Have you ever been super excited for a holiday, only to get back feeling highly disappointed? It isn’t a great feeling at all! We all want to come back raving about the great holiday we had, yet for some of us, we might come back feeling frustrated and dissatisfied. It’s doesn’t need to be that way!
I am a HUGE fan of traveling; in the last 2 years I’ve been in over 16 countries; you might say that I am a bit of a travel junkie! The truth is that we all have different reasons for travelling, however, I think we still share something in common: we all want to get the most out of our holiday – whether the objective is just to relax and disconnect, or have an action-packed planned trip, or even both!
Here are 5 of my secrets to getting the most out of your holiday and why!
1. Connecting with the WHY
You always get better results in life if you are proactive and not reactive. Sometimes we just do things and we don’t even question why we are doing them. When we start to ask ourselves, “why do I want this?” or “why am I doing this?” we can start to shape our experiences into more enjoyable ones that match our desires.
Be more purposeful in creating the type of experience you want; when you know what you want and why you are more likely to have it. You always get more out of your holiday when your why is being answered.
Before traveling, check in with yourself and ask yourself:
• Why am I going to THIS city/town/country?
• What would I love to experience? And Why?
“Remember that happiness is a way of travel – not a destination.” – Roy M. Goodman
2. Planning for fun
I know you will have fun on your holiday regardless, but why not plan for fun as well? I always include fun activities on my to-do list; that way I prioritize them. I include them in my week and I have more fun in life. This is the same idea; planning some fun activities helps you to destress, focus on less, and you have less hassles.
For those of you who don’t want to pre-book tours, you can still plan to have fun by exploring the local activities available, and you will save money and see more in the end. Don’t waste time thinking what you are going to do that day, plan for fun – it works!
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain
3. Opinions always count!
Have you ever gone to a restaurant or stayed in hotel that was absolutely terrible? Don’t you wish someone would have warned you? Reviews are so important; most often websites will only tell you what they want you to hear, but when you read people’s actual experience, you get the low-down on what it’s really like.
You don’t want to be disappointed, to waste time, to have a bad experience, so whatever you plan to do, check out the reviews! You might also come across some other great recommendations or ideas by doing a little bit of research beforehand.
“Investment in travel is an investment in yourself.” – Matthew Karsten
4. Be open to learning
When you are traveling, there is so much to take in and learn, from the people, to the food, customs, way of life, culture, and geology (to name a few). What you focus on expands, so if you are open to learning more, you will, and you will have a much better time. You will understand more and you will also go back with more knowledge.
Every place that you travel has a history, monuments, and important things to see, which gives it its uniqueness, and it should be a large part of why you are visiting there. Informing yourself and educating yourself on the place you are in will add to the richness of your travel because you will understand more. After all, they say that traveling is one of the best forms of education.
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes
5. Be Present!
Finally, you can’t underestimate the power of being present. If you want to make the most out of your holiday, being present should be high on your list. Most of the time our thoughts are in the past; thinking about things that have happened, or will in the future; thinking about things that might happen, or what we must do.
Being present in the moment is in fact the only place our thoughts should be directed most of the time, especially on holiday! Take in the smells, the sights, the sounds, and the feelings. When you try the food, really taste it, smell it, understand the culture of the country and how it’s influenced its cuisine, for example. You will remember so much more and enjoy your holiday on another level.
“Stuff your eyes with wonder, live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.” – Ray Bradbury
Just like any experience in life, we make it what we want to be; we are in control. Direct your focus on creating a holiday that is unforgettable. Put all your energy into enjoying it, exploring it, understanding it, and making the most out of it.
“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” – Anonymous
Featured photo credit: Ed Gregory via stokpic.com
