Let's Create an Exceptional Vacation by Planning Your Vacation With Confidence
Summer is almost here and plans for travel are on the table! There is a lot of pressure to create a memorable vacation, so let's discover how to do it with confidence.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well and it's when we elevate our execution that we find ourselves operating in the realm of artistry.
So, let’s apply our five rules of becoming an artist or a professional (ya know…just being exceptional) and see how doing so can create an amazing vacation!
Living life at this elevated level (showing exceptional creative ability or skill) brings freedom and fulfillment and isn’t that what we want from our vacations anyway?
Okay, as a recap from earlier posts, here are the 5 steps to elevating your life to artistry.
Accept the Challenge
Define the Rules
Master Your Craft
Elevate Your Skill
Infuse You
Today, we are going to focus on Step 1 of our 5 steps.
The First Step of Creating an Exceptional Vacation
1. Step One: Accept the Challenge
One might think that the first step applies to accepting the challenge of deciding to use your money and time to go on a trip, but it’s not. That’s not a challenge…That’s a given!
Take the trip!
You deserve it!
No, the challenge you are accepting is to raise the bar with regarding to planning it!!!!
Remember the idea of planning is not to create a vacation that restricts, limits or sets unachievable expectations. It’s to get below the surface of the trip and understand all the complexity of what it could be and make choices that will create freedom and fulfillment!!
Are you ready?
Great!
Here we go…
Every great book or movie starts with an incredible beginning. Your vacation is no different.
Your focus is to establish such a fundamental base right in the beginning that everything that comes from there flows easily and the trip practically creates itself!
Your goal: To be exceptional.
Your beginning: Step One: Accepting the Challenge which is broken into three parts.
MAKE THE COMMITMENT
You start by creating a promise or pledge to follow the course of actions that will result in creating a vacation that meets the needs of everyone.
Everyone? That’s impossible!
No…that’s exceptional!
With commitment comes responsibility which is a high level existence right up there with being exceptional! We must acknowledge to ourselves that we are responsible for doing the work and to communicating to all involved to create the greatest vacation ever. Responsibility is not a burden. It’s about creating freedom. The more responsible you are on the front end about choices, the more freedom you create on the back end during the vacation. The worry and anxiety are gone. The frustration is gone. All that is left is the freedom to enjoy the trip. Come to think of it, this applies in business and in life!
Imagine arriving in an area you have never been to before and there is no stress. You’ve done such a great job planning that there is no mystery or reason to be anxious. No matter what problem presents itself you know your options.
You really are on vacation!!
BEING THERE
Here is where you allow yourself the time to ENJOY planning.
As you look at lodging, attractions, weather, and tours allow yourself to experience what it would be like. This gives you the best opportunity to establish the place from which to make choices. And if you allow yourself to BE THERE….you ARE THERE!
Your imagination is a pretty powerful thing! Can you feel the quietness of the lake?
This is the perk of being the one who made the commitment!
By the time you share the plans for the trip with those going, you’ll have become the expert. You’ll know if it’s going to be too hot to enjoy that hike, too crowded to ever get into that restaurant, or that you’ll be square within your budget to add a few luxury items! This allows you to set yourself up for experiencing the best options available!
Nothing worse than planning a trip to Egypt and getting there and it’s so hot you can barely enjoy the experience!
KNOW YOUR PURPOSE
Why do you want to go on this particular trip?
What do you want to accomplish?
As a writer I always start with my endings first, so let’s start there….at the end.
What do you want the end result of the trip to be? How do you want to feel and how do you want everyone else to feel when you get home?
______ Relaxed?
______ Invigorated?
______ More connected to loved ones?
______ At peace with self?
______ Other?
So, looking at your answers, what kind of trip will this be?
______ rejuvenating/relaxing trip?
______ adventurous trip?
______ interactive trip?
______ Other?
______ A mixture?
Take your time. This is the first and most important decision. All other decisions result from this one.
Do you know which trip you’re taking?
Great!
Now, you get to decide who you want to go with on this trip.
You mean you get to decide? It’s not a given?
Look at the answer to what you want the end result of your trip to be.
If you need relaxation and rejuvenation, you may decide to make this a trip for two and leave the kids at home with friends or family.
If that’s really what’s needed, then everyone will benefit from this decision. Remember an exceptional vacation means that it meets the needs of everyone!
So, what’s it going to be?
______ Just you?
______ Romantic Couple’s trip?
______ Family trip?
______ Friends trip?
Whatever choice you make I’m sure it’s the right one!
Great job!
Applying The Creation of an Exceptional Vacation to Life
Now that you know that it is crucial to make the commitment, to be there, and to know your purpose, you can create your perfect vacation.
Each of these steps have now gotten you into the right frame of mind and when followed will give you the guidance needed to get the vacation you want!
I’m getting excited for you!
Enjoy the process! It can be as much fun as the vacation itself!
See you next time! We'll be talking about What is Friendship and Why is It So Important?
You Are an ARTIST!
I see it.
With Great Love,
Annie