I hope your Thanksgiving was the best it could have been, given whatever circumstances you find yourself in this year. Whether your family time was remote, in-person, non-existent, delayed until a safer, more convenient time, or the same as it always is, I know that you were grateful to be alive and able to partake of whatever blessings were yours yesterday, and all this unusual year. It’s likely we all know someone who has been affected directly or indirectly by the pandemic and our empathy for them keeps them fed, buoyed, and supported by whatever thoughtful ways each of us has contributed – prayers, service, funds, food, and those special acts that maybe only they know you performed.
We all have experienced change a-plenty this year, and undoubtedly many of us are carrying with us the effects of stress, worry, uncertainty, doubt, self-recrimination or exhaustion due to home-schooling, under- or unemployment, financial pressures, grief, isolation, fear, or Covid-19 infection. At a time when our health and wellness are most taxed, we need them at their peak to get us through whatever remains of the uncertainty, and take us to where we can live again.
A wellness vacation might be just what the doctor ordered. If travel is still an iffy proposition for you, I get that. But I bet you won’t disagree that taking some time ‘away from it all’ has been on your mind. Many of your concerns can be alleviated and addressed within the scope of your wellness trip – but it takes meticulous planning. This is the first in a three-part series on wellness travel, which can be as diversified as there are travelers and their travel styles.
By ‘wellness’ I mean overall health, healing, ability to recover and adapt. A wellness vacation does not exclude, fun, pleasure or adventure, and can include features and destinations that you wouldn’t normally expect on other types of vacation journeys. We’ll explore them all in this series. These could be benefits of your wellness vacation:
Personal Guidance for your Physical, Emotional and Mental Health and Healing. We’ll choose a resort that provides the perfect escape for you, with a professional staff offering personalized guidance and expert answers that lead to your true well-being: an integrated wellness approach where open-minded practitioners draw from western and traditional therapies in medicine, exercise physiology, nutrition, life management, spirituality and more. Their wealth of evidence-based knowledge informs your holistic wellness vision and action plan; a nurturing environment to help you establish healthy patterns for mind, body and spirit; activities, events, new approaches and curated services focused on health, transition, joy, lifestyle reset, or personal discovery; proven methods that improve quality of life. Experts lead classes and spend one-on-one time with you, so you take home a real plan. The insights you gain will inspire a new-found path for keeping you fitter, more energized, more resilient in the face of the seemingly never-ending change that keeps coming your way.
Spiritual health and Awareness. The normal rhythms of life have been thrown off for all of us. The places you like to go, the people you saw, your work, your play, your routine — even the tasks you complained most about — became suddenly out of reach. They were dependable parts of life that gave you a reason to get up and going every morning. In their own ways, they were the rituals of your life.
Time moves on, things change, and adapting well makes all the difference. Clear any obstacles and ease your journey with a new pathway featuring curated services, top experts, and unlimited inspiration. Now is the time to be mindful of what you can do, and create rituals for new circumstances. Rituals are mundane yet important. Cooking meals becomes more meaningful when you think about the nourishment it provides, from farm to table, and the joy it can give your and others. Finding spiritual resonance in the rituals you create can enrich your life and help you thrive. Learn ways to create spiritual rituals of your own.
Spa-aaah! No wellness experience would be complete without the relaxation, pampering, and stimulation of spa treatments that transcend ‘touchy-feely’ to touch the psyche and soul. Not a spa day, why not a spa week, or more?
Some recommendations:
Canyon Ranch’s four locations are 5-star perfect, whether you need a brain recharge, silent reflection, or a full-body recalibration.
Lake Austin Spa Resort in the Texas Hill-country, known for scenic, nature-centric wellness getaways.
The Four Seasons Sensei- Lana’i, on the luscious island of Lanai, HI.
Salamander Resort and Spa, Middleburg, VA in the heart of horse and wine country.
The holiday season is here, and the new year is usually a time for self-reflection, the search for ways (and willpower) for improving health and healing, and the gentle transformation and betterment of parts of ourselves. Adaptability is key for survival, and this is true for all species. Keep the idea of a wellness vacation front and center as you contemplate your 2020 and move into 2021. A do-over might not be possible for everything, but pushing the re-set button for mindset, health and wellness might be. We’ll dive into this more in my next newsletter when I discuss the signs that YOU might be a wellness traveler.
‘til next week.