Hold on to that Feeling!

Do you know what song that line is from? I will reveal the answer at the end of this post:)

In line with the vacation glow post from yesterday and how to hold on to it, we actually spent some time talking about this in one of my meetings at work today. Just being able to right that is pretty cool-that I work someplace that thinks that's a valuable commodity worth discussing as a group.

I thought I would share some of the ideas that popped up:
Each day, instead of writing a to-do list, write a "done" list to show what you were proud of doing that day.
Keep a gratitude journal. Write three things each day that you are grateful for. It helps you focus on the good stuff in your day instead of the bad. I did this for a while and found myself being grateful for landscapers planting tulips for me to look at. Kinda extreme Pollyanna but a great sentiment, nonetheless.
Keep a more stringent work schedule. 8 hours. Don't be proud of yourself for being stressed out. Don't buy into the culture that it's cool to work 12 hour days and be stressed out all the time.
Take local trips. Sightsee in the city nearest you!
Remember that work is just a job. Even if it's really important work. Save a little something for your life with your loved ones and your hobbies.
Focus on the ways your job is easy, not the ways your job is hard.

Not bad for a Monday and my first day back at work after a two week-first trip to mainland Europe-fantasy getaway, eh?

Oh, I almost forgot to post the answer the trivia question! It's from Don't Stop Believin'

Why do you travel?

 Being between two major trips, I have been thinking a lot about travel....and trying to find all sorts of eloquent ways to rationalize spending way too much money on it.

Yesterday I saw a post on facebook of a man holding a sign with all sorts of inspiring mantras. I would give the appropriate credit to the author if I could read the writing at the bottom of the sign but I can't. Alas, one of the wonderful little tidbits is "Travel often. Getting lost will help you find yourself." I find this to be very true. You learn so much about yourself when you travel.

My friend Siobhan, who is the mastermind of the Spain trip a few weeks from now, asked me in an email while I was in Iceland if I had any "travel epiphanies" yet. At the time I wasn't totally aware of having them but then I realized I had been noting all sorts of differences and weighing the comparisons to what I knew and placing a judgment. In doing so, I learned the things I appreciated about my life. I also bring a travel journal with me when I go away. On my last trip, which came at a time I desperately needed a break from work and my regular life stress, I took notes on what I was doing on vacation that was helping me feel relaxed, that I could possibly bring back to my "real life" and incorporate. You can find a post about that here.

http://everything-everywhere.com/ This is another blog to check out if you are interested in travel. I think of this guy as the Rick Steves (http://www.ricksteves.com/) of blogging. Yesterday's post was "Seeing things for yourself: Another reason to travel". He recounts a travel story that was strikingly similar to one I had with a welcoming, long haired man at an Icelandic nightspot. The moral of the story is that the media sometimes feeds us an image of certain places and people but you have to experience certain things for yourself! And you will likely find the world is actually a little kinder than you have thought....


POST SCRIPT: http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/why-did-you-start-traveling/ Too appropriate not to add!