Hey everybody!  So this week, I took a spring break trip to Orlando, Florida and I caught up on some much needed R&R.  Although the trip was only 5 days long, I found it to be really rejuvenating.  Sometimes you don't know just how much of a break your body needs until you give it a break.  I did some sightseeing in parts of Orlando I've never been to before, got in some pool time, ate cheat meals back to back to back, went to an Orlando Magic basketball game, and a whole bunch of other stuff and I loved every minute of it.  But before I get to gushing over my trip and self care successes, I'm going to give you my top tips for maximizing your "me time" the next time you take a trip.

1. Be up front about your needs

This is so important, hence the reason I made it #1!  If you're going solo, then you call the shots which make everything easy.  But you can make any trip a self care trip, the secret is being up front about what you need.  It doesn't matter if it's a couples trip, girls or guys trip, family trip, or whatever else, pick one or two things you absolutely need on the itinerary and tell the people you're traveling with.  Even if you end up having to do those things alone.  My two things? Sleep and pool time.  And guess what?  Both of those things happened.  I understand that realistically speaking, going on a trip with other people requires compromise.  Everybody can't have everything they want.  But being up front about your needs makes them more likely to happen, and chances are the people you associate with will respect them and do their best to make things happen.

2. Get some natural vitamin D

Slather on some sunscreen and get in the sun!  It's rich in natural vitamin D which leads to stronger bones, improved muscle function, protection from cardiovascular disease, decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, and reduced risk of cancer, just to name a few benefits (source).  So even if you can't get to the pool or beach, taking a walk around your vacation neighborhood will give you plenty of exposure.  And exposure to the sun causes dopamine to be released in our brains, aka "the feel good" hormone, and who want to be happy?

3. Sleep

Those who know me know that sleep is near and dear to my heart!  I very rarely let anything interfere with my sleep, but even as someone who gets a good amount of sleep at night, I was flat out exhausted prior to this trip.  I spent most mornings on the trip waking up between 6 and 7 (because my body won't actually let me sleep in), and going back to sleep on and off.  I'd go out and do one thing, and be ready to take a nap like I hadn't slept for half the day already.  And I let myself have those moments because when else do they happen if not while on vacation?  Use the time you have away from the hustle and bustle to catch up on your sleep.  Your body will thank you for it.

4. Leave room

Take it from a Type-A, super organized, constant planner kind of person: jam packed days leave very little room for spontaneity.  No time for impromptu activities, no time for extra naps, no time for running late, etc.  It makes for a much more stressful trip when activities are planned so close together that if one thing goes wrong, everything goes wrong.  Leave room for life to happen.

And that's it!  I hope you find these tips useful on your next trip, be it a staycation or vacation.  Any trip can be a self care trip if you plan accordingly.  As always, thanks for journeying with me.