Here's how to be glorious 'travel-you' all the time, Published on AWOL, March 2017
Post-holiday blues are the worst. Weekday routines stretch out before you like a desolate landscape, favourite brunch spots seem dull and unimaginative compared to the coconut hut you stumbled upon in Costa Rica. Nothing about your home town is Instagram-worthy and your commute to work is so painful it reduces you to tears. More to the point, you miss the person you were on holidays; carefree, relaxed and energetic. Where did that person go?
We hear you! So how do you keep being holiday-you? Before you make drastic decisions like quitting your job or impulsively buying a round-the-world trip with zero savings in your account, check out our list of the top four ways you can keep being ‘travel-you’, even once you’ve arrived home.
#1 Keep the flame alive
What was it about travel-you that you enjoyed the most? Rather than thinking “I didn’t have to work” was the best bit, be specific and realistic about what activities you enjoyed. Did you like taking photos or trying new foods? Did adventure sports get your blood flowing or was it merely the act of making new friends?
Once you’re able to pinpoint the specifics it’ll be easier to integrate new-found hobbies into your weekly routine. It only takes a little bit of planning to keep the excitement of new hobbies alive and it can be as easy as finding a rock climbing studio nearby or joining a photography MeetUp group.
#2 Change the pace of your everyday
One of the most glorious parts of a well-deserved holiday is the complete break from the rush of our everyday lives. On holiday, for example, coffee is lingered over. In the real world, we scoff it back while pelting down sidewalks. When you’re back into the daily grind of work, routine and responsibilities, it’s all too easy forget about appreciating the small things and re-enter the cycle of life admin, demanding exercise routines, and endless to-do lists.
The good news is that without much effort you can bring the holiday-pace of life home with you. Learn to cherish the weekend: prioritise activities, people, and places that’re important to you. Condense errands into blocks of time and ban the phrase ‘I don’t have enough time’ from all dialogue. Instead, remember that the luxury of time can be on your side, even at home.
#3 Plan your next holiday
This is a classic suggestion, but for good reason. The more you travel, the more you realise how much there is out there for you to explore. Travel-you was adventurous: you said ‘yes’ to everything and didn’t sweat the small stuff. And you formed a really long list of suggestions of places to see and visit inspired by fellow travellers. Whip out that list, stat! Forget about the logistics and the annual-leave-reality: just start dreaming. Keep an eye on flights from our mates at Qantas and squirrel away a little extra in savings to remind yourself that the possibilities are endless and more to the point, very real. If travel-you wants to put exploring and adventures on the top of their priority list, then stay true to that mind-set and begin to plan the future adventures to keep you feeling like travel-you.
#4 Change your life for the better
If your post-holiday blues aren’t easing it may be time to start thinking about making major changes in your life. If taking a break from your regular life made you realise that you absolutely can’t go back to your regular routine, then maybe it’s about considering a couple of risks that’ll have big rewards.
If you’ve always wanted to live overseas but never taken the leap, maybe now’s the right time to roll the dice. Or, if you’re at a point in your career where you want to re-train and head back to school, start looking at courses. Keep an open mind about new opportunities that get you excited about the future whether they be at home or on the road.
