The Benefits of a Change
Hi there and welcome back,
After our long year of restrictions, the idea of getting out and about feels wonderfully enticing. We’ve probably never before looked forward this much to taking a holiday.
When you plan that first post-pandemic break, remember that a holiday doesn’t have to be extravagant, and you don’t need to travel far to benefit. One of the best holidays I’ve ever had was when I took my young children to stay in a hotel five miles from our home. By traveling such a short distance we avoided the stress and exhaustion that’s usually associated with the beginning and end of a holiday, and the money we saved on travel costs allowed us to book really nice accommodation.
Some people, however, are afraid to book a holiday now, in case there are more lockdowns. But why deny yourself the pleasure of planning your holiday? Whatever happens, no one can take that away from you. And the planning is the most enjoyable part, even more enjoyable than actually going away, as Jeroen Anwijn and his team at Erasmus University in Rotterdam found. And other studies show that however long your holiday, however far away you go, the after-glow only lasts about two weeks before your mood returns to pre-holiday levels. That compares to literally months you could spend planning your holiday if you wish.
Spring is coming. The world is opening up again. Why not make a holiday plan? In fact, why not make lots of them? It will cost you nothing and you’ll experience the best part of a holiday, whatever happens. And when things do become predictable, you’ll be all ready to turn your dreams into reality.
Until next week,
Linda