Lessons from Italy: Simplicity, Trust and Letting go of the panic. Blog Post

I’ve just arrived in Italy, and it’s everything I expected and more.

But I’ll be honest: before I got here, I was surprisingly nervous.

This caught me off guard. I’ve travelled plenty, often with kids in tow, and I absolutely love the adventure of exploring new places. But it had been a long time since I visited a country where English isn’t the primary language, and I knew the language barrier would challenge me.

To add fuel to the fire, at the eleventh hour I made the mistake of reading Google reviews of our hotel. Never mind that my travel agent - who has stayed there many times—recommended it wholeheartedly. Suddenly, I was panicked and second-guessing my decision.

Here’s what I’ve learnt since being here:

1. Keep It Simple (the KISS Method)

My natural way of communicating is with plenty of words. In coaching, I balance that with careful listening. But in daily conversation? I can loop around and around before landing the point.

In Italy, where the language barrier is real, simplicity wins. Using just a few key words keeps the focus on what I need, without confusion. If it’s too complicated, I pull up Google Translate. And while I’ll never match the beautiful intonations of Italian, the effort still counts.

Leadership parallel: Clear, simple communication often has the biggest impact. When we strip away the extras, people hear what matters most.

2. Trust the Experts (and Yourself)

I chose to use a travel agent for the first time in 30 years because this was unfamiliar territory. I did my homework, got a strong recommendation, and had confidence in the planning process. Yet I still let last-minute doubts creep in.

The truth? The hotel was wonderful. The location was perfect. Could I have trusted myself more and skipped the spiral? Absolutely.

Leadership parallel: How often do we undermine our own decisions after the fact, simply because of noise around us? Trust the expertise you’ve chosen, trust the process, and trust yourself.

3. Stress Is Optional

Looking back, the biggest lesson is this: I could have saved myself a lot of stress. I know I’m the kind of traveller who enjoys quirks and differences. So why not lean into that?

Leadership parallel: The same applies at work. When you know your strengths, preferences, and style—own them. Don’t let other people’s opinions derail your confidence.

Final Thought:Whether it’s travel or leadership, the same rules apply.

• Keep communication simple.

• Trust the experts you’ve engaged.

• Back yourself.

Because often, the only barrier between panic and possibility is the story we tell ourselves.