Vacations and Rest Are Not Frivolous
They are essential to a fulfilling and happy life
I returned from Guatemala last week and have been reflecting a lot on the importance of travel, of rest, of hitting the pause button, on taking some time out for yourself.
Americans have the least amount of vacation time throughout the westernized world. We are also constantly told that we can’t just be good enough, we have to be exceptional. If something is out of our reach financially, it’s our fault. We’re just not working hard enough. We just don’t want it badly enough. We are lazy. We just have to push ourselves harder. To the brink. And then, and only then, we will be rewarded.
But what if vacation and rest weren’t seen as rewards? What if it wasn’t something that you had to prove yourself worthy enough to receive? What if it was just something that you deserved because being a human in this world is hard, and we are all entitled to moments of recovery, regeneration, discovery and wonder?
Don’t get me wrong, hard work can be rewarding and exciting. But hard work that leads to nothing is hell. Hard work that is constantly scrutinized, criticized and never enough is soul crushing. Working hard just for the sake of working hard is never fulfilling. Hard work that disconnects us from passion and all of life’s beautiful distractions is the opposite of meaningful.
What if joy was the point all along? What if joy wasn’t just a byproduct of meaning, but meaning in it of itself? We’re only here for a short time, a blink of an eye in the timeline of this universe. Why wouldn’t glee and fascination and awe and adventure be meaningful as they are, without any sort of context to explain why you are worthy of them? You are here on this earth. Therefore, you are worthy.
Order the dessert. Take that class. Reserve those tickets. Start that new hobby. Make a fool of yourself. Take a risk. It’s not too late. It’s never too late.
All My Best,
Gem DeMilo
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Looks like a gorgeous vacation Gem!