations for my dad's more small town village in Greece.

And to be completely honest... It has been a bit of a shock to the system.

After weeks of travelling through London, Paris, Sicily and some incredible places along the way, we arrived to a house that had been closed up for months.

The internet wasn't working, the TV antenna wasn't working, the toilet blocked. (My kids put toilet paper in the toilet which you’re not meant to do in Greece, it goes in the bin.)

One wall had dampness from the winter, and within a very short period of time, every member of the family had their own version of a meltdown.

To add to the adventure, my daughter's luggage had gone missing in Italy, so before we even made it to the village, we were stopping at H&M to buy emergency clothes, underwear and essentials.

Needless to say, it wasn't exactly the picture-perfect Greek holiday you see on Instagram.

But somewhere amongst the chaos, I found myself reflecting on something deeper.

My dad isn't here yet this year, normally he would be, but with the arrival of a new granddaughter and a few medical appointments before travelling, he stayed behind a little longer.

And I realised that part of what felt strange wasn't the house, It wasn't the village, it was the absence of the person who makes this place feel like home.

Because places have a funny way of teaching us what really matters.

We think it's the scenery, the accommodation, the comfort, or the plans.
But often it's the people, the conversations, the memories, the feeling of belonging.

And while this part of the trip hasn't looked anything like I imagined, it has reminded me of something I think we all forget from time to time.

Most of us can handle more than we think we can.

When things don't go to plan, we adjust.

We find solutions, we buy new clothes, unclog toilets, and work around what isn't working.

And eventually we stop focusing on what is missing and start appreciating what remains.

Maybe that's one of life's quiet gifts.

Not giving us the experience we expected, butt showing us what matters when the expectation falls away.

The Takeaway

Sometimes the things that make a place meaningful have nothing to do with the place itself.

Something to Try

Think about something in your life that hasn't turned out the way you expected.

Then ask yourself:

If I stopped focusing on what is missing, what would I discover is already here?

I appreciate you!

Until next week,

Much love,

Sally xx

*Private Mentoring is paused until mid July 2026, I'm currently in a season of creativity and preparation.

“Mentor Notes is designed to inspire reflection, growth, and action in your creative life" - Sally Polihronas

​​​​​

PO Box 805, DARLINGHURST, NEW SOUTH WALES 1300​
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​

You are receiving this email because you subscribed for Mentor Notes on sallypolihronas.com. if you haven't subscribed to Mentor Notes you can unsubscribe, or continue to receive a weekly email from me filled with inspiring content and updates.