Aloha,
After passing the half-way point on Kauai, I've come to realize the 11-day vacation is still a wonderful invention. Yesterday marked the day on which we would normally have returned home after the 7-day escape. The extra feeling of relaxation that was expected is indeed taking hold and I expect the overall experience to be successful in doing its "unwinding."
But with that relaxation, I'm developing a new awareness of the importance of eliminating the need for it. (Notice I'm not addressing the "want" - only the "need.")
In 1047 - Vacations With New Meaning, I've reflected on relaxation as the third pillar of cardiovascular health. (Diet and exercise being the other two.) Not that I'm interested in talking myself out of 11-day vacations, but I'm beginning to see a new perspective. If I truly get relaxation under control to the same successful extent as I've conquered diet and (somewhat) exercise, there may not be the need for 11-day recuperative escapes. (Notice again, "need" not "want!")
This is surfacing for a number of reasons. Sure, this blog and its success in causing me to reflect in ways I've never understood before. But another area is in the conversation my wife and I are having about planning the next big vacation. Now I'm a big believer that anticipation and planning are half the fun of a grand vacation, and we've done that before with much success. But this new feeling (not even a full belief yet) that is growing is that if there is success in managing that "Clock up on the Wall," are "11-dayers" still necessary - or even appropriate?
Here's my wild-ass thinking: I've suggested that getting a handle on relaxation is a good thing. OK, so how is that accomplished? There's no silver bullet, but one could consider moderating every day activities, taking more frequent, albeit shorter/smaller breaks, and smoothing out the relaxation "curve." Keep stress under control, blow off a small amount of steam frequently, and remember to slow down.
Vacations could simply be an extension of that philosophy. Like the ophthamologist says, "What's better, A or B?"
A) Save for a grand, 11-day vacation every couple of years, hope for the extra unwinding that has at least recently proven trustworthy in presenting itself, and take the gamble that there is enough "stress capacity" to get from one vacation to the next, or...
B) Stick with the 7-day medicine (I'm still holding out for 11-days, but time will tell), but take that prescription more often. To take this metaphor painfully further, consider it as a vitamin supplement, taking more frequent 2-3 day excursions, woven in to add even more rungs in the health ladder. (Sorry, I got on a roll with those stupid metaphors and just couldn't stop!)
I don't yet have a definitive answer on A) or B), but it is plenty of fodder for consideration. What's your relaxation strategy? How do you work toward balance? Are you an A) or a B)? I'd appreciate your feedback.
Mahalo
After passing the half-way point on Kauai, I've come to realize the 11-day vacation is still a wonderful invention. Yesterday marked the day on which we would normally have returned home after the 7-day escape. The extra feeling of relaxation that was expected is indeed taking hold and I expect the overall experience to be successful in doing its "unwinding."
But with that relaxation, I'm developing a new awareness of the importance of eliminating the need for it. (Notice I'm not addressing the "want" - only the "need.")
In 1047 - Vacations With New Meaning, I've reflected on relaxation as the third pillar of cardiovascular health. (Diet and exercise being the other two.) Not that I'm interested in talking myself out of 11-day vacations, but I'm beginning to see a new perspective. If I truly get relaxation under control to the same successful extent as I've conquered diet and (somewhat) exercise, there may not be the need for 11-day recuperative escapes. (Notice again, "need" not "want!")
This is surfacing for a number of reasons. Sure, this blog and its success in causing me to reflect in ways I've never understood before. But another area is in the conversation my wife and I are having about planning the next big vacation. Now I'm a big believer that anticipation and planning are half the fun of a grand vacation, and we've done that before with much success. But this new feeling (not even a full belief yet) that is growing is that if there is success in managing that "Clock up on the Wall," are "11-dayers" still necessary - or even appropriate?
Here's my wild-ass thinking: I've suggested that getting a handle on relaxation is a good thing. OK, so how is that accomplished? There's no silver bullet, but one could consider moderating every day activities, taking more frequent, albeit shorter/smaller breaks, and smoothing out the relaxation "curve." Keep stress under control, blow off a small amount of steam frequently, and remember to slow down.
Vacations could simply be an extension of that philosophy. Like the ophthamologist says, "What's better, A or B?"
A) Save for a grand, 11-day vacation every couple of years, hope for the extra unwinding that has at least recently proven trustworthy in presenting itself, and take the gamble that there is enough "stress capacity" to get from one vacation to the next, or...
B) Stick with the 7-day medicine (I'm still holding out for 11-days, but time will tell), but take that prescription more often. To take this metaphor painfully further, consider it as a vitamin supplement, taking more frequent 2-3 day excursions, woven in to add even more rungs in the health ladder. (Sorry, I got on a roll with those stupid metaphors and just couldn't stop!)
I don't yet have a definitive answer on A) or B), but it is plenty of fodder for consideration. What's your relaxation strategy? How do you work toward balance? Are you an A) or a B)? I'd appreciate your feedback.
Mahalo
I've been reading a ton of fitness books lately and the ones that I feel are the most successful are the ones that focus on a more holistic approach to health; that is, instead of offering 20 great exercises or an incredible new diet, the really good programs include your mind as a very necessary part of the "better life" equation, something you seem to have stumbled upon on your own.
Your mental health can be nurtured in a whole lot of ways. Certainly, the act of exercising and otherwise caring for your body has a positive impact on your stress levels, but even more than that, some of the programs I've been reading about emphasize trying meditation, tai chi or yoga or other ways to focus and nurture your mind.
It might not be as fun as two weeks at a tropical locale, but creating a little oasis of calm in your life might be just what the doctor ordered!