Why You Need to Take a “Me” Vacation

This past month I took my very first “me” vacation. Sans children. Sans husband. Just me, myself, and I. And it was GLORIOUS. Potentially one of the best things I’ve done for myself in a long while.

The reasoning was pretty simple. I’ve walked {limped} through a pretty horrific year including two intensive knee surgeries and survived a rollover car accident that should have taken my life. My mental edges were fraying and I was just desperately craving time when I left all of that rearview and did a lot of “me” introspection. Last summer I traveled by myself but it was for a work conference so I didn’t truly count that as “me” time. I wanted something I could claim with zero agenda, zero plans save for a couple of friends I wanted to see, and zero expectations OF ME.

Sounds a bit selfish, maybe? But I’d submit that selfish was necessary.

The timing worked out as my husband’s family always goes to the beach every summer and they were planning on that again this year. I mean, it’s fine but it’s not truly my happy place and I figured the easy thing to do would be to send them with him, knowing he also had lots of familial backup.

And then I started making MY plans. Y’all, it turned out better than I could have hoped.

Five Reasons I Think You Should Take a “ME” Vacation:

1. The Travel
   You are on your own. Listen, I don’t travel a lot for my work here so even being in an airport, flying on a plane, meeting strangers at a bar while sharing my favorite new Ro-Com reads – it’s all so fun to me. And just knowing that in this weird place, no one can reach me, no one needs me except for ME, it was so freeing.
2. Turns Out I Can Adult
   I know this sounds ridiculous but there are so many times that I depend on my husband without even realizing HOW much I depend on him. To organize the luggage, to check us in for flights, to move my stuff from one terminal to another, to figure out the Denver airport {oh lordy, that airport is kind of a nightmare but I digress}, but all the heavy lifting so to speak. It was all on me. To get my bags, to get to my rental car, and start making my way to new adventures. I’ve grown accustomed to my little bubble where I am in charge of meal distribution for my people and paying bills, etc – but I just felt ALIVE doing this on my freaking own.
3. No Schedules
   And all God’s people said “Amen.” I went in with virtually little to no schedule. The only caveat was to see dear friends of my parents {now my friends!} for dinner the night I arrived, but even that was loosey-goosey. The breath I breathed when I checked into my hotel and poured a glass of wine knowing that no one needed me at right that minute, glory. And I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed dinner and conversation so much with them. It was soul-filling and I think that’s because I finally realized I had exhaled.
4. My Own Quiet Time
   I knew I could have filled most of my hours if I had really wanted to, but that wasn’t the goal of the trip. The goal was to flipping relax. And I did. I slept in {or as much as I could with Colorado sun beaming at 5am}, I checked my email if I wanted to, I walked around my hotel, I took drives, I saw beautiful scenery. I ate lunch when I wanted to and had dinner when I was hungry. I sat by myself and took immense joy in that, even while cheering on the Astros multiple nights. But by my damn self. Nothing I had to cook or clean.
5. Rest & Restoration
   I alluded to a tough year up there but the reality is we have ALL had some pretty tough years with pandemic and economic crises and strife in our country. We need a mental break from it. I brought a book with me and every night I would open it and promptly crash. I started to get irritated but then I just realized that my body was saying, “Hello, ma’am. You need to rest.” So rest I did.

I am better for my solo trip. Every time I spoke with my husband or my mom while I was there, they both said the same thing, “You sound so happy.” And happy I was.

I know that it’s not feasible for everyone to take a 4 night trip away from the fam. You may have younger kids than us {mine are 13 and pretty self sufficient}. And it’s not the cheapest thing. But if you have resources to get away to a hotel even for a night or two in your city, you should do that. If you have a place to go and people to lean on for your “me” time, you should do that. And set your boundaries – do not overschedule yourself. Tell people you would love to see them but that you are also mentally recuperating and resting. Trust me, they will understand.

Solo “Me” trip: 5 Stars, highly recommend.