When we decided to take our pause, it was important that we had clarity on the purpose. I wanted to recharge my body and mind. I wanted to have the time to learn photography and capture the moments that would help me be mindful, present and enjoy the moment.

My husband, Michael, had been a chief executive for 10 years and was really in need of a break and recharge. Our 10 years of marriage had been incredible so far, with two booming careers, the birth of two children who were now in school, marathons run, house renovated and full commitment to being who we wanted to be. It was time to take a breath, to enjoy, to savour, to celebrate, to stop.

Where and when

Where: United States, British Virgin Islands, Mexico
When: 2013
Who: Me and my husband, our two children, and a visiting aunty and grandparent along the way
How long: Twenty weeks
Essentials: A great attitude, courage, fear, a plan and my camera
Contraband items: Smartphone, watch, make-up, clients, high heels, suits and fancy clothes
Goal: To explore, to connect, to bond, to experience, to learn, to secure meaning and to recharge body and mind
The outcome: Freedom, energy, fun, adventures of a lifetime, new skills, stories and a feeling of great abundance in life. A sense that we are in charge of our own destiny, so keep planning for greatness and depth in life. Oh, and we all liked each other!

Our plan

Altitude living: Eight weeks in Colorado, at 2103 metres above sea level in Steamboat Springs. Hiking, biking, skiing, reading, photography, yoga, exercise, breathing, decompressing from the world.

The Road Bear RV: Six weeks on the road, covering 6000 kilometres across Utah, Colorado, Nevada and California, experiencing people, cities, nature, animals and roadhouses, taking photographs and renewing our wedding vows in Las Vegas.

A change of season: Back to Colorado for three weeks to see the leaves begin to turn in autumn, visit the rodeos, ride horses and recalibrate our bodies and minds, do yoga, read and see the first snowfall of the season.

A Caribbean calypso: Two weeks in the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. Charter and drive our own boat. Swim, snorkel, live on the boat, meet people and experience ocean, sand, navigation, photography, heat and the Caribbean way of life.

Signing off from Cancun: One week in Cancun, Mexico. Rest and prepare to re-enter our lives of career, work, school, family, activities, learning, sports and so on.

A peek in our writing journals: Before you begin your sabbatical, or "pause", is a great time to journal, as it's a useful way to explore your thoughts, fears and expectations about the changes ahead.

Seeking sea change in the Caribbean and Cancun.

Shannah writes:

There are so many emotions now that I have stopped working. I am an achievement junkie, so it is exciting to have the opportunity to think about achievement in new ways. I am excited to experience new things and, being a beach person, to see what it is like to be a mountain person. I am excited to have time; time to explore, feel, learn, grow, be in the moment and master more of myself, work on being the best version of me I can be in life. And I'm excited to get out of Melbourne in winter; I really struggle with the cold.

I'm also feeling fear about leaving my beloved routines and structures, and anxiety that I may not actually like being in a pause. That sounds quite bizarre, but I love my job, my home, my existence here in Melbourne. The "what ifs?" are there in my mind. What if I don't like it? What if I don't get the space I need as a person who likes calm in her life? What if I don't like being with the kids round the clock? I have to challenge myself to have no expectations of the family or the places, and to enjoy everything for what it is.

I am €filled with determination to learn. To learn more about photography, about life, about computers and IT, as I am falling behind. Michael is our IT department and I have let him be that, but I need to learn how it all works so I can help myself. I want to think about the next stage of our lives and what I need to do to capture and enjoy every moment.

I am feeling gratitude, bucketloads of it. Firstly, that we are fortunate enough to be able to do this trip. I am grateful that Michael and I are both adventurous and courageous enough to make the bold decisions and make things happen for ourselves. Neither of us wait for opportunities, we both go out and make them. I am grateful I have the courage to leave my business for a while and let it breathe, to be authentic and live the life I have chosen. I have incredible gratitude for my marriage, and that we operate as a team; that we have had the best 10 years and that each year seems to get better, faster and more exciting than the last.

But mostly, I am deeply happy  - with my life, with my marriage, with my beautiful children. We are all healthy, physically and mentally. And this is why I want to take a pause – to deeply experience this.

Michael writes:

Well, here I am, sitting in Dubai, after a work trip, about to jump on a plane and spend 14 hours ‚flying home before packing up and heading offƒ on another 30-hour journey in six days' time. Normally, this would be something to dread. However, this time I can't wait to jump into row 59 with my family and begin a trip we'll remember for the rest of our lives.

I've always had a strong motivation to take time out and spend Š months overseas as a family unit. Firstly, because of my vivid, fond childhood memories of an extended road trip with my family, and secondly, because I believe we owe it to ourselves to stop, think and work out how the hell we got to where we are today and how we can continue to make our lives awesome in the future.

I am proud we take risks. I am proud we act, rather than talk, and I am most proud that we have done it all by ourselves with no help from anyone. There is little doubt life will throw curve balls at us from time to time, but this trip will be a bonding experience that will be ours and ours alone.

I think the reason I have managed to be successful in my job and my life over the past  10 years is mostly due to Shannah – how amazing she is at home, in business and in life. She sets standards that don't allow me to drop my guard or accept the easy path. It has become second nature for me to take chances and follow my instincts.

I love my kids. I love spending quality time with them. I hope to find a new level of connection and calm in our relationship. I look forward to bonding with them both. We are a close family, but there is more work to do there.

I can't wait to go home to the mountains. In some funny way I know they have been a big part of my life. I love the casualness and informality – mountain people don't take themselves too seriously, but they really appreciate and love the environment around them.

I'm looking forward to learning new skills. It has been a long time since I actually started something from scratch, as a beginner. Whether it is biking, fishing or RV-ing, I am looking forward to learning again.

So let's embrace the pause, open our minds, get on that plane and get the hell out of Hampton for a while! Bring it on.

Recollections

Reading these pre-departure journals again after our trip really heightened what we got out of it. We had a greater appreciation for the bold steps we had taken to make sure that what we wanted most in life actually happened, and I realised that my fears about being away for so long were unfounded.

Writing journals before and after holidays or before a big deal is made, or even just writing down thoughts and emotions, can be really helpful in aiding our growth and evolution. The more we understand ourselves and take ownership of our lives, the richer they will be.

This is an edited extract from The Life Plan: Simple strategies for a meaningful life, by Shannah Kennedy. Lantern. $39.99.

Shannah Kennedy is a life coach in constant demand by entrepreneurs, executives, managers, celebrities and professional athletes.  shannahkennedy.com