My Surprise Vacation!! What I Learned + A Lesson On "Vacation Brain"

I just got back from my unforgettable SURPRISE birthday/anniversary getaway!! (It was so crazy not knowing where we were going)

We swam with pigs and were blown away by the breathtaking beauty of the islands. This adventure not only allowed me to create cherished memories but also helped me gain valuable insights into how to move forward (plus what I want to keep front of mind) in the coming year.
Join me in this episode as I take you through my amazing experiences and the lessons learned, which I hope will remind and inspire you to embrace the joy you have already created in your own life.

I love talking to you all about my concept of 'vacation brain' - a mindset where you're fully present and excited about each new experience. While seeing these untouched islands, the beautiful animals, and the wonderfully happy locals, I was reminded of the significance of applying this mindset to our daily EVERY DAY in some way, shape, or form.
By learning how to tap into 'vacation brain,' we can reframe challenging situations and bring more joy and inspiration into our lives.

Plus, I'm sharing an interaction I heard that really... I am very grateful I overheard.
It was a great reminder about the importance of finding happiness in the present moment, no matter the circumstances;  that worrying about things beyond our control is pointless, and it's our choice to make each moment good.

We're talking all about intentionally training our brains today, in the most fun, enjoyable way I know how!

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

We're always predicting the future. In some sense, it's just how your brain works, but how do you direct it? Do you direct it to worry Or do you direct it to excitement? Do you direct it to pain or to pleasure? The thing that truly lets us be happy and fulfilled and whole is how we perceive.

Speaker 1: 0:23

Hello, my loves, and welcome to the Purposeful Lifestyle Development Podcast, where we discuss all things thought, work and manifestation but we use neuroscience and the study of the brain to do so. I'm your host, tessa Spiesak. I'm a board certified practitioner, master life and health coach and seasoned executive speaker. If you're ready to create your highest value lifestyle and turn your dream life into a reality, you're in the right place. Let's get right into today's episode. Hello, hello my loves, welcome back to the Purposeful Lifestyle Development Podcast. I hope, however, and wherever you are listening in from, you are feeling amazing today, and don't forget to hit subscribe if you have not. I personally am feeling so relaxed and so refreshed right now.

Speaker 1: 1:11

If you tuned in last week, you know that I spent my last week somewhere, but up until the point that we got to our connecting flight, i had no idea where we were going. My husband just told me that we'll be on a beach to celebrate my birthday, our anniversary of our engagement, and it was really wild. Our flight was incredibly early in the morning so it was a little groggy and it was in this really strange part of the airport where we took our connecting flight. It was in the Miami airport way at the end and all I see on the screen is it says Georgetown, but in my sleepy state I could only think of two Georgetown's, and the first was South Africa, which, i don't know, maybe is known for its beaches, but not something we'd ever discussed, so probably not South Africa. The other one I could think of was Georgetown, texas, but that's like 30 minutes from our house, and after giggling at me for a minute, he finally told me we were going swimming with the pigs in Ixuma. It was the Georgetown in Bahamas.

Speaker 1: 2:25

I had mentioned to my husband a few times, literally just in passing, like when beachy things came up in conversation, and that's our favorite way to vacation is to go to beaches, do a little island exploration. So it's come up more than once, but he knew that it was on my bucket list to swim with the pigs and I don't know. I have never put in any work to this decision. It's something I've always really wanted to do, but he did it. That's exactly what we did. It was so, so amazing. So I'm going to tell you a little bit about it, just because it was so cool. But then I'm going to go into some of the things that I guess I learned on this trip, or maybe just was reminded of, and the things that I'm taking away, i'm going to focus on in this new year of life.

Speaker 1: 3:15

So, okay, let me tell you what we did on the first day. We got in pretty early. Like I said, we had a super early flight and we had a lovely lunch right there on the beach. We explored around our resort, we played in the water, which was unlike anything I've ever seen literally the color of Windex. You could still count your toes, even if you were standing in water that was up to your hips. It was insane. But the second day, that was the day of our excursion and it was a whole day of fare. I absolutely loved it.

Speaker 1: 3:51

So, to get started, we got on the boat and the very first thing we did was go to Pig Island, and it is an island solely inhabited by pigs and chickens and a few lizards. Right, it was so cute. These guys were well trained, they knew what was up. They're like big dogs. They all just swam up to the boat because they know where. They're. Feeding them carrots some of the older ones, i'm telling you. They're even trained to sit. I got to snuggle up with some brand new babies. they love to be held. This one I was carrying around just fell asleep in my arms. It was amazing. If I told you that I wasn't tearing up, i would be lying. I mean, i was actually so excited I forgot to take my shirt off. We were going in our bathing suits and I totally soaked it before I even realized. But, oh my gosh, it was so great.

Speaker 1: 4:46

And then, after visiting with the pigs and feeding them some carrots, we went back on the boat and went out to this beautiful blue hole. We went snorkeling and I've been a scuba diver for like 20 years now, so I love this kind of thing And we got to see some really, really incredible fish and coral. There was this really deep drop off in the ocean floor, so it was really creating this awesome habitat for a lot of different types of fish, some really big and bright colored fish and coral, super, super beautiful. And there's something about being out in the water like that, just in that entirely different reality that always puts things into perspective for me in a new way that I can't exactly explain. But I'm just reminded of how beautiful and curious an amazing life on this planet is. And after we finished up diving it was kind of starting to rain. That was a bummer, but we had a surprise that just blew my mind and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. So we ended up going to another island.

Speaker 1: 5:58

This is kind of a tour of islands here And I think there's something I heard. There was like 365 islands in just Exuma, you can remember, kind of like one for every day of the year, but around 700 islands in the Bahamas. So lots. But we went to one called Allens Kay and it was solely inhabited by iguanas. They were like literal dinosaurs. No one ever put them there, they've just always lived there. Some were huge I'm talking longer than I am tall. I think there were some that were there while we were there that were over 80 years old. We fed them all grapes and some of these they even like to be pet. It was really mind blowing, even as we left they kind of like watched the boat leave as if they were really curious or something, or maybe they even like when people come They're kind of trained. They know that we bring gifts of grapes and entertainment. But that was really really cool.

Speaker 1: 7:03

And next on our little excursion, they took us around to see these two islands that this billionaire Swiss woman bought. That was very, very cool, very inspiring. I think she's going to build out some kind of resort or something like that, but it was really wild to hear about what this woman was doing And I know for me it definitely had me questioning some limiting beliefs that I have, that's for sure. But next on our excursion we went to this completely empty island. It had nothing but little critters and birds and crabs and things like this And I got to say, all of it kind of broke my brain a bit. I guess I'm so used to seeing some form of human presence. But in all of these islands that we visited there wasn't even a sign stuck in the ground or a single human sign of intervention. It really kind of surprised me that I was surprised about this, if that makes sense. But it was just purely 100% nature, nature as it is And it was really really beautiful.

Speaker 1: 8:20

And at the last little island we were able to take some shells and coral that had washed up on the beach. And I decided to take this little white piece of coral to remind myself of this place Because for me, i really wanted to keep memory of that feeling. I just feel like anytime something quote of this world, so to speak would start to bother me or worry me or make me anxious, i think I just want to remember this place. It really reminded me how big the world is and how, from our own perspective, we can really get stuck on things or be bothered by things that in the grand scheme of it all it really doesn't matter. And I was trying to come up with a really poetic way to say this, but basically, while I was there, i just kept thinking like man, how am I ever going to get upset about something like a difficult email or being stuck in traffic or something that's kind of trivial like that, when, in the grand scheme of things, knowing about this place and really seeing it with my own eyes, knowing that this is our world too, i just I don't know. It really helped almost calm my nervous system, in a way like a reminder of what is really important or what I allow to be big enough for me that I allow it to shake me or bring me down energetically, and I want you to hold on to that thought and maybe pair it with something else that you might have heard me talk about a little, which I like to call vacation brain. It's a concept that I came up with that I like to explore with people, especially when we're doing some coaching or something and life is getting a little heavy, for lack of better words, and I want to talk about that concept.

Speaker 1: 10:14

For me, when I think of vacation brain and what vacation brain is to me, it's when you are completely present in what you're doing in that moment. It's when you're searching for little things to see and to be excited about and what you can explore. It's when you want to wake up early to take on the day. You want to fit it all in. You definitely aren't looking to be distracted. You're not trying to be doom scrolling on your phone or you're not being worried about the things we see happening on the news. Instead, you're actively avoiding anything that can bring you down Or, if something is going on, you're really trying to reframe it in a positive way.

Speaker 1: 11:00

When you have vacation brain, you aren't just going through the motions, but instead you're actively searching for all the beauty and the new and the special that you can see. You're trying to take it all in, and I know that this isn't something that you can replicate all the time. It's not something that we're doing 24 seven because, let's be real, that's not rational. But I think it is something that I believe we should know how to turn on. It's something that should be on at least to some degree for us, at least most of the time, or even a tool that you know how to tap into when you're feeling down or stuck or uninspired or bored with the mundane. It's figuring out how to romanticize what you're doing, romanticize your day and look for all the ways that you can enjoy it more, to find the inspiration from it, to get the most of it and out of it. And it made me giggle, because this is something that I coach on. I think it's really a pillar of how I help is extracting something similar to that, but I overheard a piece of a conversation that was pretty in line with this while we were out exploring that week.

Speaker 1: 12:17

So there was this older woman and she was very clearly well off. You could tell by her outfit, by her bag, her jewelry. She had her whole beautiful family with her. They were all equally just well to do. And she was talking to a local guy who was working with some of the boat tours And she was really adamantly asking him something like you know. But seriously, i don't understand Is everyone out here really this happy? This seems like no one seems to be bothered by anything that goes wrong, or there's never really a problem.

Speaker 1: 12:51

And I was kind of gathering from this conversation that there was some issues docking And this guy was like, okay, well, we're fixing it, we'll fix it then. And he wasn't really bothered by it, which made this lady totally flabbergasted. She couldn't grasp why a problem, or what she perceived as a problem, wasn't upsetting him. And he was basically telling her you know, if there's nothing I can do about it in this very instant, why worry about it? The fix is coming, it's on its way. Why be upset about it? Right, and she was very confused and she couldn't imagine. You know she's asking all these questions how are they going to make up for timing? Is she going to get her money's worth, you know what if she's late for something else, all these things. And he just calmly listened and, you know, smiled to himself a little bit and told her not to worry, trying to explain island time to her a little bit, and that's about all I heard.

Speaker 1: 13:47

But I definitely thought about that interaction further because he has a really good point. I mean, look at where we were. We were all standing in a beach that is considered one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful beaches in the whole world, and she was about to go on a boat for the sake of nothing but play and pleasure with her family. Why ruin it by choosing that? this is something that's going to upset you. Why not just let it get fixed?

Speaker 1: 14:19

We can't undo a problem just because we didn't want it to happen, but why suffer about it? This is an opportunity to look at the beach with your honey, to be present in that moment, rather than worrying and fretting about being maybe a little bit postponed or losing a few minutes when the problem hasn't even been brought up yet. Right, choose how you want to perceive that moment, just like any other moment. And I'm saying choose on purpose and not be an ugly here, but if we really think about it, the lady had a choice in that moment. Is she going to let this little delay cause a lot of worry and decide to go through all the what-ifs, what's going to happen, all these things When it could have been as simple as okay? we'll wait to resolve this problem and I'll walk with my honey and my family on the beautiful sand until it does, seeing this little delay as even an opportunity to do something nice. Or it can give you the opportunity to stress and worry.

Speaker 1: 15:24

And what if? that's a choice you have to make, and there's a quote I've heard before that says worry makes you suffer twice, and it's really something I try to live by. Choose to make the moment good whenever you can. One more quote, sorry, but this is one I keep on my desk. It's from St Augustine. It says if we live good lives, the times are good As we are, such are the times. I love that And I really try to keep this in mind all the time.

Speaker 1: 15:56

You guys know I talk to you all as well about this, but you really do get to determine how you will continue to view things as they come up. What perspective do you want? Some of my favorites are that reminder is this is happening for me? Like the lady in the boat waiting, she could have thought this is happening for me because now I have a few extra minutes to explore, i get to touch the sand, i have even a minute to meet the people around me, maybe engage in a lovely little chat. Maybe this means I'll be five minutes later that I was going to be, which means I'll walk in at the perfect timing somewhere. We're always predicting the future in some sense. It's just how your brain works. But how do you direct it? Do you direct it to worry Or do you direct it to excitement? Do you direct it to pain or to pleasure?

Speaker 1: 16:51

I think about the man that she was talking to, and this guy gets to wake up every day in this beautiful, majestic place. He gets to play with boats in this gorgeous water. He gets to see people on their happiest days, people who are on holiday and vacation, and they're all loving his beautiful home. Why would this man choose to let something like that bother him? Why would a five-minute delay need to be five bad minutes, or however long it was? Why would that be enough to bring him down emotionally when it doesn't have to.

Speaker 1: 17:27

This all was an exchange that I was really glad that I overheard. And again, definitely no judgment to the gal. I hope she was asking genuinely and maybe that kind man was really able to share some real wisdom with her that she can take home. But I hope I always keep an attitude like the man with the boat. She clearly had most, if not all, of the material things that she could want. Like I said, clearly well off, well dressed, well groomed there with her beautiful family. She was stressed out Out of all the wonderful things that were happening around her. She was pretty determined to focus on the problem only And the fact that the people around her didn't do the same absolutely baffled her. So I'm really glad I saw that exchange. Like I said, it was definitely.

Speaker 1: 18:15

It got me thinking and really good reminder for all of us. It's a great reminder that things don't bring us happiness, situations even don't necessarily bring us happiness. At the end of the day, the thing that truly lets us be happy and fulfilled and whole is how we perceive, how we perceive the things around us. The day that we're in the happenings around us And I'm really happy and really excited and a thousand percent ready to take these lessons and reminders with me into this new year. Reminders to talk about the things you want. Make them a part of your regular vocabulary. You never know how you can potentially speak this into existence, how you can always and are always directing your life.

Speaker 1: 19:05

The reminder just to choose what we focus on All these wonderful things happening around us.

Speaker 1: 19:11

Don't waste your precious time worrying about problems that haven't even happened yet and may not even happen. The reminder to spend your time exploring how and focus on how all of this can and really is for your benefit. You're always predicting the future to some extent, so watch what your predictions are And remember, tap into your vacation brain whenever you can. You don't need to be anywhere special or doing anything special to make the moment special. And with that, my friends, if you haven't heard it yet, today, i love you, have a wonderful week and I can't wait to hear what good comes to you. But all right, my loves, that's where I'll leave us today. I want to thank you so much for joining in on this conversation with me, and each week, every Monday, we're going to be posting a new episode, going a little bit deeper into the conversation of what you can do to train your brain on purpose to really allow for the lifestyle that you want to live. Until next time, my loves. In the meantime, here's to your health and your happiness.