My family and I went on vacation for a week in mid-January. The trip was fantastic. It provided me with an opportunity to reset and return feeling more balanced.
But, I was quite hesitant about going on vacation in the first place.
I don’t know if it’s the cost associated with family trips or the What-if-something-happens-while-I’m-gone kind of worries that get to me, but I always seem reluctant to go on a vacation at first.
All of that disappears, however, once I arrive at my destination. My attitude changes and I immediately feel calmer, relaxed, and grateful. This last vacation was no different. Once we arrived at our hotel in Cuba, I quickly found myself at ease. I felt blessed being able to travel with my family.
I’ve been thinking about the different reasons why I feel so much better after a vacation. Three words come up for me: Rest, Recharge, and Reflect.
Rest
I’ve heard people say, “I need a vacation from my vacation.” They usually say this when their vacation didn’t involve any rest. It likely included a lot of activity – excursions, adventures, parties, or all of the above. These kinds of vacations are great for when you are in a celebratory or adventurous mood. You see a lot of sights and do a lot of things, but you don’t always get as much rest as you want or perhaps need.
When you are thinking about taking a break, you need to plan for what you need. For me, rest is what I needed after a busy autumn and winter season. We stayed on our resort and napped in a hut on the beach. It was the perfect way to rest and relax.
Recharge
Ever notice the length of a cord on a mobile phone? It’s usually about 3.5 feet long. This length makes it hard to talk on the phone while the phone is charging.
That’s because you’re not supposed to. Phone manufacturers don’t want you to use the phone while it’s charging. Doing so compromises the battery and the length of time it will take to recharge itself fully.
Leaving your phone alone while it charges up is an excellent metaphor for understanding what to do on vacations. You will be better at charging yourself up if you’re not doing anything that uses up a lot of your mental, emotional, and physical energy.
But, just as electricity charges up your phone, you also need to find out what charges you up. Is it sleep? Is it time by yourself, like walking or reading? Is it hanging out with friends? Whatever it is, find it and do as much of it as you can while on vacation. For me, it was about hanging out with my family during a weekday afternoon. I rarely get a chance to do that.
Reflect
I brought my iPad and keyboard with me on vacation. I didn’t bring it to do any work. I brought it to use as my journal; as a device to record my thoughts, experiences, and personal reflections.
When I’m on vacation, I find the different surroundings helps me to reflect on what is going well in my life and what needs to change. This awareness, in turn, forces me to think about what I have to do to bring more balance to my life. On this trip, I thought about goals for 2019 and the steps I need to take to achieve them.
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Vacations are great opportunities to fill your life with adventure and fun. They’re also great for helping you to reset and come back feeling more balanced. Plan the vacation that’s right for you based on what you need at this time in your life. You don’t need to travel anywhere in particular, but you do need to create an opportunity to rest, recharge, and reflect.
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