In winding up this series on vacations and opportunities for self-care, I want to return to an idea I offered at the beginning. The essence of a vacation is to vacate our life in order to make room for self-care. We vacate our calendar, our work schedule, our daily routines, and the same-old, same-old of our daily lives. By evacuating our usual, we are prepared to experience the un-usual, the new and potentially meaningful in our lives.
This can take real courage. Too often we have come to see ourselves by what we do or how we spend our day-to-day lives. Our conversations, relationships, and sense of self-identity become dependent upon the routines and activities of the same-old, same -old. These are important and necessary for much that is good in our lives. It allows us to participate in the world around us. They encourage us to reach outside of ourselves and make connections. They help us grow and contribute to the lives of others. Unfortunately, when we ponder vacating this place of familiarity and/or comfort, we may fear losing our connections and place in the world.
To deal with this fear we may only partially vacate our lives. We may move from the suburbs to an RV Park for a couple of weeks. We may leave our apartment for a hotel room. We may take a “busman’s holiday” by pursuing our work interests while on vacation. We may take our work phone along just in case. We may pursue the same hobbies while on vacation that we pursue in our daily lives. We may travel with friends from work or the neighborhood. These are okay as long as we recognize that we may not be fully emptying our lives to receive something new and refreshing. We may not enjoy the full benefit of the vacation.
The more we can change things up on vacation the greater the opportunity we will have to find renewal and see new possibilities for our lives. We may be able to relax a little when we step back a little. But when we immerse ourselves in something new, we will have the advantage of a whole different perspective on our lives. We will have a greater chance of discovering our “being”, waking up our minds, and resetting our senses to receive beauty into our lives.
I encourage you to vacate the same-old, same-old and take a break. Whether you travel or stay at home is not important. Muster your courage to do something new for a week or two and see where your journey takes you. You can always “come home” when you are ready. But you may just discover that home is not what you think it is and you may find ways to make the “same-old, same-old” into something brand new!
God’s speed on your journey. May your vacation be an introduction to a new movement in your life’s symphony.
Blessings,
Bob
This can take real courage. Too often we have come to see ourselves by what we do or how we spend our day-to-day lives. Our conversations, relationships, and sense of self-identity become dependent upon the routines and activities of the same-old, same -old. These are important and necessary for much that is good in our lives. It allows us to participate in the world around us. They encourage us to reach outside of ourselves and make connections. They help us grow and contribute to the lives of others. Unfortunately, when we ponder vacating this place of familiarity and/or comfort, we may fear losing our connections and place in the world.
To deal with this fear we may only partially vacate our lives. We may move from the suburbs to an RV Park for a couple of weeks. We may leave our apartment for a hotel room. We may take a “busman’s holiday” by pursuing our work interests while on vacation. We may take our work phone along just in case. We may pursue the same hobbies while on vacation that we pursue in our daily lives. We may travel with friends from work or the neighborhood. These are okay as long as we recognize that we may not be fully emptying our lives to receive something new and refreshing. We may not enjoy the full benefit of the vacation.
The more we can change things up on vacation the greater the opportunity we will have to find renewal and see new possibilities for our lives. We may be able to relax a little when we step back a little. But when we immerse ourselves in something new, we will have the advantage of a whole different perspective on our lives. We will have a greater chance of discovering our “being”, waking up our minds, and resetting our senses to receive beauty into our lives.
I encourage you to vacate the same-old, same-old and take a break. Whether you travel or stay at home is not important. Muster your courage to do something new for a week or two and see where your journey takes you. You can always “come home” when you are ready. But you may just discover that home is not what you think it is and you may find ways to make the “same-old, same-old” into something brand new!
God’s speed on your journey. May your vacation be an introduction to a new movement in your life’s symphony.
Blessings,
Bob
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