Happiness and Vacation

Leap into happiness with the right kind of vacation

A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking. ~ Earl Wilson

We all need a break sometime, a chance to relax and recharge, leave the daily routines and job stresses behind.  One thing I try to remind people is to make sure you don’t come back from a vacation more stressed than when you left.  Remember, the idea is to build happiness, not have your vacation destroy it.   Too many times people over schedule themselves on vacation or take on physical challenges that leave them more worn out than before they left.  How many times have all of us heard people joke that I need a vacation from my vacation.

Don’t get me wrong, I actually encourage folks to challenge themselves and do physical things on their vacations, to try new foods and experience new things.  Just be sensible about the goals for your vacation.  For instance, maybe you want to try a bike tour, fantastic, you’ll spend a week cycling through the Irish countryside and soaking in all that is the Emerald Isle.  I highly recommend Cycle Holidays Ireland, they are the best tour company I’ve ever traveled with on holiday.

Cliffs of Moher in Ireland

First, have you been riding your bike regularly?  Do you understand the physical commitment your making by planning on riding a bike everyday for a week?  Be prepared first-off for what you are about to embark upon and push yourself, do a few more miles beyond your comfort level, climb a couple of mountains or hills on the bike that make you nervous.  But at the end of the week don’t just jump on a plan, fly home and go to work a day later.  If you do you end up jet-lagged, physically worn down and cranky.  This can happen just as easily from a vacation where you make the mistake of simply over scheduling yourself and creating the stress of making connections and getting to lots of places by a certain time.

Happiness and Vacation Advice

My advice for a happier vacation is two-fold.  First, give yourself enough time, be prepared, have a loose agenda but don’t put yourself in a position to be rushed.  Plan on seeing or doing fewer things but for a longer time, it will be more enjoyable and more relaxing.  Give yourself a day or two at the back-end to simply rest and relax.

Secondly, do your best to isolate yourself from your normal life.  Sure, there are some responsibilities we can’t ignore.  But let the rest of them go!

One of my favorite places on the web, the positivity blog, has a 4 short pieces of advice on this matter, here’s the link and the highlights are below:

1.  Breathe, slow down, relax and take it easy.

2.  Accept instead of resisting how you feel

3.  Plan to do nothing.

4.  Do what you love doing

And most importantly have a happy vacation!  ~ Rev Kane

Rev Kane on vacation in the Arctic

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