Create Your Own Joy
Wishing you a warm and wonderful festive season
As this year comes to a close, I am thankful for the 14 months I’ve called Zagreb, Croatia home.
For every bright moment I’ve enjoyed, there has been an equally challenging one. All have been opportunities to learn and grow. I’m looking forward to making the most of my final months in Zagreb (two or eight months, depending on the outcome of my residency extension application) — and deciding where and what are next.
Regardless of where I am in the world, solitude seems to follow (I am an INFJ introvert, after all). That’s my reality.
For those of us who are solo, the holidays bring a mixed bag of emotions. It’s a time of reflection. The holidays can be heavy.
Joy doesn’t always arrive wrapped and waiting — sometimes it has to be planned, booked, and savored. This year — instead of waiting for joy to find me — I chose to create it for myself.
I booked a last-minute trip to Hungary December 22-30 — a gift to myself and a deliberate act of self-love. For me, travel provides both comfort and curiosity, a way to celebrate and create new memories.
If you’ve followed my writing and social media the last few years, you realize my love for Hungary has only grown stronger since my first trip in August 2022. This will be my twelfth trip in just over three years — my sixth trip this year — and the longest of all previous trips.
Solo travel during the festive season isn’t about absence; it’s about presence — slowing down, paying attention, and allowing space for moments that feel deeply, unmistakably your own. Creating your own joy is choosing yourself, honoring where you are, and giving yourself permission to experience something beautiful on your terms.
This holiday season, I wish you joy in whatever form feels right to you. If you’re solo — or simply finding your own way through the festivities — consider creating a celebration that reflects who you are. It might be a journey, lingering over a favorite meal or glass of wine, a quiet retreat, or starting a new tradition.
However you mark the season, may it be intentional, kind, and filled with discovery and delight.
Wishing you a peaceful, meaningful, and joyful holiday season.
Elizabeth
P.S. Thank you to my partner Fora Travel for providing me with a Budapest hotel offer I couldn’t refuse for the first four nights, another deal for the next two nights, and a dear friend for hosting me the last two nights!