Is anyone else feeling very ready for a holiday?! Well I am, and over the years I’ve thought a lot about how to make the most of time off. For instance, being intentional about anything we do in life – be it writing an email, entering a relationship or taking a trip – can totally transform your experience of it. This definitely applies to how you go into your holiday time.
I’m also hyper aware that it’s so easy to get caught up in the demands of other’s plans and the web of family obligation. Your time is precious and how you spend it is your domain. And when it comes to unwinding and really restoring ourselves on holiday, it pays to remember we are far more than our physical body and our busy mind. Our emotional self heals and gathers strength when we take time out for ourselves. While we are bound to spend time with family and friends during the holidays, we need to be able to claim time for ourselves too. When we get quiet, we reconnect to our intuition and our higher self. Consider that your Whole Self is going on holiday: your mind, your body, your heart and your spirit. Nourish the whole of you these holidays.
[Download your free one-pager of these tips here].
Be intentional
Go into your holiday aware of what you need out of your time off. Set your intentions for your holidays beforehand or within the first few days. What do you want your holiday time to do for you/give you? How do you want to be feeling at the end of it? Take this approach to weekends, retreats or trips away too.
These holidays I want time for …
I want my holiday to give me …
At the end of my holiday I want to be feeling …
Choose what you need
Your holiday time is precious – spend it the best way possible FOR YOU. Don’t be afraid to choose people and activities and places that best fit you (and therefore NOT choose some people and places that don’t fit you right now). It’s ok to say no and not be available. You don’t have to do everything.
Move the body
More than anything, our body needs movement. While we often worry about getting to the gym or doing enough aerobic exercise, it’s actually too much sitting and sedentary work that is really the problem. We need MOVEMENT. It’s easier in the holidays to do this – there’s more time to walk to the local store instead of drive and to take beach or bush walks. Dance while you’re making your breakfast – find some 80’s music to go with it. Why not!
Rest
It may be that what you need most these holidays is R E S T. Our body heals and replenishes beautifully when we give it enough rest – lolling about with a book, magazine, in front of a movie or simply watching the last hour of the sunset can be ideal. And repeatedly or for hours at a time if you feel to. Do what feels right for you. Listen to guided meditations, yoga nidra or peaceful music.
And if someone suggests you are being lazy or have ‘lazed around enough’ – be sure to let them know you need to rest. It’s appropriate and okay and being active and busy is not a holiday goal. There, I said it.
Put work in a box
If you have some work that needs to be done over the holidays, first do a double-check – can it wait? If so, shelve it. J If it does need to be done, or a portion of it at least, plan a window of time for it (a day or a morning for instance) and that’s it. Sometimes a good time for this is near one end of your holiday period but not at the very end – let yourself be on holiday right through.
Be a kid
Remember to do stuff that’s light and fun – and if needed borrow someone’s kids to do that with! 🙂 Make up a backyard game, play Yahtzee, build a tent with sheets on a rainy day and watch your favourite move in there. Bake cupcakes. Build a fort or a raft. Play.
Use your holidays to plan your holidays
A few years ago I met a lovely woman at a rotary event I was speaking at and we got talking about taking holidays through the year (a very good way to structure your year!) and she happened to mention that while her family is away camping or holidaying somewhere over the Christmas holidays, they plan their holidays for the rest of the year. They don’t necessarily do all the detailed booking of flights or accommodation etc then, but they set the dates and destinations. It’s such a fabulous idea. Imagine enjoying your summer holidays already knowing your next holiday is in the pipeline!
Wishing you nourishing holidays and a happy heart.
Karen x
[AND since it’s the holidays I want to make this super easy for you – so download your free one-pager of these tips here]. (Click or right-click and Save as).
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