They say that where you are right now is exactly where you are meant to be.
But what if you feel unsettled and all you want to do is be someplace else?
In certain ways, the concept of a vacation doesn’t coincide with that old moniker, right?
Typically, a vacation allows someone to press the pause button. Most people seek relaxation on their vacations to depart from their real-life problems.
However, those same people may be displeased to find their old issues are still there when they come home and unlock their door. For those folks, vacation was being used as a coping mechanism rather than a tool for growth.
But you can’t blame them. Humans tend to seek out the easiest option that makes themselves feel better. And travel is often marketed as a solution, since commercials never show a happy couple walking along the beach while meal planning, checking emails, or dialing into a conference call with their boss. Further, commercials never show that same couple coming home to stacks of clutter and a broken garage door opener. No, they are portrayed to be completely disconnected from those issues. While they are on that beach – they are free. They are fully in the moment and able to ignore all of their thoughts about what is happening back at the ranch.
But what if vacation wasn’t about pressing the pause button for once? Instead, what if you were able to press the reboot button? What if the goal of your time off was to find renewal, so you could feel more relaxed in your everyday life?
When I worked full-time, I used to pack all of my vacation days with faraway trips so I felt that I was maximizing the value. But what I didn’t end up gaining from my vacations was clarity in my day-to-day routine. Mostly because I was doing my best to escape that routine. I constantly returned from those trips feeling dread about what there still was to do. I never set aside enough time to reflect on the processes I was using or how to improve my lifestyle.
My lifestyle has now changed drastically since I no longer work a 9-5 job, and I am now able to see the value of time more than ever before. The first step towards improving your life is making the time to do it. That said, I realize how complicated that can be for many people. It’s SO MUCH easier to look for a way to avoid issues than to tackle them.
When you are burning your candle at both ends, it can be very challenging to think creatively vs. going into task mode. If you are feeling stressed, your first instinct may be that you simply need a break from everything.
If you book a quick beach vacation to press the metaphorical pause button, you may come back more relaxed, but all of your old problems will still be there.
Instead, it is possible that you’d feel even more rejuvenated by your time off if you stayed at home and figured out new processes to help you live your daily life more easily. That could include all types of things such as investing in drawer organizers, an iRobot Roomba, a cleaning service, Amazon Fresh Pantry, etc. Find fixes for whatever takes up your time and keeps you swirling! Creating little life hacks can truly help you press reboot and get some of your valuable time back in the long run. And spending your vacation buying your time back can’t be a bad thing!
So, what is wrong with a staycation? Nothing, really. If you are like me and travel a lot, the occasional staycation may be just as meaningful and enriching as a new stamp on your passport.
People at your office may ask why you decided not to go anywhere, but making time for yourself can pay dividends. You may even start to look as happy as those couples frolicking on the beach in travel commercials – only your smiles are happening on your living room couch!
I think staycations get a bad rep, and they are actually a vacation choice to be respected. Where you are can be exactly where you’re supposed to be…as long as you’re still pushing yourself forward.
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