My Favorite Thing About Vacation!

I'm back from vacation and have some thoughts to share with you all! If you didn't know, I just got back from the beach, my favorite place in the world. I had the best time! I can never get enough of tanning, swimming in the ocean, fresh seafood, my favorite coffee shop, and the free time to read!

However, I am not here to tell you my beach essentials nor the best locations to travel, but I want to talk about why vacation is so special. Whether your last vacation was abroad or a couple cities over, there is a feeling that you get when you go away. You could be 10 or 21, going to the city or the mountains, etc. The details are not what determine the success of a trip. I've realized that my favorite thing about taking a vacation is the emotional feeling it gives me.

Despite packing, the actual traveling, and any of the extra stress that is present before leaving for vacation, there is also a developing feeling of freedom, beauty, and relief. I have felt this firsthand!

As someone who gets overwhelmed easily and carries a heavy load, the freedom felt on vacation is indescribable. You are no longer chained to your routine or burdened by responsibilities. Instead, you are welcomed with peaceful opportunity and memorable explorations. Vacation freedom is that of no worry, fear, or expectations that I believe we all deserve to experience!

In addition to this freedom, I find such beauty in going on vacation. You get to see new things, try new foods, meet new people, etc. There is this urgency to see the beauty all around you when you are somewhere new, when in our daily life we miss some of the most beautiful things. This sense of beauty inspires, comforts, and excites me for life in areas that have dulled.

Lastly, you get firsthand relief from going on vacation. You finally get a break from work, school, and life. Your worries go from paperwork to reapplying sunscreen, and if allows us to be rejuvenated. It's often hard to feel the effects of stress until you feel that relief, and then it takes you somewhere entirely new.

I experienced each of these qualities this past week while at the beach. I felt free from my constant need of order, I was in awe of the vast ocean I witnessed every day, and I had a sense of relief that motivated me for the future. We get so caught up in preforming, acting, and obeying our daily life rituals and demands. However, there are reminders all around us to allow ourselves to experience these feelings, maybe even outside of vacation.

Therefore, it may be months until you get a break, but I encourage you to think of how you feel when you are away. Brainstorm how you can incorporate the vacation feeling into daily life, because life is too short to dismiss freedom, beauty, and relief.

I hope this reminds you to create space for breaks in your life. If you have a favorite vacation spot, comment it down below! Talk to you next week!

-Kami