Plan A Vacation [Challenge]

Matthew Gates http://notetoservices.com 3m 655 #vacation

The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.

Challenge of the Week: Start Planning Your Vacation for 2016

There have been many studies and reports done on Americans and the rest of the world on who is vacationing and who is not. While those who are employed around the world show up to work and do their jobs, it is Americans who take the least vacation time. Whether they cannot afford to travel abroad or to other states, if they do take vacations, they mostly stay home, where they end up doing housework and other chores that they were behind on, and consider that their vacation.

The excuse normally is, however, that Americans simply do not make enough and cannot afford to take a vacation. To some degree, this may be true, but everyone deserves a vacation if they are working 52 weeks out of the year, at least 5 days a week. We all need rest and we all need to take a vacation that doesn’t just end up with us staying home, though everyone has their own personal preference, and home might just be the ultimate dream vacation to some people. Staying home in bed, lying around, and doing nothing all day, which is what I try to do at least one day on the weekend, is always great.

When it comes to traveling for vacation, however, it is what most of us dream of doing, but rarely ever do. Many people from other countries do travel abroad, spending their vacations in other countries, sightseeing, meeting new people. It is a wonder why more Americans don’t do it. While the media may show violence in the world, these are only clips played by dozens of television stations multiple times throughout the day, making it seem like violence in the United States and other places around the world is a common occurrence everywhere.

Fortunately for those who have traveled before and travel often, they already know the majority of people they come across are quite friendly, especially towards tourists and travelers. The world is not as dangerous a place as many people might assume because of what they saw on television. While it is true that there are certainly parts of the world that should be avoided at all costs, there are many places that are wonderful for vacation. Take a chance and go explore the world for once, even if it means exploring your backyard, your town, your city, your state, or your country. Be cautious, but also be friendly. A smile and “hello” goes a long way.

A trip to another state or another area of the state counts as a vacation. Being someplace different, exploring a different area that you have never been brings out the spirit and adventurer in your soul that longs for new and exciting things. Whether you take your family on vacation, go yourself, or go with your partner, there is a sincere joy in traveling.

Your challenge before the new year is to begin thinking about your plans for traveling to another area, whether it is in your state, another state, or abroad. Start saving your money and just do it. Stop thinking about it and start talking about it, making plans, and telling others you are going to do it. Hop on an airline website and figure out the costs and work it into your budget. The best time to buy a flight is about 54 to 62 days before the actual flight itself.

Hopefully you are fortunate enough to work for a company that pays you to take a vacation, but if they don’t, you should still consider taking a vacation, even if it is just for a few days. It will clear your mind and bring out the adventure spirit within you. You will feel better doing it and when you get back, you will feel even better knowing that you went.  Live without regret, stop thinking about doing things, and start living and doing them!

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