You Might Not Need a Vacation—You Just Need a Life That Feels Like One! – It’s the end of summer, which usually means our lives change from having (choosing) more free time in our lives to now going back to resume what we have set as our “normal” routine. This is the time I often hear friends and clients say how much they wish they were still on vacation. If they are a client of mine, I might ask them, “What do you miss most about it?” Most will say something about having a “break from reality” or describe the feeling of being involved in something fun, which brings them a feeling of joy and peacefulness simultaneously. This article will give you a clue about what you’re really craving.
When we are nostalgic for our vacation time, it is a perfect reminder of how important it is for us to have balance in our lives. I find most people completely overlook this and then pay the price by experiencing burnout, including increased anxiety, a down mood, and low motivation. The incredibly good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way.
The Power of Novelty: Why Routine Can Drain Us
As a species, we are built to have novelty in our lives in order to have a feeling of happiness and fulfillment. None of us can obtain this if we are doing the same thing day in and day out. Same routines, same predictable things that turn into “ruts” we carve for ourselves. It’s no wonder that when we do “get away” from it all, we experience new energy, excitement, and peacefulness, which is a tonic of healthy emotions that soothe us.
So, if you can schedule more time to “get away,” then yes, you can do that. However, for most people who have limited funds for a regular getaway vacation, there’s no reason why you can’t create time for yourself to do the things that will bring you these exact same emotions. It is essential for our physical, emotional, and psychological health.
That’s why massage has become so popular, for example. But again, professional massage requires money, which makes it difficult for the majority of people to afford it on a regular basis.
So, for those who can’t afford to take weeks off for vacation 4-5 times a year, know that you don’t need to. And actually, one advantage of not being gone that long is that we are not DELUGED with waiting emails, voice messages, work tasks, home tasks… all of which hit us as soon as we arrive back home. With that overload, I hear people remark, ”I need a vacation to recover from the vacation I just took!”
No Plane Ticket Required: Creating Joy Right Where You Are
Take 10 minutes to sit down and ask yourself the question: What are the simple things I LOVE to do that bring me the most joy and fulfillment? (If nothing much comes to you, that should be a red flag.) Write down the ones that do come to mind. You can also ask, What are some simple things I can learn to do that might bring me joy? In this high-tech time, you can even pose the question to AI to help bring suggestions.
Here are some common answers that people seem to mention regularly: Read a good book. garden (or start a garden), knit/crochet, do crafts, draw (or learn to draw), take special time to be with their pet, paint, write, walk, meditate, or call (or FaceTime) a friend. For me, it is playing my instruments. I’m a multi-instrumentalist, and when I’m not at work providing coaching or counseling to clients, I will pick up one of my many musical instruments and spend time playing a few pieces on it and learning a new tune. Might only be for 15 minutes… But during that time, I am completely in a zone of fulfillment, peace, and joy. Everything else vanishes. I make sure I have this time (I aim for 1x day minimum) throughout the week.
On occasions where it doesn’t happen, I find I pay the price. I notice I’m more easily agitated, and the day just seems to lack the sparkle that the other days have. What are the things you love to do that bring you that kind of enjoyment? Things that, when you are doing them, time doesn’t seem to exist? If you don’t have any, I strongly encourage you to experiment with FINDING these activities. It’s so easy to do these days, thanks to internet searching, including YouTube, and NOW we have the amazing addition of A.I.!
Make It a Habit: Scheduling Your Mini Mental Reboots
Once you’ve identified some, all you need to do is SCHEDULE these kinds of activities into your week. Block out time for it during the day. Like I said earlier, even 15 minutes can be replenishing. You are giving yourself the GIFT of a mental reboot. A MINI vacation. A reality-free zone. This is vitally important to recharging and re-energizing ourselves. In the process, we lift our mood, clear our minds, and literally provide new life to ourselves in an extremely short amount of time.
If this sounds way too simplistic, be encouraged that simplicity is one of the reasons this is so magical. It’s simple, easy, and easily available. These mini vacations throughout your week provide that peace of mind we not only crave so much but absolutely need to have in order to obtain peace, grounding, and happiness.
Reclaiming Time: A Look at Your Real Priorities One lastg…if you are thinking, “Oh, I couldn’t possibly find enough time to add that to my week, I encourage you to think about how much time you spend looking at your phone, social media, or television every week and then reconsider how you might want to change some priorities.
Go spend time in your bliss zone, and happy “mini vacations” to all of you.
Bon Voyage!
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