[vc_row type=”in_container” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Ahh I’m back in LA and it feels so good! I had an amazing week in Puerto Plata and I’m feeling re-charged and ready to go! It had been a while since I had taken a vacation and it was much needed. It really helped remind me how important it is to take time for yourself and get away.

I’m not going to lie, as I’m writing this I’m pretty exhausted. My connecting flight into LA got delayed so I ended up in Miami for a little over 6 hours and didn’t get into LA until 5:00am, not to mention switching time zones. I’m still adjusting and recovering from the jet-lag but I’ll be good to go once I’m all adjusted!

I had an amazing week and I can’t wait to start planning the next one. Vacations are so much more than just loads of fun! They allow you to let go, relax, unplug and clear your mind. They help you to re-charge and come back even happier and more clear-minded.

Full disclosure, I went into total vacation mode. What I mean is, I didn’t stress about anything. Anything. I ate what I wanted, I worked out when I could, and I didn’t stress about missing workouts or eating things out of the ordinary. I relaxed, enjoyed the beautiful scenery and had a blast! How a vacation should be! 🙂 

When’s the last time that you took a vacation? It doesn’t have to be out of the country, or even out of the state or city that you live in, but it’s super important to take time for yourself to relax and rejuvenate. Need some reasons to take a vacation? Well here ya go! 😉 

1. Reduce your stress levels. Extended periods of stress elevate your cortisol (stress hormone) levels, which really wrecks havoc on your body! Take some for stress-free relaxation.
2. Relax, unplug, and recharge. Vacations give you the chance to really just relax and recharge. Everyone vacations differently but the key is to have a stress-free time! Allow yourself total relaxation and fun!
3. Increased productivity & happiness. Vacations really allow you to recoup. When you come back you’ll feel refreshed and ready to catch up on everything you may have missed while you were out. Get ready for increased productivity, inspiration and happiness.  
4. Increased mental clarity & power. Research conducted by Gregory Hickman of UCI showed that the processing capacity of the mind is limited. This means we need breaks for maximum mental power. “Time off tunes up a well-functioning brain”
5. Create memories and experiences. This is HUGE! Vacations allow you to create memories that will last a lifetime. What’s the point of working so hard if you can’t actually enjoy life?
6. Helps keep your heart healthy. Taking yearly vacations has been linked to a decrease in cardiovascular disease—Seriously! If none of the above reasons have convinced you yet, this one should! The Journal of the American Medical Association released a study that found that men who take frequent vacations are 32% less likely to die from heart disease than those who skipped on vacations. And that’s just one of numerous studies with similar findings. How crazy is that?!
7. YOLO. Hahaha okay but seriously. You really do only live once, so don’t get stuck working so hard to make a living that you forget to create a life. We have a limited amount of time here to do all of the things that we want to do, so make it happen!

I hope that you start booking your next vacation now! Start planning, prepping and getting excited! It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant, super expensive, or across the globe–just take some time out to relax and recoup. Your body and mind will thank you!

Here’s to planning your next vay-cay!

Until next time,

Xoxo

Ashley[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]