Vacation Better!
Ahhhhhh....Vacation
Vacation - a getaway from your regular life to have fun, relax, rejuvenate, and create new memories. So are you coming back feeling relaxed, rejuvenated, and high on all the fun you had? If not, it may be time to redefine your vacation and make some intentional changes to your norm.
Activity and Rest
Many of us take vacations to the same place, with the same people, or book the same type of vacation (ie beach, mountains, lake, or city).
Traditions can be so wonderful, as long as they are still fulfilling. When was the last time you evaluated your vacation choice to see if it actually brought you the things you were looking forward to?
Now is a great time to think through what you REALLY want on your next vacation and take some action to ensure those things are included, instead of assuming that the trip you always plan will bring your desired results.
If you are feeling really stressed and overwhelmed, the allure of a "do nothing", relaxing vacation on a beach or lake might be your dream. But if you have a hard time disconnecting/unwinding, you may find yourself staring at the water worrying about what you are missing or what will be waiting for you when you get back.
You may be better served by a slightly more active vacation, one that brings you on slow-paced tours or integrates you into an experience like a local cooking class, sunset cruise, or local habitat tour.
One of my favorite quotes is "You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you" by Alexander Den Heijer. You may be tired, but you may also be uninspired.
A vacation that incorporates something that lights you up or gets your adrenaline pumping may be the right answer. Zip-lining, scuba diving, skiing, African safari, hiking, etc. are all amazing ways to get your blood pumping and feel ALIVE.
Or maybe it is a trip with purpose, historical importance, or a way to give back. You can spend a portion of your time giving to a cause and then carve out time for your own renewal/replenishment.
The people you surround yourself with matter too. Maybe you've been vacationing with the same group for many years. It used to be fun, but now it is just expected. If you are counting down the days to coming back home, then it has run its course. It is time to plan something different and give that group a break.
The point is this - if you are going to use your hard-earned money and hard-earned vacation days to go somewhere, it better be worth it. And that may take some intentional re-imagining to ensure that it is ACTUALLY a vacation, and not just another habit, tradition, or obligation in your life.
I'm a bit of an adrenaline junkie that also loves to sit on a beach and read. My vacations have almost always been planned around a beach, but now that I live near one, I plan differently.
My family and I went on an amazing Alaska cruise last month with a couple extra days to explore Vancouver. Bike tours, zip-lining, hiking, great food, learning about history, and witnessing the beauty of nature filled my cup. It combined my love of nature, adventure, and new expereinces.
Today we head to NJ to see family and friends and enjoy the nostalgia of the Jersey shore (boardwalk pizza and funnel cakes - here we come!) This fills my need for connection - both to my roots and my longest-standing relationships.
**For anyone local to Red Bank NJ - I will be at Triumph Brewery in Red Bank on Wednesday July 29th from 5:30-8pm ET to meet up with my amazing network. No agenda or pressure - I just want to be in-person with as many of you as I can! Feel free to meet me there :) **
So how can you incorporate the activities and people that you love into your upcoming vacation? If you haven't planned your next trip yet, what things outside your normal go-to places could you look into?
The key is to get clear on what actually makes you happy. This isn't about the idea of a good time, or what you've always done. I'm asking you to think about what actually makes you laugh, feel alive, feel rested, and feel rejuvenated now, at this point in your life.
Because let's be real, what was fun a few decades ago may not still be our most fulfilling experience.
Spend a few minutes thinking about it, and then intentionally incorporate those things into your next vacation. Whether it is a staycation or a trip abroad, make it everything you want, not just everything you think it should be.
Cheers to making your vacation work for YOU,
Sharon
What is your dream vacation?
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