A gentle end of summer, post-vacation reminder. ⛱️

If your vacation doesn't feel entirely like a vacation — whether that be because you're recovering from burnout or you're spending it with family (often complicated) or because you're still doing the same thing for your kids that you would at home (just with a different view) — you aren't doing it wrong.

If you got home from a vacation and no new insights came to you while you were by the beach, or if getting back to work is feeling HARD, or if you aren't feeling the surge of ambition you'd hoped you would upon your return — you aren't doing it wrong.

Or if you didn't go on vacation or take the time this summer for an extended pause - whether that be because of economics, a family member who needed your presence, or because your workload wouldn't allow it — you aren't doing it wrong.

As lovely as holiday time can be, we put a LOT of pressure on it to do all the things for us: rejuvenate us, connect us with loved ones, find joy through play, relax us, inspire us etc.

That's too much work for a 1-2 week break (assuming we even take one).

By the time I return from vacation after two weeks, I'm just getting the hang of how to relax and turn down the volume in my head enough to read a book without wondering what else I should be doing.

➡️ And my kids are still fighting with each other.

➡️ And we've forgotten what vegetables look like.

➡️ And I've got a pile of laundry and emails to contend with.

So give yourself a big old pass if your vacation time isn't checking every single box you thought it might.

It's not really supposed to, and it's a rare exception when it does.

You aren't doing it wrong.