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Who doesn’t love a holiday? It’s something that most of us really look forward to, and for good reason too…
Holidays play an essential role in our physical, mental and spiritual health and well-being. Some of the ways in which holidays do this include…
Help us to de-stress: It’s amazing how much stress we carry with us day to day without even noticing. All of us have our own version of stress. It could include job related stress, such as the burden of meeting tight deadlines, work place politics, or, even being unemployed. It may be financial stress, including paying bills and planning for your future. It may be stress from managing the complexities of household demands, growing a family and having to make making crucial decisions. It may be stress related to physical or mental illness – either your own or others. Or it may be stress related to anything else in your life.
Regardless of the type, stress can have negative effects on both our physical and mental health and well-being. From supressing our immune system, increasing our weight, making us depressed and significantly shortening our life expectancy. Even people who claim to thrive of a high-pressured and somewhat stressful lifestyle often admit, that there are times when they just need to get away from it all.
And that’s because holidays enable us to break the stress cycle by allowing us to become human-beings, instead of human-doings, once again. This includes not having any commitments/feeling any obligation that you need to be here, or, there trying to do 15 things at once – rushing from one thing to another. Being allows the constant inner chatter, and never ending mental ‘to do’ list to quiet down. Being allows us to shift from constant thinking and living in our head, to being more grounded and centred in our own physical body and surrounds. This is a big deal, especially when you consider that most of the negative stress we experience in life is a result of thinking. So, the more we can simply ‘be’ and connect to the present, the more we destress and recharge our batteries. And the more you do this, the happier you become!
Gain perspective & move forward: Within the rush of life today, it is very easy to lose sight of the big picture, which can often leave us feeling flat. Holidays however, allow us to step back from life and form another perspective outside the bubble of routine and work. Holidays can help us to refocus and reconnect with what is real and of true importance, and enable us to make key decisions that ensure that we keep moving forward with our life.
Boost creativity & solve problems: Think about when you are the most creative – it’s usually when you are doing things like taking a shower, going for a walk, and of course when you are on holidays. In-fact, Einstein walked one and a half miles to Princeton and back each day – a walk he considered precious when it came to finding solutions to some of life’s most challenging questions. Why? Because any time you are not thinking, you’re in alignment with the present moment, which is creation itself. Holidays can boost creativity, and help us to find solutions to our problems.
Helps you to grow as a person: Holidays, and in particular traveling abroad meeting different people, learning a new language, experiencing different cultures and seeing different scenery, all help to broaden your knowledge base, and can help you to grow and better yourself as a person. In this way, travelling is so much more than enjoyment – it’s an investment in self-development. The more you travel, the more worldly you become.
Pull you out of a rut: Whilst routine is important for adding structure and organisation, too much of it can feel like ground-hog day, and before you know it, you’ve gotten yourself into a rut. Especially if you haven’t been on a holiday in a long time – you get stuck on auto pilot and become stale. We know that “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” So what better way to escape the work routine than with a holiday? Even a short holiday can be enough to give you back your mojo and begin enjoying life again.
Bring family and friends together: What is life really about? More so than anything else, it’s about sharing good times and creating positive memories with family and friends. Just think of some of your best memories – I bet some involve being on holidays. But in today’s culture of speed, the little time that we do get to spend with family and friends feels rushed between the daily grind of school, work and everything else. Holidays provide an opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends, without the commitments/obligations. This enables you to really be present, and enjoy your time more fully with those whom you love the most. This contributes positively to family bonding, communication and solidarity.
Rejuvenate your body: Whether its sitting or standing in the same spot for prolonged periods using a computer, or whether it’s being on the tools doing hard physical labour, what we do each day can and does have an impact on our body. In-fact, most of us carry some level of tension in our body – some of us carry it through our shoulders, neck and chest, some in the lower back, hips or wherever else. Most of the time we are not even aware of how much tension we carry, because we have lived with it for so long, that we think it’s normal. However, like all good athletes, sometimes we just need to stop and rest. A holiday forces us to stop and give our bodies much needed rest and recovery. The more replenished and healthier you become, the easier everything in life becomes.
Tips towards planning a holiday:
So now that you know why going on a holiday is so important, if you would like to learn my top tips towards planning holidays to ensure that you get away, then join my revolutionary online holistic health and fitness program at www.holistichealthfitness.com