A couple weeks ago, I stepped away from my laptop, put my phone on airplane mode and walked into the National Portrait Gallery by myself in downtown Washington, D.C. I’ve lived in the D.C. region for four years now and this museum has been on my “to see” list for that length of time. On that day, I purposefully moved it onto my “to do” list. Two hours spent wandering long hallways gazing at portraits dating back to the time of Queen Elizabeth I, all the way up to the current U.S. Supreme Court Justices, was fascinating and a wonderful creative release. This visit inspired me to take mini “stay-cations” more frequently and continue to cross off sites and activities that are on my hometown bucket list.
Here are my tips on how to be a tourist in your hometown and make these “trips” a regular occurrence:
Make a List
What places have you wanted to visit in your hometown? Perhaps it’s a park, museum, restaurant, hiking trail, or a festival.
Mark it on Your Calendar
Block time for one trip on your calendar and pick an option from your list. Write out the details of your future visit on your calendar including the day, time, place, and who you want to invite (if anyone). Remember that the length of your visit doesn’t need to be a full day; a couple hours may do the trick!
Don’t Back Out
The week before your visit, re-commit to your decision. It’s easy to push a stay-cation off, saying that __x__ (kids, work, cleaning, etc.) are more important. But refrain from crossing this trip off your calendar! Mini stay-cations are equally important to make time for, so allow yourself the break.
Unplug
Commit to unplugging on your visit. This may be tough to do, but it’s important. It’s easier to turn the phone and computer off when you travel to a far-away destination, but I really encourage you to approach these mini stay-cations with the same attitude. The world will not come to an end because you didn’t check your email for a few hours and, in fact, you’ll probably feel more refreshed from the break.
Repeat
After your first visit, determine whether you want to make these stay-cations a regular occurrence, and, if so, schedule more time blocks out on your calendar to commit the time.
Call me Meghan. As I sit down to introduce myself, I can’t help but wonder why I named my blog, megbollenback.com. Perhaps it was born out of a moment of rebellion or just a symbol of change and trying something new. To bring you into my world, in Fall 2014 I effectively retired from my corporate career, running operations for a high growth healthcare start-up company. Prior to that, I spent some time working in the hospitality industry. Since the fall, I’ve started my latest journey and adventure as a writer and creative professional in Washington, D.C. I blog about food, life and am starting to discuss the process I’m going through to intentionally craft a lifestyle and career that I value and find joy in. I’ll be sharing thoughts on that process here at CAKE&WHISKEY and look forward to sharing my perspective on the sweet and spirited side of business. And honestly, I answer to Meg, too.
Blog: www.megbollenback.com
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Twitter: @megbollenback
