Life Balanced

I recently returned from an amazing two week vacation in Thailand. It’s difficult to take more than a week off at a time, but I highly recommend it. Those extra seven days make all the difference. I always find that it takes a few days to relax and leave work behind, but once I do…ahhh! I like to say that the sign of a good vacation is when you come back and can’t remember your computer password (it has happened to me once).

During my time away I usually write down some goals and commit to balancing aspects of my life. I seem to get a lot of clarity when I’m away in a foreign country. I think it is partly because I’m humbled by how happy and fulfilled others are who have far less than I do. In the US (and especially Southern California), we tend to get caught up in obtaining material goods, name brands and other superficial things, rather than appreciating what we have. I always return home feeling refreshed, happy, energized and grateful.

This trip I came back with grand plans to learn how to meditate, take up yoga and start this blog among other things…well, I started my blog! Inevitably, my plans and feelings of elation quickly fade as I get back into my everyday routine. So how do you hold onto the vacation vibe after you return from a relaxing trip? Here are some of my tips:

• Keep a journal – Not only are journals good to refer to when trying to remember a favorite place you visited, they can also take you immediately back to a particular experience or relaxing moment you took the time to put into words.

• Capture it in a photo – A number of years ago I was in Cabo with friends and felt particularly relaxed as I was lying on a raft in a pool that looked out to the ocean. I captured the moment by taking a picture of the view and included my feet in the frame. I keep the photo in my home and when I look at it I feel like I’m relaxing again on that raft taking in the view. I now try to take similar pictures on all my vacations.

• Bring home a symbol – Whether it’s a souvenir purchased from a local street vendor or merely a special shell you found on the beach, bring back something that represents your trip. On my desk at work I keep a rock that I brought back from a trip to the Mount Everest region a number of years ago. Whenever things get tough at work or I’m faced with a particularly difficult task, I take the rock in my hand to remind myself that I’ve overcome much greater challenges than the current one I’m facing.

• Plan your next trip – The next best thing to being on vacation is the anticipation of going on vacation. Give yourself something to look forward to in the future.