Summer is vacation time. And by vacation I mean vacate, spend time apart or away from. To break from your ordinary.
Some people staycation, others travel, others have their regular go-tos. Here in New Jersey folks like to head “down the shore“. Many choose to visit family for reunions, and of course, beaches beckon. For families with older kids, I see a lot of trips to Europe on my Facebook feed.
An LA-based client recently told me about vacation she took to New York City with her toddler. She was struck by the spontaneity of the city, and how easy it was to have a kid there. As an LA person, the whole no-car thing was a thrill, and the pulsing vibe of Manhattan resonated with her.
Several clients have been asking how they can bring that vacation feeling back home, elevating their daily routine. I’ve had a think on this and here are five questions you can ask yourself, to get the marrow out of the experience:
- Identify which approach increased your joy. Was it that you were doing something new and took a break from the routine? Were you more spontaneous? Relaxed? Active? What was the approach that brought you joy? For this, it’s less about what you did than the way you approached it. Rising with sun, staying out until the wee hours, or something in the middle?
- What did you enjoy doing (or not) on vacation? Was it resting, increasing physical activity, or something else? Perhaps vacation is reminding you that the sedentary lifestyle needs a shift. Or the opposite. What activities did you enjoy?
- Who were you with? Did you like reconnecting with special friends or family, or having time to reconnect with yourself? What kind of human interactions made this special?
- What kind of an environment did you enjoy? Were you interacting with nature? Did you like being by the water, or up in the mountains? Great cathedrals or backpacking? How can this inform you about the kind of spaces you want to add to your routine?
- How did you structure the day? Do you have a plan to have new experiences or did you see where the day took you? Did the days move best when there was an adventure, or did you like sleeping in and being low key?
Have a think on each of these to gain some insight into what filled your cup during vacation. Then think a bit more about how you can add that approach, activities, companions, environment and structure, and to your life a bit more.
AACES, anyone? (See what I did there?)
Vacation is special because it’s different. Harvest the AACES and incorporate these attributes into life back home. The best vacation is one that changes you — not just for the memories — but for the self-awareness, and possibility of life impact.
Ask yourself the AACES questions and commit to incorporating what you’ve learned.
And also – let’s keep it real. Vacation is great BECAUSE it’s a break from the ordinary. Enjoy your life, enjoy your breaks, remembering that each enhances the other.
Love, beaches and mountains,
Allison
PS: For a little more content, check out this blog on Embracing the Shadow Self. The shadow has become a popular self-help topic, and I wanted to explore it a bit more with you.
