When in doubt, Take The Vacation.
This time of year brings serious vacation vibes. I just want to slow down and enjoy a walk on the beach, a boat ride, or an outdoor fire with friends roasting marshmallows.
But life still has a vote. Our responsibilities don’t go away for the summer. So what do we do? Take the vacation or just push through because you have so much to do at work? Or maybe the cost to go somewhere is just more than you want or have to spend?
Whenever you’re in doubt, Take The Vacation.
Even if you turn the time into a “stay-cation”, take the time off. Some of my favorite vacation memories are from times when I stayed at a hotel that was within 30 minutes from my home. You don’t have to fly somewhere far away to receive the benefits of some time off.
Every single one of us needs time away from the day to day life we live. We need space. We need the opportunity to breathe deeply and not run on a schedule. This affords us the time to really see and participate in the world. We will finally see the flowers blooming, the incredible stars in the sky, and taste the yummy ice cream cone.
Stress and anxiety subside. You feel centered. Happy. Sleep becomes easy. And you start to actually enjoy life.
I’ve always encouraged the people around me to use up all of their vacation time each year. Rolling weeks over to the next year may seem like a good idea, but you’re not giving yourself that needed time of rest and relaxation. And over time, that is a negative buildup that doesn’t serve you.
Scrolling on social media, I’m seeing friends and family travel all around the world. I’m sure you are too. And I know it can cause a bit of “FOMO”. You start feeling like you should be doing that too. For many of us, expenses are high and the cost to do anything is shocking. (Am I the only one shocked at the checkout counter every time I go grocery shopping?)
And this can cause stress…..which is exactly the opposite of what we are trying to create here.
So here’s what we’re going to do:
- Enjoy the summertime.
- Get outside every day.
- Purposefully make time with friends and family.
- Grill outdoors.
- Take time off! (A minimum of 4 days in a row because you need 2 days to come off of the regular pace of work).
- Do an activity once a week for the rest of summer that brings you joy.
For the parents out there, many of our kids start school next month. So really lean into July. Make memories. Laugh. Life is so precious…enjoy the time.
I’m taking my own advice and shutting down for 2 weeks to spend time with my family. I’ll be back in August, rested and excited to be with you again.
Enjoy your summer! You can Emerge Positive!
Positively,
Deanne
