I went on vacation and I had a blast! 🏝️
As promised, here's my follow-up on how vacationing went... Was I really able to "rest" on my trip?
Hey! Just so you know, this is part 2 of a vacationing “experiment” I chatted about in a previous post. Feel free to check that one out for context, or just give today’s post a read. Thanks for being here!
I promised I’d let you guys know how vacation went, so here I am! 🏖️
I also promised I’d try my best to rest on vacation.
Man, it was hard.
Look, I’m not complaining… I’m so grateful to have been given the opportunity to go on an exciting family trip to a beautiful part of the world.
However, as expected, it was really difficult for me to avoid working!
For the first few days of the trip, I kept thinking about how I could be more productive. I kept thinking about how I “should” be writing or marketing or doing something to boost my career.
But as the initial work-related stress wore off, I became more comfortable in my surroundings. The thing is, Maui is filled with vacationers - honeymooners, anniversary celebrators, families - so I was surrounded by other people who were also trying to relax. That helped more than I anticipated! Of course, the beautiful weather, the ocean, and the palm trees made resting a lot easier too. Most of all, though, I was encouraged to put away my laptop by the multitude of things my family had planned for our time in Maui, as well as my desire to give them my undivided attention.
In Hawaii, we went on a helicopter ride, attended a luau, and kayaked on the ocean! All in all, it was a fantastic trip. I loved catching up with my little brother and hugging my parents again. I loved eating fresh fish and drinking Mai Tais and Piña Coladas. The place was beautiful and the people even more so. 🌺
Honestly, the hardest part about the trip has been returning to my normal schedule. I’ve been back for one week as of the drafting of this post. Since I shifted into “vacation mode” later than I probably should’ve (maybe 3-4 days into the trip), and since I travelled through the night to return home, I’ve found myself exhausted this past week. I struggled to get back on track with my schedule, as I was feeling intensely lethargic. Thankfully, I think I’m finally feeling back in the swing of things again!
In terms of the rest “experiment,” I’d say I wasn’t entirely successful or entirely unsuccessful. A lame conclusion, I know, but it’s true. I fought the urges to work and I’m proud of myself for that. But I also couldn’t let go of the pressure, and I found myself thinking about work often.
I’m so grateful for each of you and your tips in the comments on my previous post. You were so helpful and I was able to rest more fully because of your love and support. I missed you guys and I’m so glad to be back!