Think you have no time to get away with your girlfriends? Think again. Girlfriend getaways remind you of who you are as God designed you to be – a chance to rest, relax and have fun as yourself.
Getting away from the regular routine of family, work, obligations can seem impossible.
You have to decide that 1) you are worth it and 2) it is possible – even for an overnight.
My friend, Jennifer and I recently returned from a six-day road trip to South Carolina to visit our third friend, Earlene. Granted, we are both retired, yet we both have family, work and other obligations. She had family caretaking to plan around and I had my business. Impossible – no. Take planning, yes.
Planning a road trip with girlfriends brings on anticipation, excitement, possibilities.
Half the fun of getting away is the planning. Anticipation releases those good dopamine chemicals into your brain.
We planned our trip over about three-month period. We wanted to visit Earlene who had moved to near Greenville, South Carolina. The nearer the time got, the higher the excitement.
Traveling together as girlfriends allowed us laughter, fun, relaxation, good food, adventure.
By traveling together, we could share costs. We decided we could picnic one meal a day, stay in a hotel that served breakfast and then eat out for dinners. By traveling together, we could be thrifty. Besides that, we were staying at Earlene’s house when we got to South Carolina!
Our travels took us to the Great Smoky Mountains and we decided to drive through the mountains. It took us longer but we were up for the adventure. I marveled at God’s beautiful creation.
Seeing new places and visiting familiar places with new eyes brought out aha’s.
By the time we got to our friend’s house, we were tired, yet relaxed. We had a good time visiting her, seeing her new home, church and meeting her new friends.
One value of seeing different regions of the country and having the time to be reflective are insights into your own life. One of my aha’s on this trip was seeing how this South Carolina town looked so much like my southern IN town. I never considered how much I might have been influenced by southern culture. More God ponderings to come.
Re-entry processes include intentions, rest and gratitude.
The transition home can be challenging. Mountains of laundry awaited. Extended family called. Clients were waiting….
However, I realized what a gift the trip had been. Gratitude poured from my heart for my girlfriends’ presence, her urging to get away, my family’s support to be gone, our safe travels and the renewal I felt by doing so.
The one main thing I did to get myself acclimated to reality was to make a long list of everything swirling in my head so that I could refer to it later and then get myself back in gear the next day.
Then, my husband and I could catch up, I enjoyed my extended family, I finished the laundry, and I went to bed happy and tired.
What about you?
Even if you can’t get away for an extended time period, when and where can you plan a day away with a friend? You are worth it. By splitting costs, getting away makes it so much more affordable, too.
Now is the time to start planning for summer. Who can you plan with? Where can you go? When can you go? You can find someone to go with and you can find someone to watch the kids. It takes intentional planning, yet it is possible. Ask God how to work out the details.
Your health, wellness and relationships even within your family are renewed by you going away. It gives you an opportunity to reconnect with the person God has designed you to be. You never know what He might reveal to you.
I can’t wait to hear about your trip. I would be happy to support your thinking about going away for a day. Let me know how I can walk you through it.
Nancy Booth helps you discard chaos and get unstuck as you journey towards a well-nourished life after 50. She helps you embrace wellness, purpose and intentional relationships in your life. Her coaching process helps you design your own personal roadmap to help you build a healthy, purposeful and peaceful mind, body and soul. She would love to walk your journey with you, the life you’ve always wanted.