Leaving Our Soul Sanctuary

Pushing Through the Resistance of Change and Letting Go of the Known Edge of Comfort

There’s a moment every creator, every dreamer, every soul on the path of growth eventually faces — that trembling edge between what is known and what is calling.

For me, that edge has a name: Kerikeri.

Our Soul Sanctuary has been more than a home. It has been a living, breathing being — a collaborator in my art, a muse for my writing, a garden of peace, and a gallery of joy. Every corner has held laughter, every brushstroke has absorbed sunlight from the Bay of Islands. For years, this place has been my anchor, my happy gallery, and my refuge.

And now, I am leaving her.

Not because I’ve stopped loving her, but because love — true love — demands courage. It asks us to listen when life whispers, “It’s time to grow again.”

The Resistance of Change

Letting go isn’t easy. The mind clings to safety — to the garden paths we’ve walked barefoot, the scent of jasmine drifting through open windows, the morning light falling across canvases mid-creation. Resistance whispers, “Stay where it’s familiar. You know this place. You belong here.”

But belonging can sometimes become a cage disguised as comfort.

Every time I pick up a paintbrush or begin a new book, I feel that same tug — the ache between security and the unknown. This move feels no different. It is an artistic act, a leap into fresh space where new light will find me.

The Art of Letting Go

I’ve always believed that art imitates life, and perhaps that’s why this transition feels like standing before a blank canvas. There’s beauty in the emptiness — the promise of colour yet to come, of shapes and forms still waiting to be discovered.

We’ve let go before. Of course we have. We left Wellington 10 years ago, dreaming of winters that felt like summer. At the time it seemed like an impossible dream. But as Dr Suess once said, “It’s kinda fun achieving the impossible.”

As we prepare to leave, I walk through the rooms that once rang with laughter and music and creative fire. The walls have absorbed my stories, my tears, my triumphs. Each painting that leaves with its new collector feels like a blessing — a piece of this sanctuary carried out into the world to continue its own journey of joy.

Discovering My Ikigai: How Art Transformed My Life | The Joyful Artist

Discover the Secrets Behind My Art – Take a Studio Tour!

The Known Edge of Comfort

There’s safety in the familiar — in knowing which window catches the first morning sun or where the rain sounds sweetest on the roof. But I’ve learned that comfort can dull creativity if we stay too long within its arms.

Growth lives on the outer edge — the trembling, tender threshold between who we’ve been and who we’re becoming. It’s uncomfortable, exhilarating, and absolutely necessary.

As I step away from this home, I feel the same creative current that has always guided me: the whisper that says, “Trust the flow.”

A New Chapter

I don’t yet know what new landscape will hold me, what new walls will cradle my work, or what garden will bloom next — but I do know this: wherever I go, the essence of this place travels with me.

Kerikeri, with her lush hills and healing light, will forever be a part of my palette. The Soul Sanctuary was never just a property — it was a mirror of my inner world, a reminder that beauty grows where love and courage meet.

Monarch Caterpillar Transformation | New Moon in Libra Letting Go, Rebirth & Renewal

So, here I am — pushing through the resistance, breathing into the uncertainty, and letting go of the known edge of comfort.

Because on the other side of letting go, there is always creation.

From My Studio to Your Home- FUN, FAB and FEARLESS SALE NOW ON!

We’re saying goodbye to our beautiful home and stepping into the unknown — a leap of faith, guided by art, joy, and possibility.

As we transition, I’m offering a special closing down sale — a final opportunity to collect a piece of my heart before we move.

Every painting carries a story; perhaps one belongs in your home.

View available works:

https://shop.thejoyfulartist.co.nz/product-category/art/available

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