Part 15: Things I learned

Well, as with most experiences, I learned a few things from my summer staycation.

Lessons I learned:

1. Don't obsess over busyness. I think we are conditioned to think that we can only enjoy our lives when we are going, going, going, but it's not true. Some of the best moments of my vacation were the ones where I did mostly nothing.

2. Relax, and not necessarily in front of the television. Lie out on the beach, read a novel, take a nap. Those are the kinds of things that will rejuvenate you.

3. Make some plans. Having a list of things to accomplish, whether I actually got through all of them or not, gave me some purpose.

4. Spend time with friends. What better opportunity is there? Dinner, dancing, movies, baseball games, trips to the beach, walks around the lake...life is twice as fun with a friend.

5. Hang out by yourself. As great as your friends are, they won't be around all the time. Plus, if you're by yourself, you get to make all the decisions, so you can do whatever you want! It's also just good for you, and can be quite relaxing. The hotel, the theater performance, the museum, room service...I did all that stuff alone, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

6. Give yourself permission not to work. Most people's biggest regret isn't that they wish they'd spent more time working. And being a workaholic never decreased anyone's stress level. Relax, and set some boundaries on your work. I realized that I'll have about 15 hours on the clock to get my room ready and plan my lessons next week, so why do it at home? Home is for me time.

7. Rediscover your city. Even though you're not traveling, your city likely has attractions and places to see and be that you haven't experienced yet. Try something new! Even though I've lived here all my life (excluding college), I still managed to find a new museum, a new restaurant, new food at an old restaurant, a beach I'd never visited, books I'd never read, a hotel I'd never stayed in, etc. Finding new things in an old city is really fun.

Man, staycation rocks. I can't wait til my next one!

Thanks for reading!