Back from France and back to reality! Today is my first day back at work and to be honest, I’m kind of excited about it. Before I left I was unbelievably burnt out and exhausted but now I’m feeling more energized, inspired and motivated to get back to work than ever.
The last few months have been DIFFICULT. I was really hard on myself knowing that I had this two-week vacation coming up. I was working really long hours (remember, this blog is just as much work as my day job is), didn’t take one vacation day or weekend and rarely saw my friends and family. In a way, I was trying to compensate for the guilt I had of taking two weeks off. The stress and lack of me-time made me see every challenge or issue as a mountain, when I know they were only molehills.
Spending two weeks traveling is EXACTLY what the doctor ordered. While I was definitely still working on the blog and frequently posting to Instagram throughout the two weeks, it was so refreshing to mix it up a little bit. Many would chalk this refreshing experience up to ‘unplugging,’ being off e-mail, but I actually don’t think that is why I feel so refreshed. In fact, I checked my email and my client’s social channels every day that I was on vacation. While I may not have responded (because I know my co-workers had everything handled), it gave me peace of mind knowing I wasn’t falling behind, it’s like reading the newspaper or your Twitter feed. Instead of the ‘magic of unplugging,’ I think my current state of mind, is because I changed up my routine. Simply waking up somewhere different and going to sleep with different experiences under your belt can seriously work wonders. And for me, that is the power of travel.
The power of travel is different for each individual. For me, it starts with a change in routine, but it also means experiences new cultures, trying new food, exploring our world’s history and more. There is nothing that makes your molehill of a problem feel even smaller than actually climbing a mountain (which we did jet-lagged on our first day in Eze).
Two weeks is a really long time and seriously transformed my drive, but it doesn’t have to be that long and you definitely shouldn’t wait to take one if you think you need one. I think this vacation was at least 2 MONTH too late. That is 2 MONTHS of feeling uninspired, which is straight up debilitating. For the reminder of the year, I’m looking to take at least 2 more vacations (not including weekend getaways) so I never feel that way ever again. That is why I’ve recently joined JIFU, which is a members-only wholesale travel company that helps you travel in a budget-friendly way. Lucky for you, I have a few ‘buddy passes’ to share that allows you to test this amazing site before becoming an official member. There is a limited number available, so claim yours now.
I’m thinking Cartagena and Disney World as our next two trips for the year. Where are you going next?
Travel always perks me up and leaves me so inspired. I always come home in complete amazement from my travels.
Right! It’s seriously like magic.