Remember the good old song "Our Last Summer" popularized by Abba? Listening to the music and lyrics of this song will make you calm down from the stressful busy life of working every day. Forget about the work deadlines, insurance, overdue bills and even just for a minute, hum and let the melodies tickle your emotion and transport you to a place where you can just sit down, eat the yummiest croissants, read good book, sip hot coffee and just being yourself, composed and stress-free... ahh, Paris!
"Paris restaurants
Our last summer,morning croissant.
We were living for the day, worries far away."
Give yourself a break and turn your daydreams into reality. Set a date and free yourself, hard-working people deserves a vacation anyway. But before that, here are four helpful tips that will make your "away-day" more memorable and stress-free.
1.Do not over plan.
So you already booked a flight, packed your things, made an itinerary and chose a good hotel. Basically, that's all you need. Remember that you'll be in vacation not in a business trip that requires a lot of "to-do list." Vacation is about relaxation. Being strict with your plan will only limit your flexibility and that's not what freedom means. Hear it from the Beatles, "Let it be..."
2.Immerse yourself.
Before you go, research about place, the people's culture, foods and routine. Be a traveller that blends in with the locals, not an annoying tourist who stands out like a sore thumb. Do not just be a friend, be a family.
3.Slow down.
Enjoy every minute of the day. Don't mind about your wrist watch, no matter how shiny it looks like. Spend time marveling the beauty of nature, pamper yourself with traditional massage and take good pictures of each unique thing that you'll find. Relax, take a deep breath and do not clutter your mind with the things that you'll need to do after your break. Again, slow down and seize the moment.
"We made our way along the river
And we sat down in the grass
By the Eiffel tower."
4.Treasure memories.
It's your last day of vacay, few hours from now you'll be back on your game-face. I bet you're more relaxed now. Make that vacation an inspiration. Buy souvenirs, ask a new-found-friend to write you a letter that you can keep, print all your memorable photos and put it in an area where you can always see it. Memories are forever.
"I still see it all, walks along the Seine,
Our last summer, memories that remain."
Someone said that happiness is a choice, suffering is an option. Most of us are living with a lot of stresses in life whether about love, work or finances. Shift your vision and magnify on the beautiful things that life can offer. Just relax, remember that you're still breathing.
