Looking after you while you create fun for everyone else - holiday wellbeing
I always thought going on holiday when my kids were under 5 was completely pointless - it’s just like life at home but with none of your familiar stuff and the ease of set up that you have normally. It’s certainly not a break. As my kids got beyond 5 we started venturing on more exciting holidays - Lanzarote first just to check we could do it, and then we went on a 4 week road trip around Europe when our kids were 5 and 7. I look back now and think we were crazy - driving around 1000 miles, mostly camping and only staying in each place for maximum 5 days at a time. Crazy but amazing! And it set the tone for every holiday since. One thing that I focussed on most during that time was my movement needs - I happened to be writing a daily blog during that first trip which involved me moving every day for 28 (ish) days no matter where I was. Setting myself that programme helped me focus on myself for just 15 minutes every day, and who can’t find that sort of time on holiday?
Yes my kids came and sat on me at one point, I did at least a couple of workouts in my pyjamas and plenty on campgrounds with other people around and had to ignore the voices in my head telling me people were staring - they weren’t, people are in general fairly weird on campsites anyway!
But the most crucial part of this was that I felt great for working on me whilst I was also tending to my kids, they didn’t care or really notice, nobody hurt themselves or got neglected and I got to the end of that holiday feeling much the same as when we set off (physically at least, coping with central Barcelona in 35 degree heat and 2 kids who hate cities has definitely scarred me psychologically for life!). I didn’t get to September that year thinking that I needed a total overhaul of my wellbeing habits, I felt strong, mobile and capable.
Remember:
We don’t have to forget ourselves in the pursuit of being present for others. What do we want to teach our kids (especially our daughters) about looking after their needs? I know I want my daughter to know that she doesn’t have to put herself so far down the pecking order that what’s important to her doesn’t actually matter at all.
What we want to do and how we want to feel is just as much a priority as that of our family. So how do you want to feel in September? Because you have choices you can make every day, tiny, seemingly inconsequential choices that can help move you towards that feeling. Move a little, stretch a bit, go for a walk by yourself, do 10 squats and 10 press ups on a day when you’re lazing by the pool, choose not to drink on every night of the holiday and gift yourself some alcohol free days, get plenty of sleep!
How you look after yourself snowballs into other areas of your wellbeing - movement might help you make a healthier choice at mealtimes, getting good sleep helps with making great choices everywhere in your days and keeping strong gives you the stamina and capability to do any activity you choose so you can have fun and connect with others through shared experiences.
Your wellbeing is, I believe, the top priority in your family - if you’re running on empty everyone else is going to feel it, if you feel well nourished you’ve got so much more tolerance and resilience for family time.
I hope you can believe and embody that too?
