6 Ways To Turn Your Next Trip Into A Self-Care Vacation
Vacations can be super fun. It’s a time to do all the things you can’t do while immersed in the ins and outs of your daily routine, or that just not located in your hometown. When we vacation, we sometimes pack our schedules, trying to tick all the boxes, just to come home needing more time to regroup from the vacation you just returned from. If you want to actually vacation and come home feeling refreshed, and not drained and in need of more sleep, dedicate your vacation to self-care. A self-care vacation is an intentional trip that is designed to to feed your soul and force you to slow down. You may like to arrange for yourself to attend a proper wellness retreat, but these simple tips will help you to curate a self-curated mini wellness retreat of your own.
I recently visited Guatemala for a week and this trip ended up being the perfect R&R I never knew I needed. I have an affinity for visiting Latin American countries and because I wanted to get some place quickly and not break the bank at the same time, I decided that it was time to finally give this tiny country a go.
Guatemala is beautiful, affordable, full of culture, and the food is delectable. I planned my trip by booking my flights, booking the two main accommodations I wanted to stay in, I made a loose itinerary, and I left plenty of room for rest and relaxation, especially since I been working non-stop to accomplish some priority goals over the past 8 months. Once I ended up arriving, I melted into my surroundings and realized this was going to be a more relaxing trip than I thought. I was actually really proud of myself for all the years of traveling I have done that helped me to perfect the perfect R&R just for me. By following these 6 guidelines, I was able to get the most out of a wonderful trip, that allowed me to go deeper within myself, left me feeling energized, and clarity in my purpose.
1. Choose the right destination
You can take a self-care vacation anywhere in the world but opting for serene locales that may be on the smaller side may offer the tranquility and space needed for rejuvenation and introspection. We also want to avoid stress as much as possible, so choosing a smaller location makes things easier to manage and allows you to maintain the breathing room to actually relax. When choosing your location, choose a place that will have all the luxuries and amenities that you will need to feel relaxed and pampered. Choosing between an all-inclusive resort in the tropics or spending time in countries that have strong wellness initiatives such as Guatemala or Costa Rica are all great places to start.
I chose to stay in Guatemala because of it’s relatively small size, because I love to speak Spanish, and because of its attraction to wellness enthusiasts. Self-care to me looks like sunshine, bodies of water, fresh food, hydration, movement, and mental stimulation. I knew that in Guatemala I would be able to access all those things with relative ease
2. Put Your Phone Away
Some of the fun of going on vacation is sharing your footage with the onlookers from home. But how much rejuvenation can we really achieve if we don’t allow ourselves to fully disconnect from home, to allow time and space to clear our thoughts? While on your self-care vacation, limit your screen time and turn off notifications. Communicate with your loved ones and business partners that you will not be as easily accessible. Allow yourself to fully disconnect from the digital world to fully immerse yourself in the present moment. Limiting screen time allows you to be more mindful, reduce stress, and fosters deeper connections with yourself and your surroundings.
3. Move Your Body
Incorporate movement into your daily activities that bring your joy and nourish your body. Whether that is a scenic hike, taking a dance class, a leisurely bike ride, or enjoying a gentle yoga session, movement on your vacation increases circulation, dissolves tension, and helps to enhance your overall well-being. Guatemala turned out to be the perfect place for physical activity. I visited San Marcos in Lake Atitlan and found a yoga oasis, full of scenic yoga shales overlooking the mountains and the sea. While going deeper into my yoga practice was my main focus for movement, there were plenty of opportunities there for hikes, paddle boarding, surfing, and bike riding.
4. Immerse Yourself in Nature
Spending time in nature is therapeutic for the soul. During your vacation, find time to incorporate spending ample time outdoors, connection with the sounds and sights of the natural world. Whether its lounging on tranquil beaches, listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, enjoying the feel of the sun on your skin, or listening to birds chirping in the jungle or gazing at the starry skies, nature has a profound ability to soothe the soul and inspire inner peace.
5. Load Up on the Fresh Produce and Seafood
If you choose a tropical location to vacation, luckily fruits such as papaya, watermelon, and pineapple are in season year round. Your self-care vacation is a wonderful time to focus on nourishing your body with wholesome, nutrient rich foods that will support your health and vitality. Embrace eating the local cuisine, focusing on fresh fruits, vegetables, and sustainably sourced seafood to fuel your body with the goodness it deserves. Because the focus of this vacation is self-care and wellness, its okay to allow yourself to indulge in some drinks and cocktails too. I know I sure did! I also ate fish tacos maybe 8 times in my one week there!
6. Sleep Well
Remember, the purpose of your vacation is to come back feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, not exhausted because you tried to max out on every activity possible. You must sleep on your vacation, and perhaps even allow yourself to sleep longer than you normally would when you’re at home. Instead of trying to stay up late to read a good book or to catch up on your shows, give yourself a full 8 hours of sleep. Go to bed at a good time and wake up with the sunrise. In this way, when you return home, you won’t struggle to fall back into your daily routine.
To guarantee that I would never have trouble falling asleep on my trip, I prioritized re-regulating my nervous system. Over the past few months, I have been having aches and pains which have been due to lots of teaching, being hard on my body, and emotional distress. My quality of sleep has been affected so I opted for 3 massages while on my trip lol. My favorite was the lympatic drainage massage in which since then, I have not felt one pain.
While vacations are often the time we want to check off our bucket list items, it gets tiring needing a post-vacation from your vacation because you actually did not create that much down time. Sometimes a self-care vacation is just what you need; an excuse to feel guilt-free for slowing things all the way down, and creating an experience for yourself that truly allows you to de-stress and reap the benefits from breaking away from your daily routine.
