Last Wednesday marked our wedding anniversary—32 years of wedded bliss for Carsten and me! Thirty-two years! Quite something, isn’t it? But that wasn’t the only highlight of the day. The other was a lovely chat with my friend Bärbel, who lives in the Caribbean.

Now, for those who don’t know, during the pandemic, we got stuck into some serious marketing training. Since then, “marketing” has been a permanent fixture in our lives, with weekly online sessions with Bärbel, who’s a brilliant copywriting sparring partner (and an all-round gem).

Fast forward to late November. While we were gearing up for our winter break, we found ourselves knee-deep in planning for 2025: blog posts, landing pages, newsletters, social media—the works. If the online marketing gurus are to be believed, this is the recipe for business success. Keywords here, hooks there (apparently, that’s how you grab attention), and CTAs everywhere (those “Do this! Right now!” prompts). All well and good, but it’s just not me. (Though Carsten might argue otherwise 😉).

After hours of discussing ad nauseam, I hit my limit. Another “winning strategy” around every corner, but where’s the human touch? What about you, our wonderful guests?

Here’s the thing: You’ve been coming to the Cortijo, sharing fascinating conversations and heart-warming encounters, and it’s clear you already get us. You’re here because you love it, not because of some algorithm or marketing ploy.

I want to chat with you, share laughs and stories with you—not churn out posts for Mr Zuckerberg and his algorithms. He’s not exactly our ideal guest, is he? 🙂

Before the pandemic, I had a great time running things the way I loved: helping you discover the best hidden spots, booking charming restaurants, sharing a giggle and a chat. And if things went long? Well, there was always time for a siesta. Nowadays? No siestas—just the relentless pressure to “create content” and keep Google, Instagram and Facebook happy.

Well, that’s enough of that! My little Christmas miracle? I’ve stepped off the marketing hamster wheel. I’m going back to what made me happy before Covid. One newsletter a month (if that), spontaneous social media posts without the fuss, and blog articles only when inspiration strikes (which, let’s face it, isn’t often).

After that chat with Bärbel, I felt completely liberated. It even made our anniversary more special. Carsten? He’s thrilled. He used to call me “Paris” because I ran our little paradise like a Hilton hotel chain. Fair point, really.

The best part of our anniversary wasn’t some posh dinner. It was snuggling up on the sofa with Carsten, watching a brilliant film. Pure joy.