Embracing Fjaka: The Art of Being Present

Feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, and burnout can leave you with a constant sense of underachievement, with tasks feeling perpetually unfinished. It’s hard to escape the barrage of articles highlighting how our hectic lifestyles affect our health, relationships, and productivity. But amidst all this advice, how often do we really change our approach?

This theme has come up for me frequently recently, compelling me to share some thoughts rather than just jotting them down for a future blog post.

Many years ago, I attended a talk by Brad Burton, the founder of 4Networking, where he asked a thought-provoking question:

“What is your most valuable business asset?”

While responses varied, one answer stood out: you, and more specifically, your ability to make quality decisions.

In every aspect of life, the way you make decisions—especially under pressure—can significantly shape your success. Reflect for a moment on the pivotal choices you’ve made in your life. How have they turned out, and is there a pattern to the outcomes?

One key takeaway is that stress can severely hinder your decision-making abilities. It clouds your judgment and slows you down at critical moments.

This brings me to the concept of Fjaka.

As some of you will know I spend a fair amount of time in Croatia and one of the many things I’ve come to appreciate is how the locals maintain perspective and focus on what truly matters.

Frequently, I am asked the question, “Louisa, shall we take a coffee?”

There are two key learnings for me.

Firstly, you can’t control everything, I must accept that as in many countries I’ve lived in, Louise is considered to be a man’s name so I will always be referred to as Louisa.

But more importantly this isn’t just about having a drink; it’s a reminder to pause and breathe before jumping into action.

Fjaka is a Croatian term or more specifically a Dalmatian term, that embodies the idea of being fully present and embracing relaxation.

It describes a state where you take a break from the rush of daily life—sitting in the sun, enjoying the moment, watching the sea and letting go of worries about the past or future. It’s about disconnecting from your to-do list and simply experiencing the now with no expectations and no distractions.

So, I invite you to consider: what if we all took a moment to enjoy a coffee or drink of our choice? Could this simple act help us make better decisions and reduce our stress? Let’s give ourselves permission to slow down and prioritise what truly matters.