We are a month into summer which means long weekends, vacations and road trips. As we rediscover and reconnect with all the corners of our vast province, we wanted to connect with our GBC community as well. Our Guinness network, past and present, is the heart and soul of the business centre, now more than ever!
We are very excited to have Kezia Perrault as our Guest Author for this week’s blog! She is a past Guinness member, Coach, Counsellor & Psychotherapist in Vancouver, BC. and the perfect person to help us understand that summer travels will be different this year and the benefits of being a tourist in your own backyard!
3 Benefits to a Staycation
By Kezia Perrault
I recently went to a neighbouring town for a day trip. This is our 3rd road trip to neighbouring towns over the years. Every time we plan it (very loosely at times) it has elevated our spirits and given us unexpected blessings!
Due to COVID-19 people have been forced to be creative around how they connect with others. As restrictions ease, holiday summer plans can still be up in the air for many. staycations are a wonderful reason to be friendly, support local, and enjoy your backyard as a tourist. But these are not the only benefits to a staycation!
Individually a staycation can provide opportunities for your mental and emotional health as well!
Curiosity
When planning a trip, it is normal to do some research, even if you are a spontaneous wanderlust. Planning can be picking a city or activity, or it could just be looking at Trip Advisor or Expedia. To plan, to look, to inquire is to be curious about “what’s out there!” Usually when we are travelling abroad or to a landmark, we have a normal curiosity to experience what’s there. Enjoying a staycation allows the skill of curiosity to be applied closer to home. Being curious opens our brain to learn new things. When our brain is learning new things, the grey matter in our brain increases – this is a good thing! Learning and being curious keeps our brains healthy! Discovering new things to do in your city’s backyard or experiencing new activities can be an easy win for brain health.
Engagement
As you make your plans to re-discover your city or neighbouring cities, you’ll come across some gems. Gems in the form of people. People who own businesses that you may not have frequented before. Some you may become fans of and some you may want to let go of after the first visit. Regardless, people are gems for a variety of reasons, but in this case, the possibility of engaging with another human being in their life, business or otherwise, especially now, allows us to value others in a way that we may have hurried by previously. When you get outside your comfort zone, learn, and get curious, you may have interesting conversations as you meander through a store or as you eat in a new eatery. Stop and engage with “the locals” to learn about their life, their work and how they are managing through this time! Do this in your own city! Exchange “war stories”, laugh, commiserate – whatever it is – connect! Human beings need connections. A staycation is one way to engage with others – you know that freer sort of way, like when you are in Hawaii, saying hi, enjoying the sun, the water, the good vibes…just this time your location and connection is local – in your city’s backyard!
Gratitude
Every time I come back from a local road trip, I am amazed at how grateful I am. I feel rejuvenated, and I have a few good stories that make me smile. Research shows that when we practice gratitude our anxiety lessens. When the demands of family, work, and life – albeit good things – happen non-stop and collide with each other as they did during the intense parts of the lockdown – it can create a perfect storm for anxious thoughts to arise. Taking a break, a pause if you will, to explore and be curious can also create – from the other spectrum – the perfect opportunity to increase gratitude.
Developing the skills of curiosity, engagement, and gratitude are life-long learning skills that you can replay in your life and in your business. All these skills can help you level-up your skills in relationships. And learning this during COVID-19 while on a staycation is serendipitous, indeed!
We are always encouraged by our Guinness community, past and present. We love to see your businesses grow and develop. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any ideas for collaboration! We want to support you in every possible way.
Download your free resource from www.keziaperrault.com today and connect with Kezia to increase your emotional acumen to excel in business and life.
