This past week I was on a family vacation that took us through many places in California, from tiny towns in the Eastern Sierra mountain range down to the big city of Los Angeles.  While going through each location my husband would pose the question, “Could you live here?”  It was fun to think about how each place would be so different and how this would match up with our personalities and desires.  It got me thinking about the opportunities that vacations can offer us to try on new ways of living and how we might use this information to make our every day lives more enjoyable.

A first thing to consider is, where do you like to go?  Do you tend to go to quiet places that offer solitude and a slower pace, or do you tend to seek out places that are busy and loud?  Do you like to be in nature or do you like to see shows and museums?  Where we go to find rejuvenation (and with whom) can sometimes tell us what might be missing in our day to day lives or what we might want to do more of on a regular basis.  While we may not want to live in a tent, maybe some more time under the stars can be healing?  Or maybe savoring a vacation where meals or cleaning is taken care of might give you a clue as to how getting some help at home may reduce your daily overload?

And how about your mind set while on vacation?  Do you tend to take more risks and try new things that you wouldn’t normally do?  Or do you finally give yourself permission to NOT do anything –  lingering in bed, finishing your novel, or just being by yourself or with a loved one without interruption.  How does this attitude differ from the one you normally carry?  How would it be to adopt this attitude more frequently in your non-vacation time?

Often when you’re away from your normal busy life you gain perspective that you can’t achieve when you’re running on auto pilot.  Most people have insights and important thoughts about their work/life balance and priorities that get lost when they get home.  Don’t just let these thoughts get packed away with your suitcase when you return.  Write them down.  Read them over.  Post them somewhere, and even share them with someone who can help support you in incorporating your ideas.  You may find clarity in these words that can help keep you from getting pulled in to the status quo.  Maybe you’ll decide you do want to move to a new location to be near the ocean, or maybe you’ll just decide to find ways to bring the feeling of being at the ocean back home.  Whatever your vacation tells you, try to listen.  You may find valuable knowledge about yourself that can help bring more joy and meaning to wherever you are.