TGIM: From Greece

Welcome back to Thank God It’s Monday!
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​tl;dr Few experiences have the power to yank us out of our hurried lives and help us focus on living as much as travel does. The stark contrast in environment helps us remove the lens through which we see the world, often clouded with a distorted sense of hurriedness to nowhere, and see the joy in life’s small pleasures. Learning how to switch out these frames at home would help us find the balance in our everyday lives that we often say goodbye to when vacation ends.
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The breeze across the Greek hillside blows softly through the strands of my hair salted from an afternoon in the Mediterranean sun. It’s dusk, and we’re getting ready for another delicious meal with friends, unhurried in a place where rest is expected and regularly practiced.

Coming from a culture, and partially self-inflicted tendency, that constantly pushes (harder), bigger, faster, stronger (cue Daft Punk), it is surreal and borderline jarring to immerse yourself in a place that regularly schedules rest and downtime. But it pulls us out of the constantly moving field-goal post of what’s the next hurdle, or goal, or step.
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The pause button we press on vacation allows us to enjoy a coffee for the experience and create a day based on what we want to do, without pressure from the outside world for what is productive or efficient. And I find the best vacations are the ones where I incorporate those baseline habits, like writing my newsletter and exercising, not necessarily escaping everything about life at home. The ability to enjoy the moment helps us remember that life is not about the best clothes or the best job titles, but the power to be present.
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When we get caught in the busyness of life, the lens through which we see life is very task-oriented. Go to work, check. Work out, check. Date night, check. Even our rest is scheduled and approached often as something to get done.
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We don’t realize our vision is clouded because everyone is functioning similarly. Our culture is driven by the need to make more money, to live more comfortably, and only then to enjoy life more. But other cultures start where we aim to go: enjoying life.
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While we may never have a siesta in the US with scheduled afternoon downtime, we can take a few lessons to apply to our own lives.
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Adopting practices that help pull us into the present moment can create the rose-colored glasses we wear on vacation. Instead of focusing on our to-do list or passing time with hobbies that distract us from the present moment (scrolling, drinking, watching TV, even reading fiction), we can seize opportunities to be more observant of what’s going on around us.
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Consider what we love about vacation: spending uninterrupted time with loved ones, really noticing the food and drink in front of us, experiences that spike our adrenaline, and time relaxing without worrying about where we have to be next. Those are all things we can do, not exclusive to vacation. But it takes a conscious effort to make time for these things, especially in a culture that celebrates hustle and distraction.
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So how do we practice living in the present moment when it’s not on a beach with crystal blue water and clear skies?
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Habits like journaling, meditating, and even walking without distractions can help us notice more about the present moment. While these are not nearly as exciting as a couple of weeks in Europe, they have a similar effect. These let our brains find quiet in the constant noise of the world and stop stressing about the future and the past. It pulls us into the moment and allows us, even briefly, to find joy in what’s happening (not what has happened or is yet to happen).
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I’m keeping it short to go back to enjoying the moment with my friends, but I hope that this week you can find a practice that helps you live in the moment. We can’t always be on vacation, but we can always be better at living life.
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If you found some value in this, please share it with a friend you think would enjoy it! And let me know if you’d like to be added to get TGIM.
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This week, my podcast recommendation is from Dan Harris’ 10% Happier, “What’s Worth Living For? With Dr. Atul Gawande.”
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With that, make it a great week!
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Until next time,
Shannon