Don’t you love the way you feel when you return from a long vacation?  Refreshed, relaxed and renewed.  It’s amazing what a couple nights’ away will do for the soul.

Traveling (for fun) is “me-time,” and it’s filled with loads of tranquil moments.  From the quiet sunrise sipping your cup of joe to the colorful plate of local vegetables, vacation is our escape from the everyday mundane.  We immerse ourselves in the culture through museums, bike rides, dinners, shopping and simply just sitting.

We can bring home these vacation attributes and make our everyday more exciting.  Here are some ways to help you find your blissful vacation right at home.

1. Sit. Take a moment to sit with no distractions.  Observe and enjoy the current moment.  Sit at the dinner table with your favorite newspaper or magazine (paper or tablet edition).  Sit in a park.  Sit in an art museum.
   
2. Eat in season.  One of the most delicious parts of a vacation is all of the tasty cuisines.  And here’s their secret….they use the freshest foods available which are also the ones in season.  Add blueberries, corn, cucumbers, green beans, salad greens, peaches, peppers or tomatoes to your dining menu.
   
3. Breathe.  Mindfully breathing for just a couple a minutes a day decreases your body’s stress response.  When you are faced with challenging moments everyday, your body resets its response system releasing additional adrenaline into the bloodstream, increasing blood pressure and decreasing breath rate.  Spend one to five minutes paying attention to your breath.  Aim to match a slow inhale with a slow exhale. 
   
4. Sleep.  Sleep is good.  Sleep is beautiful.  Turn off the tv, pack away your reading materials and schedule 8-9 hours a sleep a night.
   
5. Take a different route.  Break away from your normal routine.  Take a different (maybe longer) route to work.  Try a new restaurant at lunch.  Seek out a new mini-adventure such as visiting a farm, museum or boutique.
   
6. Be creative.  Everyone is creative.  We all express it differently.  Write in your journal, draw, sew, cook, sing, play music, garden, decorate, 
   

In all, find the joy between the tasks and responsibilities.  Laugh more. Smile more. Enjoy life more.  Happy Traveling!

June kicks off the summer travel season for most including me.  I start planning for any vacation with a to-do list.  What needs to go, what needs to be washed, what errands still need to be run.  I thrive on these lists and all the pre-planning.  Though, once we step out the door, I have to let go of control.

Airline postponements, road construction and weather delays are all out of our control.  But they have such an effect on our emotional state.  Sitting on the tarmac for more than 30 minutes gets anyone’s blood pumping.  Oh, and what if you are traveling with little ones?  They are less patient than adults.  Here are a few tips to help you survive this travel season.

Travel Tips

1. Stay hydrated.  Dehydration causes all sorts of misery like headaches, crankiness, constipation and anxiety.  Carry a reusable water bottle.  If traveling by air, leave out the water, but pack lemon slices in the bottle.  Once you’re past security, add water and enjoy. 
   
2. Eat well.  You are at the mercy of flight schedules and traffic delays.  Don’t allow yourself to get hungry.  Pack foods that are easy to store like nuts, granola, apples, oranges and bananas.  When you are able to eat, choose foods that agree with you.  (i.e. If Mexican dishes give you heartburn, expect heartburn plus more indigestion while traveling.)
   
3. Bring entertainment.  Normally, I’d suggest meditating during delays, but it’s not always possible or easy.  Pack a book or magazine (or download to your device) to challenge and distract your mind during those tough times.
   
4. Pack a scarf, wrap, jacket or sweater.  Temperature can also affect our mood.  It’s best to dress in layers so you can control how cool or warm you need to be.
   
5. Silence is golden.  Turning off our senses helps calm the mind.  Pack ear plugs, close your eyes and breathe.
   
6. Above all, patience is important.  Life it too short to sweat the small stuff.  So you missed your flight.  There will be another.  Cultivate the love and patience you practice on the mat, and demonstrate it now.
   

Yoga-to-Go
Certain yoga poses can alleviate body aches, mental frustration and indigestion.  You can print or view my Destination Yoga sequence or try some of the below poses.  And if you don’t have room for a yoga mat, purchase a pair of Yoga Paws and use a towel at the hotel.

1. Downward Facing Dog:  This pose opens up the entire backside of your body releasing tension from the travel.
   
2. Low Lunge:  Sitting wreaks havoc on our hips.  And tight hips equal a tight and sore back. 
   
3. Child’s Pose: Feel grounded with your forehead touching the earth.  This pose also alleviates digestion issues by opening up the lower back.
   
4. Happy Baby:  Allow your worries to sink into the ground with this pose.  Release low back pain and open the hips while improving digestion.
   
5. Locust Pose:  Rounded shoulders and a weak low back are the effects of sitting too much.  Practice locust to open the chest and shoulders while strengthening the back.