Vacations are, by definition, supposed to be a time of freedom from any activity; rest; respite; intermission - a period of rest and freedom from work, study, etc. Trust me, it's right here in my Webster's dictionary.
It's been a few years since I've had a real vacation - the kind that you return from and actually feel rejuvenated. I blogged about it back in
June and
July of 2009. We had a real family vacation. The four of us. No staying with parents or in-laws, no working around anyone else's schedule, just us. And we had a blast. It's not something that we would have chosen to do on our own, there would have been
excuses reasons why we shouldn't or couldn't, but because of a very generous friend of mine, we did. I am so thankful that the older kids were old enough to remember it and enjoy it. It was also a great break from everything else going on. I had a few "moments" thinking about things that were really at the forefront of my awareness but at the same time, I was able to relax and soak in everything.
All that to say, I think vacations are crucial to mental well-being.
Whether a vacation from work; vacation from stress; vacation from self loathing or sabotage or from something that's weighing you down... it needs to be done. It doesn't mean that you need to pack up and take off but perhaps, unplug, recharge, explore, sleep in, eat out. Do something different and good with that time.
Anyway, I'll step off my soapbox now but yes, I think vacations are important. And I'm going to try to take my own advice sometime soon!
