Want to Hold On to That Holiday Feeling? Start by Looking at What Gave You Energy.
(This blog is an English translation of a previously published Dutch blog on my Dutch website Caroline Pinter Wandelcoaching.)
Still wearing my Florida flip-flops
Two weeks ago, we were standing at Miami Airport, waiting for our flight back to the Netherlands. By then, I had spent more than two weeks wearing little more than my white flip-flops.
Not just on the beach, around our apartment in the Florida Keys or at the historic Biltmore Hotel, but almost everywhere.
Every day. Even on our last day at the airport.
I honestly can’t remember the last time I wore flip-flops so often and for so long. It must have been at least ten years.
And, if I’m honest, I loved it.
In fact, I’ve now been home for over a week and I’m still wearing them.
During the holiday, I hardly thought about what I was wearing. Whether it was shorts, a summer dress or sportswear, those flip-flops somehow went with everything.
It may sound a little odd to begin a blog with a pair of white flip-flops.
But since coming home (and with the unusually warm weather we’ve had in the Netherlands this week) I’ve realised they became a symbol of something much bigger.
Every time I put them on, I’m back on Long Key for just a moment. Or walking through Coral Gables.
And I feel that holiday feeling. All over again.
Why did I feel so recharged?
Once the suitcases were unpacked and life slowly started returning to normal, one question kept coming back to me.
Of course, after three weeks away you naturally feel more relaxed. You’re away from your usual surroundings, there are fewer responsibilities and you have the freedom to decide how you spend your day.
Some days were busy. Other days we did almost nothing besides spending time at the beach or by the pool.
Yet somewhere during those weeks, I felt myself exhale.
Not just physically.
Mentally too.
And that’s what made me curious.
What was it that had made such a difference?
What was it about this holiday that had given me so much energy?
The answer turned out to be surprisingly simple
It wasn’t the seaplane flight over the Florida Keys.
It wasn’t our stay at the beautiful Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables.
And it wasn’t even the holiday itself.
Looking back, what helped me most was something that quietly ran through every single day.
Life happened outdoors.
Or, as Americans say so naturally, outdoor living.
It wasn’t until I returned home that I realised how many hours we had actually spent outside.
Our apartment on Long Key overlooked the ocean. Palm trees swayed in front of our terrace and hammocks invited us to slow down.
Breakfast happened outside.
Coffee happened outside.
Reading happened outside.
We explored boardwalks and mangrove trails in Long Key State Park, kayaked through the mangroves and I even joined yoga sessions on the beach.
Looking back, we were indoors only to cook and sleep.
Well… almost.
Around sunrise and sunset the local mosquitoes also seemed to be enthusiastic fans of outdoor living.
Those were usually the moments we decided it was time to head inside.
Why outdoor living gives me so much energy
People who know me won’t be surprised by this.
I’ve always been someone who feels better in warm weather.
Although I’ve learned to appreciate every season over the years, I still notice how much sunshine and warmth influence my body and my energy.
Over the years we’ve escaped winter more than once. Abu Dhabi. Hawaii. And now the Florida Keys.
Looking back, I can definitely see a pattern.
It’s not only about sunshine.
It’s about the consistency of it.
For sixteen days the temperature stayed around 30 degrees Celsius. My jacket disappeared into the suitcase on the day we arrived and didn’t come out again until we were back at Miami Airport.
Not everyone enjoys tropical temperatures.
For me they feel comforting.
Almost like my body can finally relax.
Something else struck me too.
For sixteen days I didn’t need my asthma medication.
That hardly ever happens at home.
It reminded me once again how much our surroundings can influence the way we feel.
But it wasn’t only the weather.
It was the way we lived.
Outside from morning until evening.
Physical activities without feeling like exercising
We spent almost every day moving, without ever deciding that we were going to exercise.
One day we walked through nature parks and mangrove forests.
The next day we paddled our kayak through the mangroves.
Or I swam in the impressive pool at the Biltmore Hotel.
Well… “a few laps” probably isn’t the right description.
The pool is so large that one lap takes several minutes.
And I absolutely loved it.
Not only because of its size, but because of its history.
While swimming, I found myself wondering how many people had enjoyed this same pool almost a hundred years ago.
It somehow made that quiet morning swim even more special.
The funny thing is that none of it felt like exercise.
It simply felt like holiday.
What is it that I want to hold on to?
And maybe that was the most interesting question I could ask myself.
Was it the continuity in the (tropical) temperatures?
Was it the outdoor living?
Was it the breathtaking Florida Keys, its Mangroves and the always green, almost mediterranian Coral Gables in Miami?
Or was it ultimaly the combination of everything, that made me slowly feel calmer, relaxed and recharged when I went home.
Honestly, I do not know the answer right now. That is ok.
I did realise that I did not want to go back to my automatic pilot when I came home. Felt not the need (emotionally and physically) to fall back into the maybe a bit to rushed and stressed daily routine.
It made me curious though. What did I do so well in Florida, that it gave me so much energy. Energy I did not want to loose when I am back home.
As I do not wake up every day under palmtrees, nor do I have daily hikes in the mangroves. I did bring home with me so much more than the stuff in my suitcase.
So then came the next question:
So if I know what gives me energy when I am on holiday, how can I not loose it when I go home.
The answer to that question came easier than I thought. More about that I will share in my next blog.