Vacations Cost Too Much, Here's a Solution

Sometimes I just want to catch the cheapest flight out of my current location to somewhere new. I've caught myself Googling "cheapest flights from X" too many times. I've even looked into my credit card's points to see if I have enough to go somewhere.

Why? I just want a change of pace every now and again. I'm sure everyone can understand that to a certain extent. We get tired of work and want a vacation. We get tired of living in the same cycle in the same place. It's important for our mental health to take time off. We need to clear our heads and relax occasionally.

I've never actually booked a flight after searching through pages of cheap ones. I've come close to booking a Saturday morning departure and a Sunday morning return. The reason I haven't is because, as much as I want a mental health day, I have responsibilities and obligations. It's not as easy as booking a flight when you need to get away. You have to ask for time off. You have to get someone to take you to the airport. You have to decide if you need to book a hotel room. You have to actually plan. Your vacation becomes work. It's expensive and stressful when all you wanted to do was get away.

Here's my solution. Look for a place where you can take a break from life without having to stress about planning a vacation and spending money. Find somewhere not too close but not too far from home.

Some mental vacation spots might include a local lake, a coffee shop, or a parking lot. A lake nearby where you live is more than likely public property, meaning it'll only cost you to park your car there. It'd be a nice place to clear your mind, read a good book, and get some sunshine. A coffee shop is only as expensive as the coffee you order. There you can do all sorts of soul searching. Coffee shops are a great place to go alone. A parking lot seems like a boring place to go, but they can truly be therapeutic. You can turn on your favorite music, look out at whatever scenery is available, and relax. These are just three of hundreds of options for a stress-free getaway.

Now, imagine yourself on your mini getaway. Let's go with the lake scenario. You drive 30 minutes away to a lake with a sandy shore. It costs $5 to park and nothing more. You pack your own lunch, a good book, and a towel to relax. You locate a nice, sunny spot to set out your things. You spend two hours reading, eating, relaxing, swimming, and enjoying the sun. You spend two hours living your best life. You forget about all your responsibilities just for a while. You are able to get away and think. You can pack your items back up and leave knowing you spent time on yourself.

That's the key. We need to spend time on ourselves. We get stuck in the rut of life and we forget that our lives matter too. We can't be productive and beneficial when we neglect to take care of ourselves. We are used to worrying about other people and things; we often forget that we need a day off too. We deserve a pedicure. We deserve dessert at dinner. We deserve to treat ourselves.

I say all of this to say: take a mental health day. If you don't have an entire day, take a mental health evening. Take yourself to dinner and buy the most expensive thing. Leave your responsibilities behind if only for an hour. Smile, be happy, relax, and unwind. You deserve a little break.