Because I am in school all year round I have not had a chance to take any really long vacations this year. I have mostly stayed in the weekend away territory. However because I live in such a glorious city I have the pleasure of playing hostess to many a visitor from far away. Now, while I love playing tour-guide (riding the Powell Cable Car will never get old for me) I have to admit that eating out as often as my visitors want me to, leaves me feeling like I need a vacation. And I don’t think it’s just me who feels this way. My boyfriend’s stepmother said to me yesterday,
“Oh my goodness Sarah, I feel like I have been doing nothing but eat for 7 days straight, by next week I might not be able to fit into any of the clothes I brought.”
I felt the same way and I’m not even on vacation! This got me thinking about summer and vacations and how half the time I come back from a holiday more exhausted, out of shape and stressed out than when I left. That’s why I am going to propose something crazy in today’s article. What if we actually did things that were good for us on our vacations so that when we returned from them we actually felt better, more alive and more willing to take on our day-to-day lives? I know, I am out of control.
“But, Sarah”, you say, “I need to over eat, drink and laze around watching pay per view! That’s how I know it’s a vacation!”
Ok, ok but hear me out. Our every day lives are so jam-packed full of things to do, people to see and laundry to wash that we often don’t have time to really take care of ourselves. People don’t get enough sleep, they eat on the go, they let stress get the best of them, they’re too tired to work out, they’re too busy to relax, and on and on the excuses go. Trust me I have heard every single one of them and I have used them all plus more. So, since we are unable to do all of things that we know will make us feel better (I do know by the way. These things will make you feel better. It is not scientific but I know, you will just have to trust me) in our daily lives why don’t we do them on vacation when we have all the time in the world and we are supposed to be taking a break in order to feel better.
Wouldn’t it be great to come back from a holiday feeling excited to go back to work? Generally the reason we’re not excited or happy to resume our daily lives is because we didn’t actually get a break. We used and abused our bodies just like in regular life. We stayed up late, ate too much, had one too many drinks, rushed from museum to museum, etc. etc. Understandably there may be people reading this who just hate their job and no amount of broccoli, hiking in the Sierra’s or relaxing by the pool will make them excited to come back to work. Unfortunately there is little I can do for you in the confines of this particular article but I do truly believe (as noted above) that a healthy lifestyle will make you less unhappy in your career. Plus what’s the worst thing that could happen? You feel good?
I am not proposing that you plan your vacations only to remote beach towns without radios or T.V. and that while there you eat only steamed fish and vegetables. I am proposing that you customize your vacations to suit what you need most. Are you constantly snoozing in the morning, never able to get up on time? Well you ought to sleep in. Have you been kvetching about never being able to work out? Well, why not do it on your vacation? You haven’t got to work so you might as well make use of that extra time. Do you hate that you never get the opportunity to eat a healthy breakfast? You know what I am going to say, don’t you?
The point is, try to do the healthy things you always say you don’t have time for during your every day life.
I understand that with kids this is a little bit harder because Disneyland is not the most relaxing hot spot for adults (my father excluded) so you will have to be creative. Stop at the grocery store and pack healthy snacks in baggies to eat while at the park. Then you won’t feel bad about having eaten nothing but churros and corn dogs all day. Maybe you are the healthiest person in the world, weighing all your food and exercising every morning before work. Perhaps what you need is to let loose, have some ice cream and skip a week of running.
Look at your life and your regular activities and try to plan a vacation that will actually make you feel better, not worse. Even if you aren’t traveling any time soon, it certainly doesn’t hurt to plan. Maybe if you start thinking about what you really need, you will be more apt to give it to yourself. The Stones had it backwards for today’s society. More often than not people can get what they want, but have trouble actually getting what they need.
Be Good to your Body, it’s where you live
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