Eek! Mid-August, how did we get here? For that matter, how did we get to 2024? I still think 1984 was twenty years ago, max. But here we are and as summer wraps up I had some insights about vacation. Something I’m not very good at. Not the insight part, the taking time to relax. Not my first instinct. But one of the gifts of having a family is that I make a point to carve out a few days for us to be together.
One of these days I got up earlier than everyone and drove to an unfamiliar exercise class. Yep, that’s me relaxing. The point here is not the cardio burn, it’s that because I was in “vacation mode,” I went to an unfamiliar place and had a different experience.
Driving home, rather than being on auto-pilot, not literally ‘cause I’m not ready for self driving cars, I passed all these sights I’d never seen before. Coffee shops, thrift stores and a stream of restaurants - yes I was in East L.A. Less than half an hour away from home but it felt like…I was on vacation.
It made me wonder about what would be possible if instead of waiting for a scheduled holiday, I did this more often. It reminded me of something I discovered researching my book on couples and laughter. Happiness expert Sonja Lyubomirsky cautions that it’s not familiarity in couples that breeds contempt, it’s boredom. Maybe that’s not just true of couples, maybe that’s true of life.
What other behaviors do I relegate only to vacation that could make my day to day life more enjoyable? Probably you have yours which I’d love to know about, but here are some ideas that came to me to keep the vacay vibe alive the other three-hundred- something days of the year:
- Eat food you’ve never tasted before. Afro-Asian is having a moment.
- Stay in bed and read. A newspaper, a book, a letter. No screens! Give yourself 24-48 hours device free.
- Try a new sport. I’m very late to the pickleball party, so there’s one for me.
- Find a nightclub and go out dancing even if you’re the oldest person there. Just me?
- Be a tourist in your own town. Check local listings for new exhibits, a farmer’s market you’ve never been to or a local comedy club!
- Sign up for figure drawing class - or enroll in one of those paint and sip options.
- Join any club/meet up where you don’t know anyone. Say hello to three people.
- Here’s an easy one: take a different route on your walk. Yes, it’s that simple. Even switching up your usual path can bring new sights or smells that surprise you.
Consider the gauntlet thrown to make your own list. By the way, it’s not a fool’s errand to follow through on some of these. Not only to lift your spirits and stave off boredom. Doing new activities in unfamiliar places is great for brain health too!
