7 Vacation Destinations for When You Can't Take One

I don't know about you, but there are some days that I could really use a vacation.  Unfortunately, our busy lives don't always allow us to take leave. 

First off, let us vehemently stress that we're the first ones to advocate going on vacation anyway; life's way too short and work will be there next week.  But if a vacation is really out of the question, might we recommend at least taking a break from your same old routine.

It's easy to fall into a rut.  After all, we have schedules to manage and tasks to juggle.  Keeping to a routine helps us to get a lot done in an efficient manner.  Unfortunately, following the same routine day in and day out gets boring fast.  When you are focused on your mile long to-do list, you might not even notice.  But if you really think about it, we're taking bets that you could probably use a little pizzazz in your summer right about now.

So if you can't sneak away for a week (or at least a long weekend) we're giving you a week's worth of tips to at least allow for a break from your dull, tedious, repetitive, habitual, standard routine (have we made our point)?

Vacation Day 1-Be a Kid Again:  Who says that just because you're an adult you can no longer play with toys?  We couldn't disagree more, and summer is the perfect time to put our theory to the test.  Fly a kite, play a game of hopscotch, throw the Frisbee, build a sand castle, or create a work of art on the driveway with sidewalk chalk.  Lose yourself in the activity and feel your stress melt away.  The experts call this Play Therapy and you will pay $75.00 per hour or more to play in the confines of their offices.  Playing at home with your own toys: Priceless!

Vacation Day 2-Mix up your Morning:  Do you wake up to the same radio station or alarm tone every morning.  Talk about a routine!  Mix it up by bringing your iPod and docking station or speakers into the bedroom and start your day off with something a little more spirited and unexpected.  Use your favorite upbeat tune or may we recommend the William Tell Overture!  Honest, it starts your day off with a smile!  Get ready to take on the day!

Vacation Day 3-Spice Things Up:  Something a little out of the ordinary is all it takes to transport you from everyday life.  Revving up your pedicure with a flashy fuchsia polish or experimenting with a new shade of lipstick might be all it takes to transport you to a different place and time. 

Vacation Day 4-Get Back to Nature: When was the last time you walked in the rain without regard for flat hair or running mascara?  How about lying on the dewy grass gazing at the star-filled sky?  Whether you take a hike or visit the beach, getting in touch with nature has an amazing and almost instant healing effect. Taking a 5 minutes break to just listen to chirping birds or a babbling brook will instantly take you away.  Go ahead; try it right now.

Vacation Day 5-Relive the Memories: Think of a time when you felt limitless and carefree.  What was it that inspired that feeling?  Maybe you must regress way back to your childhood and time spent pursuing a favorite hobby.  Perhaps it was just the experience of reading a romance novel on the beach. Would it only take hearing an old song or smelling a specific scent to take you back to that time?  Whether it's an old 80's tune or the smell of Love's Baby Soft, make an effort to make it happen.  Sometimes it's the trips back in time that are the best.

Vacation Day 6-Plan an Adventure:  So you can't jet to Paris for a week; what's stopping you from experiencing an adventure closer to home (or even in your own backyard)?  Plan a mystery trip to a local destination you've always wanted to visit but just never have.  Or pitch a tent in the yard and light a bonfire at dusk.  Tell stories and roast marshmallows; as darkness falls you will find yourself transported to the most remote of campsites without stepping foot past your property line!

Vacation Day 7-Expand Your Mind to New Ways of Thinking: Take a community ed or online course and learn something new.  Or read a book on a topic you've always been interested in.  You might just stumble upon an new talent and a virtual destination that can help you "get away from it all" on a more regular basis!

The Soul Sisters

Soulspring of the Week:
"More than just yearly rituals in which we connect with friends and family, vacations are also exercises in self-definition. In affording time away from the demands of everyday life, vacations disclose what people choose to do rather than are required to do." ~Cindy Sondik Aron

The Day We Honor Our Dads

It's Father's Day; the day we honor our dads.  The first Father's Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, the brainchild of Sonora Louise Smart Dodd of Spokane, WA, who felt that like mothers, dads a deserved a day, too.  In 1966 President Lyndon Johnson declared it a national holiday and in 1972, President Richard Nixon signed U.S. Father's Day into law, to be observed on the third Sunday in June.

There are approximately 70.1 million fathers in the United States. Surely like us their children are reflecting on them today, paying respect and celebrating the impact they've made on their lives.  Regardless of whether you had the "World's Greatest Dad", like we did, or an absent, abusive, or indifferent father, hopefully you can hold onto the positive life lessons that are yours as a result, as well as a few happy memories of your dad.

After all, we receive valuable takeaways from all the experiences of our lives.  The right, the wrong, the good and the bad; each moment shapes us and our lives, making us into the women we are today.  In recognition of Father's Day, we share a few past posts about what we've learned from our dad...

Life Lessons from Dads to Daughters: If you asked our brothers what lessons they’ve learned from Dad, you’ll probably get a different set of answers, but these are the ones that shaped us most

Tribute to Dad: Here at Soulspring we spend a lot of time and focus on women.  However, dads play an important role in our shaping our character, too.  It's our fathers who join forces with our mothers to teach us about the kind of person we’d like to grow up to be.

The Soul Sisters

Soulspiration of the Week:
"A father is neither an anchor to hold us back, nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light whose love shows us the way." ~Unknown

The Picture of Happiness

Would you look at the expressive face on this cutie! Obviously this little lady is having an amazing day...But, what is it that has surprised her so? What's filled her with joy to the point that her bliss runneth over?

Recently we did a little experiment. We put ourselves in her shoes (or should we say skates) and imagined the moment that this picture was captured...

“I did it!”
“Ice cream?!  For me?!”
“You’re here!”
“Did you see that?!”
“That was soooo fun!”
"Let's do that again!"

A funny thing happened as a result of this experiment. After imagining various situations, and enjoying some laughs in the process, we noticed our own moods being elevated to joyful levels! We donned big smiles, our hearts lifted, our souls jumped for joy.  Just goes to show, the happiness of another is all it takes for us to experience happiness, too.

Now you try it...imagine yourself in this picture. What was it that thrilled you to this jubilant state?  Feel the emotion and let yourself soak it in.  Feels great, doesn’t it?!

What do you imagine the story to be behind this photo?  How do you picture happiness?  Please post your scenarios below and share your joy and happiness!

The Soul Sisters

Soulspiration of the Week:“The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things." ~Henry Ward Beecher

Pinterest: Worthless Addiction or Passionate Pursuit?

Surely you've heard of the new Pinterest fad, and maybe you've even found yourself addicted, like we have?  For those of you who have yet to stumble upon this craze, let me explain...

Pinterest is sweeping the online world by storm!  We liken it to a series of online bulletin boards.  You can "pin" things you find while surfing the web to your Pinterest boards, and organize them into various categories.  Websites, recipes, images and ideas can be quickly "pinned" and easily organized, along with the link to the source for easy reference later, if needed.  You can also follow others (and they can follow you), and re-pin each others pins, growing your collection even more.

Pinterest is becoming a bit of a "guilty" pleasure in some circles, with many women embarrassed to admit how much time they spend pinning.  If you're a closet Pinterest fan, take heart.  As long as you're not neglecting your family, your work, and your own self-care, we've found it to actually be a fun and empowering pastime.  Let us explain...

Dreams: We all have dreams and goals for the future.  Think of Pinterest as an online dream board!  You can create as many boards as you like, and give them any title.  Your dream vacation can come alive, your kitchen remodel can start to take shape, and your bucket list can become more visual. The possibilities are endless!

Creativity: There are projects for DIY'ers of all skill-levels on Pinterest.  I used to be quite a crafter, but as so often happens with life, I had moved on to other interests.  Opening my Pinterest account woke up the crafter inside me.  The question now is what to create first?! 

Passions: The thing about passions is that oftentimes we're afraid to commit (and fail).  With Pinterest you can create your passionate endeavors in pictures first, explore them from a distance, and try them on for size.  Heck, Pinterest is a passion in itself!  When it feels right to take the next step in your goals, and eventually it will, you're ready to dive in and make it happen.  It may not be today, or even tomorrow, but when you’re ready the inspiration will be there! 

Inspiration: Speaking of inspiration, there's no shortage of it on Pinterest.  From art to fashion, decorating to photography...I say pin whatever speaks to you...The fun, the interesting, and the silly!  When you're feeling stuck or bored, visit your Pinterest boards and you'll feel energized, renewed and inspired by the pictures, colors and textures you love.

Self-expression: Whatever your interests, whatever you love, whatever catches your eye, can be pinned to your boards and shared with others via Pinterest. One popular item pinners pin is their decorating ideas.  There's also art, jewelry, fashion, and more.  Not only does sharing your personal preferences express your style to others, it clarifies it to yourself, too.  Turns out I like the warmth of wood floors and the casual feel of painted cabinetry. I prefer country living to city-life.  I'm a sucker for a good quote and baby animals.  How about you?      

Self-discovery: You might just be surprised to discover a new interest through Pinterest. For example, it had never before crossed my mind that it was possible to make your own cleaning supplies or personal care products.  Turns out there's people doing just that!  Whether to save money, or avoid exposure to harmful chemicals, many are pinning their recipes and formulas to their boards and it caught my attention.  It's something I plan to try soon and I'm ready with my instructions for an all-natural microdermabrasion application (guaranteed to make my skin glow), a natural body moisturizer (chemical-free, fragrance-free, color-free and preservative-free), and several recipes for homemade hand soap, window cleaner and laundry detergent.  A few less toxins on my body and in my house suddenly sounds like a good thing.

So don’t hide your passion for Pinterest, in fact, we say pin with pride!  And please follow Soulspring Groups on Pinterest for empowering ideas, inspiring words, our favorites from the web, and the products we love!  Feel free to comment, repin, and @mention us if you think run across something you think we’d love.

Kim,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:

"I pin because it makes me happy."