Yacht Rock and Bare Faces
Summer vacations are the ultimate pause, aren't they? Laying on the beach under an umbrella, kayaking on a lake, walking through a shaded, wooded trail, sightseeing in a foreign land, and even a glorious staycation are all incredible ways to pause and enjoy the moment.
When we're on vacation, we naturally give ourselves permission to live differently. We linger over our morning coffee instead of gulping it down while checking emails. We watch the sunset without feeling guilty for "wasting time." We explore, wander, sit quietly, laugh a little more, and worry a little less. For a week or two, we become experts at being present.
For me, vacation magic is found in the little things. It's sleeping in without setting an alarm. It's showering in an outdoor shower, surrounded by warm air and sunshine. It's listening to Yacht Rock on SiriusXM while sipping something cold and fruity. It's sitting quietly by the water, watching the kids fish, celebrating the excitement of every catch (a flounder this year!) It's giving my skin, and my curly hair, a much-needed break from makeup (aka war paint), styling products, and expectations. Vacation me is perfectly content to embrace the authentic and very comfortable version of myself. None of these things are extraordinary. They're the moments when I slow down enough to notice what brings me joy, especially when it includes one-liners from my kids that make me peel over with laughter.
Then vacation ends. We unpack and return to our everyday responsibilities. Slowly, the relaxed version of ourselves begins to fade into the background as schedules, deadlines, errands, and obligations reclaim our focus. But what if the greatest gift of a summer vacation isn't the vacation itself? What if it's the reminder of who we are when we slow down? Maybe that peaceful feeling you found while watching waves roll onto the shore isn't tied to the beach. Maybe it's tied to giving yourself permission to be still (ok, the sound of the rolling waves helps). Maybe the joy you felt wandering through a new town wasn't about the destination at all. Maybe it came from being curious and fully engaged in the moment.
The beauty of a perfect pause is that it doesn't require a plane ticket, a rental home, or a carefully planned itinerary. It can be found on your back porch with a good book. During an early morning walk before the neighborhood wakes up. Over lunch with a friend. While tending a garden. Sitting quietly and listening to the birds outside (as I write this I'm listening to a woodpecker hacking away on a tree…really bruh?)
Vacations are wonderful because they create space for these moments. Yet the moments themselves are available to us every day if we're willing to notice them. As summer winds down, consider this question:
What is one feeling from your favorite vacation that you'd like to bring home with you?
Was it freedom? Adventure? Connection? Peace? Wonder? Once you've identified it, look for small ways to recreate that feeling in your daily life. You don't need a week off from work to experience a meaningful pause. Sometimes all it takes is five intentional minutes and the willingness to be exactly where you are. Because the real magic of summer vacations isn't that they help us escape our lives. It's that they remind us how we want to live them.
Because you deserve more than just a break.
