As some may know, I took a vacation last week. One of the main things people wanted to know was where I was going and what I would be doing for the vacation. The assumption is always that a vacation means packed suitcases, a full itinerary, and perhaps a boarding pass. While I took a brief trip, the majority of my vacation was spent at home having a staycation.
I didn't have the funds or time for a grandiose experience – kids still had to get to school, doctor appointments had to be scheduled, and everything had to be cleaned. However, I never needed grandeur to relax, in fact, I prefer the opposite. The mundane task of everyday life feels completely different when you don't have to squeeze it in between workdays. Even folding clothes is relaxing when there's no deadline to chase.
So I slowed down. I leaned into the rhythm of the week instead of rushing through it. I took the time to simply enjoy all the things that had to be done. I rewatched movies, undistracted, giving me fresh eyes. I made something for my kids to practice their handwriting and we worked together without my futile attempts to speed things along so I can finish up work or start dinner or get somewhere on time. We carved out time each day to read side by side, and every evening we gathered around the dining table for a home-cooked meal— nothing fancy, just simple food enjoyed in unhurried company.
There was something deeply grounding in that. Instead of chasing the idea of escape, I found comfort in leaning closer to what I already have. A staycation doesn’t whisk you away from your responsibilities, but it does give you permission to approach them differently—slower, softer, with less pressure attached. The to-do list doesn’t feel like a burden when you know you have the space to breathe in between laundry cycles.
I also realized how often the little moments slip by when life feels hectic. Listening to my children play together, talking with my partner about what cartoons we watched as kids, and noticing the sunset that brings us to the end of a day – all of those moments were there before, but I finally had the chance to notice them. That, to me, felt more luxurious than any trip could ever offer.
And as the week wound down, I didn’t feel like I had missed out on anything by staying home. If anything, I gained something: a reminder that rest isn’t about the destination, it’s about the mindset. Sometimes the best gift you can give yourself is simply the time to enjoy what’s already around you.
So while my vacation may not have looked like much on the outside, it was everything I needed – blissfully simple and restorative in its own quiet way. It was just what I needed to remind myself that joy often hides in the ordinary waiting for us to slow down long enough to enjoy it.