Bring your vacation home

You can't bring the beach home with you, but can you bring those feelings of contentment and relaxation back?

My husband and I recently returned from an extended vacation at Canyon Ranch in Tucson. Although it was searing hot out there, we had a wonderful time. At the end of one week (our planned vacation), we decided we just weren't ready to go home and extended our stay. The question of the day was "how can we bring that vacation mode back home into our lives?" Obviously we can't bring it all back, we don't have 9 gyms, 4 pools and a 5000 square foot spa in our house with myriad trainers, specialists, cooks, energy workers, doctors etc. However, there are things we can do.  By examining what we did there and what we do at home, we were able to bring a little of the Ranch back with us.

For instance, when people go on vacation, they usually eat all or most of their meals together, frequently sans TV.  So often we get caught up with our hectic lives we don't take that leisurely time to begin and end our day. Every morning at the Ranch we planned what we were going to do, and every night we reviewed the day. That was an easy change to keep.   I really like starting my day and connecting with my wonderful husband .  We now cook and eat breakfast together and talk about our day ahead. Now if I could only bring home the dishwashers....

Food: We don't realize how sluggish we get when we overeat. At most resorts and restaurants the serving sizes are ridiculously large.  At the Ranch, they are small. In fact I was sure I was going to be hungry. Though I worked out like a fiend, I was never hungry, even with the (much smaller) portions.  I drank a lot more water as well. I wasn't snacking between meals because it wasn't available. I didn't miss it. So that tells me that it's in my brain and when it's available, I eat. I can eat less back home and drink more water. When we go out to dinner I ask them to automatically put half in a doggie bag or we split the meal. The food always looks good when you are out.  I try to cook with a little more flare...a sprinkle of parsley, a handful of blueberries on the plate, perhaps a flower... a little creativity goes a long way.

Exercise: If you told me to exercise 3-4 hours every day at home, I would tell you to go jump in a lake. There, it seemed like nothing. Hmmmm. First it was the energy of the place, but it was also fun and we were with people. So how can I make it fun back home? Change my attitude for one thing. Instead of "ugh, I have to go work out", I can decide that I'm going to have fun and work out with someone else.

We were breathing and talking and laughing and connecting. I can breath and talk and laugh and connect at home. It reminded me to bring calmness and peacefulness and joy into my everyday life.

So analyze specifically why you like your vacation and perhaps you can add some of those things to you "real" life. I'd love to hear from you. How can you bring your vacation home?

Peppermint Feet

When I moved my office, I was exhausted. As anyone who has moved anywhere before, there is a lot to do, and you are on your feet all day. In an office-to-office move, you are also on concrete all day. After a good 12 hours on my feet, just before retiring I decided that the Young Living Oils should be just thing for my poor tired feet. I am new to aromatherapy and Young Living Oils, so I am still learning. I have had many successes -  everything from staving off cold sores to acne remedies to sleeping "potions" as my kids love to call them.  I remembered that peppermint oil was good for aches and pains. Diluting it just a little, I slathered it all over my feet-top to bottom. Ahh, felt good. Got under the covers, took a deep breath and waited for blissful sleep. Then ZING! Wide awake. I forgot that peppermint is also a pick-me-up... a refresher...an energizer... and I had it all over the bottom of my feet - which is a giant portal to your energy system. I couldn't believe I had done that. I guess I was so tired, I wasn't thinking. So it was back to the bathroom to wash my feet, and slather them with Lavender oil. Ah, much better. I was asleep within minutes.