The Forums › Forums › Tools, Techniques & Treatments › Traveling/ Vacations › Re: Traveling/ Vacations
A simple strategy I find that works well, both for vacations and even for something as simple as a meal out with friends is this:
I create a context or a goal. Sometimes several.
So for a dinner I might decide, as we’re driving there, that “I am going to learn a whole bunch of stuff about these friends that I never knew before.” It’s even better if I get specific, “I’m going to find out what their families are like, what their parents did, and any weird or amazing characters they have in their family tree.” Hey, everyone has at least one amazing family story or weird relative.
For a vacation I create something bigger. Perhaps that I’m going to learn a whole bunch about the place I’m going to before I leave, so it’s way more interesting, “See the slots on the turret of the castle? That’s where they poured boiling oil down on invaders.” The more I know about a place, or the people, or it’s histories, or the current political situation, the more interested I am.
When you go to somewhere ask the hotel staff, or the person who runs the water ski concession about getting a local tour off the beaten path. Or at a museum ask the staff if you could get a tour of the back rooms. You’d be amazed what happens if you ask. When I was in Belgium, way back in the 70’s, I managed to get in to meet and spend a half hour talking with a hero of mine, George Remi, aka Herge, the creator of Tintin and Snowy and Captain Haddock.
The other thing, when I’m restless and can’t relax is to stop the stream of thoughts… “I’m restless, I hate this, I’m edgy…” and switch it to “I’m edgy but I can relax. If I take a deep breath. If I actually look around and look at what’s here, and give it a few minutes and just breathe and admire the view for a few minutes, it’s okay, yes you’re upset, that’s okay, relax, calm down, look at Ava, look at the kids, they’re happy, forget work, it will be there when you’re back home…”
And if that isn’t helping I go for a brisk walk, burning off energy.
Those are a few suggestions.
Lemme know if they work.
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