Today kicks off the Labor Day Weekend for the United States. We have three big weekends in the summer and this one is especially important as it marks the official end of our summer. Which always kind of irks me, because officially Summer ends September 20th. Summer is not over until it’s over! Right?! But okay, part of the official ending appeal is it’s a PAID holiday for working people and who doesn’t love a three-day weekend. School begins after Labor Day and the business world gets back in their cubicles full swing. Europe has been gone, for well…the whole summer! So the world starts spinning in the fast lane again, after Labor Day. Are you getting why this weekend is a such a big deal?
Boy this last summer weekend better be good! And oh no! Here comes the pressure. Get on the road, get to the beach, plan a getaway because you will never have summer again! You can visit many other websites that will give you the very serious and historical meaning of Labor Day, but I’m here to tell you what it really means to most of us today…
We all want to end our summer on a high note! But big expectations can create big disappointments, especially when you are sitting in holiday traffic, stuck in an airport or train station or worse stuck on-line at some event you heard ‘was the place to be’ for Labor Day! Oh and BTW, so did 50,000 other people! Hahaha! Am I scaring you? I just kid, but holiday weekends are loaded with expectations and complications that aren’t really relaxing or fun. Some of us create this same kind of self-induced pressure around the Christmas holidays. We always promise ourselves…never again. So, before you wake up tomorrow and get yourself all crazed for a ‘holiday weekend’, take a look at my 7 tips for ‘enjoying’ your holiday weekend simply. And who knows maybe you might even save a little money as a bonus! For those already traveling, some of these tips can work wherever you may roam!
1- Don’t set the alarm and sleep in! After you wake up, stretch and breathe. Take time to pet your dog or cat and just be. Next, rather than take a shower, run a spa bath with your favorite essential oils and play your favorite relaxing music.
2- Now that you are totally relaxed, who needs to get messy in the kitchen. Instead go for breakfast at a local cafe and read the entire newspaper or your favorite magazine from cover to cover. This also means you turn off all notifications on your intrusive little smart-phone or tablet that basically rules and controls you when you are not on vacation! Phone you might need, but tablet can be left behind.
3- As you leisurely walk ( preferably) back home, buy yourself some flowers, or pick some from your garden and display them in a prominent place where you can’t miss smelling their fragrance all weekend long.
4- Try not to get in your car. Explore your local town. If you must drive, go to a beautiful public garden, local farm, park or hiking trail in your area. The closer the better, because we are keeping it simple right? When you walk, leave your iPod and smart phone in your bag and try to tune in to the sounds around you. Hopefully it is not car traffic or screaming kids! The sound of nature will slowly erase any stress endorphins you have built up, when you were trying to plan your big getaway!
5- Maybe your simple pleasure is to read a book not in bed when you can’t make it through a chapter without falling asleep on a typical work night. Find your comfy spot to read your book. If it’s nice out, choose a shaded porch, a hammock, or a lovely chair on your deck. If you have a pool read and float! If you don’t have any of these, see the suggestions in #4 and bring your book!
6- If you are feeling restless or need activity away from home, explore your city and neighborhood. Go to places you have never had the time to visit, whether it be a museum, a wild life sanctuary, a local theater or outdoor concert. If this doesn’t sound exciting to you, just conjure up that holiday traffic that you would have been sitting in for possibly 3 hours. Local is pretty fun too, because the crowds are all out there sitting in traffic!
7- Since you already treated yourself to breakfast or lunch, why not make a beautiful dinner at home with fresh ingredients you picked up from the local farm in your area. Take your time, put on some relaxing music or chat with your loved one or family as you prepare. The key thing is to not rush. Enjoy preparing, cooking and eating. It will be the best dinner you have ever experienced.
All of the above tips and suggestions can be enjoyed in one day or over your three-day holiday. The point is to SIMPLY focus on pleasure and relaxation. For those of you lucky to get away to a beach house and got a big head start ahead of the holiday madness, all these things can be accomplished while you are away too! For those of you sitting in traffic reading this post, on your smart-phone, I am sorry. All I can suggest is be in the moment, sing some camp songs, and hope for the best! Wishing you all a lovely holiday weekend, and wherever you are, relax and keep life simple!
P.S For those of you with young children, some of this may have to be adjusted to accommodate, but you get the simple idea! 😉
Great advice for everyone!
Glad you appreciate Debra!