The last I heard, the United States was the world’s leader in unused vacation days each year. If we are not careful, we can end up like the beleaguered lumberjack who kept chopping at a frenetic pace and never took time to sharpen his axe. If carefully planned and anticipated, a vacation can give us time to sharpen our edge and come back to life with a fresh, eager mindset.
At this point you may be saying, “Money is tight…we can’t afford a vacation”. If you are thinking that, let me share a personal experience I had 30 years ago that may spark your optimism: I had just embarked on a new career change and money and time were tight. Our family decided to take a trip to Nashville – about a 7-hour drive.. We only had a few days, so we planned well to make sure we made full use of our time.
When we arrived in Nashville we took another look at our itinerary, and found ourselves a little stressed out. We decided to cancel out one full day of planned activity and replace it with a day lounging around the hotel pool. We spent our “pool day” in total relaxation. My wife and I read and talked while our two young boys swam. It was a perfect day.
Since that Nashville trip, we have had many nice trips, including several cruises, trips to Europe, and a good chunk of the United States. This may sound crazy to say, but our little trip to Nashville stands as one of our favorites. It taught us a two-point lesson:
Plan your trip well
Be flexible
My challenge to you: Be bold and plan a vacation. If you do, you will find your mind, body, and mental state in a better zone.
