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6/10/2020 0 Comments

Four Vital Needs for Vacations

Did your last vacation leave you refreshed or drained? Satisfied or blue? Feeling blessed in your relationships or bitter about the people with whom God has smote you?

Vacation success or failure depends on understanding four human needs.

Photo: Michael Klebig Graphic: Creative Commons BY-SA

Remember Abraham Maslow from psychology class?
His “Hierarchy of Human Needs” looks like the USDA food pyramid. But instead of “Healthy Fats”, his top tier is “Self-actualization”.

Yes. Just as our bodies need extra virgin olive oil, our spirits need a regular dose of feeling awesome.

But let’s start at the bottom with Level 1 - the four basic needs for human existence:

Food
Water
Warmth
Rest

Obvious, right? But surprisingly, on vacation - in unfamiliar surroundings and situations - these four needs often get neglected. Here are eight real-life examples.

The Johnson family gets off the ski slopes, ravenous. The kids are cranky and soggy. But they can’t get seated at a restaurant until 8:00 p.m.
Chase and Kim are hungry, cross. They don’t know the area and they’re caught in a frustrating infinite loop of flipping through restaurant reviews and mumbling “I don’t know, where do you want to go?”
Friends Travis and Teena discover how much they hate each other as they silently trudge the last four miles of their hike with no water.
John drank nothing but beer for four days. Grandma was worried about bathroom stops and didn’t drink enough water. Now they’re both at Urgent Care.
Chelsea didn’t pack layers because “it was supposed to be warm”. She shivers and complains the entire sunset cruise.
Brad is cold, wet, and miserable. Rather than rent or borrow water-proof gear, he’s on a winter snowshoe adventure in sweatpants and tennis shoes.
Lakshmi forgot to pack ear plugs or a sleep mask and lies awake all night in her hotel room, cursing a noisy wedding reception and the glow of the street light outside her window.
Cole saves money by packing extra people into a small vacation rental. Now, the uncle trying to sleep on a cot by the coffee maker, the kid sleeping on an ironing board, and two casual friends forced to share a bed vow never to travel with Cole again.

No food, no water, no warmth, no rest = No Fun. Maslow did try to warn us.

It's easy to avoid mistakes like these. Write down these words: Food. Water. Comfort. Rest.

Now, for each activity or for every four-hour block of time on vacation, think of how and where you’ll meet these needs. This one simple act could save your vacation.

Meeting basic needs establishes the foundation for a happy, full-stack vacation that includes all of Maslow's other levels - security, stronger relationships, sense of accomplishment, and even the self-actualization that comes from getting away and just plain having fun. Psychologists and medical experts agree, humans need this.

If things get tense on vacation, take a breath and reflect on the reasons you are where you are and with who you're with. Time exploring together is so special and some of the greatest memories and most enduring moments are created on vacation.

Maslow may need to add a whole other level for this.

Wishing you Only Good Times!

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6/4/2020 0 Comments

Running on Empty? Try This!

On a hot July night, years ago, our family stood soaking in views from the Eiffel tower. The deck was crowded with people eager to catch an epic sunset in Paris. As the sun began to sink on the horizon, casting the city in gold, a frantic pair of honeymooners raced up to us, camera in hand. “Do you have any spare AA batteries?” the man pleaded.

The dreaded low battery: It can rob us of a photo op, cut off a conversation, or render a remote control unusable. A dead car battery can strand us. A dead solar battery can leave us without power.

But the worst “low battery” is when we run out of juice in our spirit.

During challenging times, many of us find our batteries getting low. Things that give our lives juice –friendships, travel, work, entertainment, fitness, so much more – may be drastically changed or unavailable.

Has your battery level dropped? Are you running on empty?

A different kind of bucket list may help.

Make a list of the major things that give your life meaning.
Imagine each is a bucket.
What can you put into each bucket now?

For example, we love travel but Covid-19 restrictions are keeping us home. We add to our “travel” bucket by watching videos we made of past vacations and camping trips. We also soak up travel programs such as Win the Wilderness: Alaska on Netflix, the soothing chug-along Travels by Narrowboat on Amazon Prime, and The Horn featuring stunning helicopter rescues in Zermatt. We make a point to watch these videos so our “travel” bucket isn’t empty. Does a video replace kayaking in Kauai or hiking in Yosemite? No, but it lifts our spirits. It reconnects us of the beautiful, exciting world we live in. And it inspires us to stay healthy and in shape for our next adventure.

Another thirsty bucket is our weekly “lunch with family after church”. With current restrictions, we watch church online and join for a virtual lunch on Google Hangouts after. Does it replace hugs or zingy conversation around a shared table? No, but it keeps us connected until we’re together again.

Any challenging time can drain the batteries. Three years ago, I broke my wrist ice skating. After a few days in a cast, my “fitness” bucket was begging for something, anything. So, I gingerly attempted my usual Pilates routine with my arm resting against my torso. Most of the workout was achievable, even with one useless limb. A sense of relief and empowerment flowed through me. I did what I could in the moment and felt like myself again.

The point is to put something in each vital bucket regularly. Do it with intention. Do it for yourself. If you don’t, your battery could get plugged into the wrong energy source such as poisonous media that fuels rage, harmful substances to numb pain, or thoughts that lead to depression.

Amazingly, on the Eiffel Tower that July night, we did have extra batteries to share! Maybe a sunset photo from Paris is lifting the spirits of that young couple today. In the same way, if you’ve got a little juice to share with someone who needs it right now, please do.

Friends, hang in there. South Lake Tahoe has announced it will ease travel restrictions in mid-July. Maybe it’s time for you to book a well-deserved family vacay, summer adventure, or nature retreat.

As you make your bucket list, enjoy these photos from May in South Lake Tahoe. Wishing you Only Good Times!

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Four Vital Needs for Vacations

Vacation success or failure depends on understanding four human needs.

No food, no water, no warmth, no rest = No Fun. Maslow did try to warn us.

Running on Empty? Try This!

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