The Intentional Benefits of a Vacation

We are on our way to our beach house. Many hours away from our life in the cityand a world apart from the day-to-day challenges we all face. We will sleep longhours lulled by the white noise of the sea. Our circadian cycles will slowly normalizeduring days spent in the sun, enjoying slow stress-free hours doing things we love.We will cook wholesome meals and enjoy the fruit of our labor around our well-worntable. Food and good wine will be enjoyed during hearty conversations. Happy banter and enthusiastic discussions will make way for restful evenings staring into the fire. Early nights will be followed by long beach walks in the crisp sea spray with the warm morning sun on our backs.

Very little has changed over the past 30 years. All those years ago, I was a teenager joining my parents in their vacation traditions. As my family grew, my husband and I developed our traditions with our children, but much of the wholesome fiber of family holidays have stayed.

The meaning of the word vacation is a period spent away from home or business intravel or recreation. Dedicating time for rest, relaxation and recharge are of critical importance. This isn't often achieved over the course of a weekend, so saving timeaway to unplug can help us to reset.

The difference between a vacation and everyday life lies in the simplicity and calm that can be achieved during a time of rest. This time can be used to declutter our thoughts and routines to such an extent that new, calmer rhythms can find their way into our thoughts and behavior. The change in environment can create an opportunity to assess emotional and social experiences.

The word evokes feelings of relaxation and stress-free time spent doing whatever you want. Like all things in life, a vacation can only have meaning and accomplish what is expected when it is managed and perceived correctly and utilized for it's purpose. Being on holiday has its pros and cons. The expectation is that everything needs to be uncomplicated, happy, filled with fun, and different from everyday life.

This is not a realistic expectation at all. The people on holiday were overworked,frustrated, and exhausted yesterday or the day before. It is unrealistic to expect achange of scenery to change the emotional workings of highly complex humanbeings.

Then how is it possible to utilize the benefits of a vacation to the fullest? Remember that research has shown that being on holiday is considered one of the ten most potentially traumatic everyday life experiences. The difference between expectation and experience is often lamented about. The question is, what can bedone about this?

I believe that the true benefit of a vacation, whether at a destination or time spent traveling, lies in the individual’s ability to properly prepare for such a time away from the ordinary routine. Like all things that have meaning in our lives, preparation and realistic expectation are the friends of a positive experience.

In the time leading up to a vacation, it is essential to visualize and think about what you want to experience. The intentional engagement with your expectation can mean practical activities such as planning your wardrobe and planning activities to take with you on vacation. This can include books or hobbies such as puzzles, games,knitting, or painting, to name a few. If your vacation will be at an unknown destination, it is a good idea to research the area and the form, at least a vague picture in your mind of where you are going. When you visit an old familiar destination, it is wise to think about previous happy memories associated with the place you are going to.

Although a jam-packed itinerary can be fascinating, a vacation like this should not be expected to bring rest and create a calm and recharged emotional state. I cannot emphasize the importance of realistic expectations enough. Plan your next vacation based on your emotional and physical needs, and prepare appropriately so your timeaway from home can work its magic on your tired and stressed body and mind.