6 Steps to Introduce 'Holiday You' to Everyday Life
Close your eyes and picture how you feel at the end of a relaxing vacation or executive retreat. You feel calm and centered, with everything in perspective. You are ready to tackle life’s challenges. You are recharged.
Now, open your eyes and look around. Maybe you’ve been back from your trip for a month, a week or a day. Has your can-do attitude vanished in the face of your normal routine? The transition from relaxing escape to chaotic reality can be stressful.
To really get the bang for your next vacation buck, you need to keep that easy-going, focused spirit with you for longer than 24 hours after wheels-down. Here’s how:
1. Visualize your homecoming
During your return trip, take 10 minutes to picture your arrival at home or at work. Plan how you intend to remain positive and centered. See yourself greeting your family or co-workers and responding to reality in a balanced, satisfying way. You can do it!
2. Be Grateful
No, mail and bills aren’t fun, but adopt an attitude of gratitude. Be appreciative when opening your mail and taking care of the to-do list that you were able to step away from it all and come back refreshed and revived. Appreciate that your trip was so good, that you were sorry to see it end.
3. Interact Differently
How People Affect Your Success
Try a different approach to day-to-day interactions. Think about how you responded to people while in vacation mode. Then, contrast it with your everyday style. Do you see some alterations you can make that will yield dividends?
4. Don’t Overreact
Unexpected events bring stress. Harness the stash of positive energy and goodwill you banked during your trip / retreat and use it to handle surprise issues in a calm, effective way. You’ll see that calm breeds calm.
5. You will Survive
Remember that time when you missed your flight, but you worked it out? Or when you were in that country and didn’t know the language but you made it? Regardless of what happens in business and in life, you can survive, cope with and master challenges.
6. Make your Mantra
Isn’t it funny how we make time for mindfulness during vacation with yoga and exercise, but not at home when we need it the most? Close your eyes, take deep breaths, and count backwards from ten. With your eyes still closed,repeat to yourself “I will remain centered and in balance within myself”. Continue breathing deeply and focus on possible solutions / outcomes to the issues at hand, rather than dwelling on the problem itself. Picture yourself responding (not reacting) in an assured way, with ease, confidence, and poise.
Notice how you feel. Visualize more meaningful relationships with co-workers, family, and friends. Something positive will spark within you. Unfortunately, I can’t help you bring the palm trees, ski slopes or golf course home with you. But, by following these steps after your next vacation / executive retreat, you’ll find that you will greet your everyday life with a sense of awareness, gratitude and positivity. Congratulate yourself on your new attitude and reward yourself by scheduling your next escape!
