Spring 2025

The season of hope, navigating life’s shifts and embracing the space in between.

Photo by Clark Gu on Unsplash

Welcome to the spring edition of The Seasonal Traveller, a letter in which I reflect on moving mindfully through the seasons, creative living, travel (near or far) and, of course, life as a debut author (because I know you want to know).

No idea who I am or why you signed up? Here’s a recap.

I’m Christine, an author, freelance writer and all-round creative from Melbourne. My debut memoir, Five Seasons in Seoul, was published in March 2025 by Affirm Press. With a background in professional musical theatre, I’ve always been a storyteller. As a writer, I’m passionate about true stories that explore travel, wellbeing and mental health.

More about me

“That's what I'm interested in: the space in between, the moment of imagining what is possible and yet not knowing what that is.’”

—Julie Mehretu

Spring: the season of hope and rebirth

It’s the first week of spring – a time when we collectively release the breath we’ve been holding through the long, cold winter and let out a sigh of relief. Spring is the season of hope and rebirth, but it’s also a time when we find ourselves navigating the delicate dance between the cool, dark yin energy and the promise of warmth and light.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine and the theory of the five elements, spring, which is the beginning of the yang cycle, correlates with wood, the element of rebirth and new growth. Theoretically, spring is the perfect season to plant seeds and forge a new path, but what happens when you find yourself stuck in the space in between, when one season has drawn to a close, but you’re not quite sure what you’re moving towards?

Embracing the space in between

I often find that times of change and rebirth are preceded by great turmoil. Transitions, even the ones we welcome willingly, can be challenging and anxiety provoking, especially when you find yourself in that thorny space between what was and what wight be.

Personally, I’m transitioning from the elation and excitement of publishing and promoting my first book to the realities and challenges associated with new creative projects. I’m also in the middle of a work transition. I recently came to the realisation that what I was previously doing for work no longer aligns with my mental, physical and spiritual needs, but I haven’t figured out exactly what does or what this new chapter of my life looks like.

Sometimes it feels like a creative life is a never-ending process of transition, one where you’re faced with reinventing yourself time and time again in order to live with passion and authenticity. There are days when you feel like spring has arrived in all its glory, and days when it feels like you’re in the depths of a chilling winter.

Spring meditation

In moments of transition and turmoil, I turn to a meditation by Sarah Blondin called Navigating Life’s Shifts: Practice for Graceful Adaptability. This gentle and insightful guided meditation is all about finding acceptance in times of uncertainty and great change. You can find it on the free version of Insight Timer, but you can also just focus on the following words as a reminder that change, while uncomfortable, is often a precursor to new growth and realignment.

“When faced with great change, with must trust what comes budding forth. We must quickly release our grasp on the old and familiar in order to plant our new garden … Remember, we cannot see the gift in what we resist. Those moments while sitting in what feels like a cavern of despair, realise you have been given time and space to realign with all you desire for your life. You can choose to see the cavern as terrifying, unknown darkness, or you can choose to pour sweet honey into its cracks. When you are in a place where there feels to be a black hole staring you in the face, stop in front of it. Look not into its abyss with fear, but with creativity and a renewed outlook for your life. This is the moment where you become the creator, where you become responsible for what appears.”

—Sarah Blondin

Life as a debut author

It’s been six months since Five Seasons in Seoul hit the shelves Australia wide and I can’t believe how quickly the time has flown. Things have well and truly settled down on the publicity front, but I still have a few events scattered throughout the final few months of the year.

Last night I was in conversation with the delightful Linda at Wheelers Hill Library. We had a lovely chat about memoir writing, musical theatre and the transformative power of travel. It was wonderful to see a few familiar and many new faces in the audience. I absolutely love doing events like this. They’re such a special opportunity to connect with readers, and I always leave with a full and happy heart. Thank you to Linda and Wheelers Hill Library for having me and to the always supportive Pauline, from Readings in Hawthorn, for being there to sell books and for taking these photos.

I will also be speaking on a panel at the Dandenong Ranges Literary Festival on Saturday 18 October. The program has not yet been announced, but I’ll keep you posted.

Stay safe, enjoy the sunshine (when it appears) and remember, if things feel chaotic right now, stop, breathe, look into the abyss with curiosity and creativity and trust what comes budding forth. XX

I’d love to connect, so please feel free to reach out here, on Instagram or via my website where you can also find information on my upcoming events.

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