I have a huge appreciation for travel, and it’s become so much bigger over the past few years. Traveling was always like “oh that’s cool if you get to go somewhere every few years” for me. I was a single working mom buckled down with life and trying to just get by. Traveling was always a goal, but not on the top ten because it just didn’t seem feasible and I was bogged down with so many other things, real things, that didn’t include frivolous travel. Now that I’m a bit older and in a different position (I have a job with paid vacay days!) travel is most certainly on my to-do list. So much so that while on vacay we now bring up the question….”where are we going next?” We work hard all week in a big busy city with bills, kids, appointments, and deadlines that consume our days, and I’m using the word consume lightly. Traveling to me now looks more like a necessity than a desire. We MUST travel!
I went to St. Lucia this summer and it was an amazing experience! Here are a few things that traveling to this amazing island made me realize:
- It brings us closer together. I travel with my partner mostly and we do just us trips and group trips. We have a lot of fun traveling together and we travel well together. We keep up with each other’s things, watch out for each other, and balance each other out. For example, “Boo you hold on to the passports while I keep an eye on these bags while you run to the bathroom.” It also brings people together closer as friends and family, outside of being in a romantic relationship. I went to St. Lucia with 23 people, many of whom I grew up with and it was sooo good to hang out with people that I hung out with when I was a kid and teen. Now we’re in our 40’s and the time together was irreplaceable.
- Get away from “reality”. Yes people have been telling us to “stay in reality” and “keep your head in the game” and all of that has a time and a place. But it’s also mentally healthy to get away from all of the things that cause you stress, many of which happen between Monday – Friday in your everyday life. Release the stress and go!
- See some world because it changes your perspective. When you place yourself in someone else’s territory you have an appreciation for what they see everyday vs. what you see everyday. If you go to an island and the natives wake up to the ocean daily, you develop an appreciation for that. Or if you visit a country that doesn’t have running water you may go home with a lot of gratitude for being able to flush your toilet and take a shower whenever you want. Changing your perspective can change your attitude which helps change your overall life.
- Close out the noise. Getting away from your normal hustle and bustle turns down the volume in your mind and helps gain clarity, giving you a better mental space to go back to once you have to go back home.
- Practice being present. Getting away from it all helps you to practice the art of being present and taking in exactly what you see. If you’re sightseeing you’re paying attention to whatever you’re looking at and listening and observing what you are doing exactly in that moment. It seems much easier to do this when you’re away than when you’re in your daily routine, don’t you agree?
Don’t let money stop or scare you. I know that going on vacation isn’t always in the budget, but what has helped me is setting up a savings account just for specific things like travel. The easiest way for me to do this has been through Digit. It’s a way to save online without even realizing what you’re saving because Digit takes a random amount of money in small increments out of your bank account and over time you’ve saved without even realizing it! You can also set up different savings goals. I have one for credit cards, travel, and rainy day. I’ve saved a lot already in just a few months! Go to Digit now and sign up, and you’ll get $5 using my link, and I’ll get $5 for referring you. Go ahead and start saving up for your next vacay!
You can find links to my swimwear here:
- African Print Swimsuit
- Two-Piece Bikini
- One Piece White Swimsuit – use code “STYLE” for 17% off!
Thanks for reading and I’d love to see you vacay pics! Follow me on IG @Style.Stamped and use the hashtag #StyleStamped! Also, if you sign up for Digit let me know!
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