#31: Creating a Life You Don't Need a Vacation From

Ashley Lind reflects on her recent vacation and shares insights on how true peace and fulfillment come from within, not from changing locations or circumstances. She emphasizes building a life of intentionality, connection, and spiritual alignment to find everyday peace.

In This Episode: 

• The illusion that changing scenery fixes inner dissatisfaction
• The importance of internal peace over external circumstances
• Practical ways to cultivate peace daily, not just on vacation

Chapters:
00:00
Vacation Reflections: A Trip to Florida

03:32
The Illusion of Escape: Finding Peace Within

05:40
Deep Questions: Life Beyond Surface Level

08:23
Building a Life of Peace: Everyday Intentions

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Have you ever noticed how we talk about vacations? Like they're the solution to everything. Like if we could just get away for a week, if we could just sit on a beach somewhere, if we could just escape the routine for a little bit, then everything would feel better. And listen, I love a good vacation. The sunshine, the ocean, good fruity drinks with way too much sugar in it. I'm all for it. But recently, I realized something really important. And that's that a vacation does not fix your life. Welcome to the Let Me Help Podcast, a lifestyle podcast packed with simple life hacks, organizational tips, real talk on faith and marriage, homeschooling insights, parenting encouragement, health and wellness conversations, and so much more. Whether you're busy juggling life, consumed in the chaos, or just craving some clarity, it's my intention to help make your life a little smoother. One episode at a time. So we were in Florida recently, and it was a wonderful trip. We were blessed with great weather, had a hotel right on the ocean. We actually lumped onto one of my mom's business trips. So we had a lot of free time to just soak in the sun and enjoy ourselves, and it was great. And one afternoon we were setting out to go to a restaurant for lunch, which was right on the beach, and there's music playing. You know, we had ordered um some fun frozen drinks. Everyone's getting a lot of sun and we're just in full vacation mode. Honestly, looking back on that moment now, those like few hours that lunch was probably one of my highlights of the entire trip. But, anyways, I tell you this story because what really stuck with me was actually our waiter. Our waiter's name was Ben, which made us all laugh because my husband's name is Ben, we call him Big Ben, my brother's name is also Ben, we call him Little Ben. And now apparently, here our Florida waiter is also Ben. So I decided to start calling him Florida Ben. And he kind of laughs and he's like, Oh, that's funny. That's the first time I've ever heard that because he's actually from the Midwest. Anybody want to guess where Florida Ben is originally from? You guessed it. He's from Minnesota. Okay, so he tells us he's moved out there recently just to try something new. And it kind of hit me in that moment that for us, this was vacation. You know, this would end up being one of the highlights of the trip for me. And we're sitting there enjoying the ocean by the waves, eating seafood, you know, having our beverages, watching the girls play in the sand. But for him, for Florida Ben, for Waiter Ben, it was simply just another Wednesday at work, just another shift. We were just another table. It was just another day. And that moment really stuck with me because I think sometimes we imagine that if we could just live somewhere beautiful, that life would feel like a vacation all the time. But the truth is even the beach becomes normal eventually. The sunsets become routine, the ocean becomes background noise, and suddenly you're just living life again. You're just working, paying bills, navigating relationships, trying to stay healthy, trying to stay connected to the Lord, trying to keep your home running well, right? You take your life with you wherever you go. You can't escape your habits, you can't escape your relationships, you can't escape the way that you feel about yourself, your confidence, your health, your finances, your spiritual life, like all of that comes with you, whether you're in Minnesota or sitting on a beach in Florida. And I think sometimes we quietly believe this lie that if we could just change the setting, that everything would feel better. If we lived somewhere warmer, if we moved to a new town, if we took more vacations, if we had a different lifestyle, but location doesn't fix what's happening inside your life. So I was thinking maybe the better question isn't where can I go to escape my life? Maybe the better question is how do I build a life that I don't constantly want to escape from? If the only time you truly reset all year happens on vacation, your life probably needs some restructuring because God didn't design rest to happen once or twice a year. He designed rhythms of rest to happen numerous times a day, like slow mornings, evening walks, dinner at the table, real conversations with friends, time without your phone, small pockets of peace inside the very ordinary days. A beach cannot fix your marriage. A sunset cannot fix your self-worth. A poolside drink cannot heal your relationship with your body. And moving somewhere new won't magically create space for your soul. And moving somewhere new won't magically create peace if your soul is already restless. Sometimes what we actually need isn't escape, it's honesty. Honesty with ourselves. That's what I got from this vacation. I came back feeling rejuvenated, yes. Love the sun, don't get me wrong. But in a lot of ways, I almost came back feeling heavier because what vacation did for me was it held up a mirror. I want to feel the same on vacation than I do at home. And guess what? It goes both ways. The same problems that were here at home with me, they came to the beach with me too. That mirror had me looking at my life and asking, what actually needs attention right now? What actually needs healing? What needs to change? What would need to be true for me to be completely 100% happy in this place or any place, or the vacation next year or six months from now? Like, it doesn't matter. I don't want happiness to be a place on vacation. One interesting thing about getting into your late 30s, early 40s, I think, is that life starts to slow down a bit. Like it's going faster because we're getting older, but it's starting to slow down just long enough for us to ask deeper questions. And I have always, always been what my family would call like an old soul. I love going deep into conversations, surface level conversations. It's just not for me. I like to ponder and talk about and dive into questions like do I actually like how my life feels? Not just how it looks, but how it feels. Does it feel peaceful? Does it feel connected? Does it feel meaningful? Or does it feel rushed and noisy and exhausting? And I want to challenge others to ask these same questions too. It's a huge reason why I do this podcast. I see so many people walking around with the weight of the world on their shoulders. And in conversation, they'll just talk about things that they're working towards, you know, like things that they think are gonna fix it, um, a new project, a bigger savings account, the next vacation that they're planning. But here's something I've been learning. Peace isn't something you find in a location or in a bank account. Peace is something God builds in you, wherever you are, honestly, with whatever you have, how little that might be, when your life is aligned with him, when your priorities reflect what actually matters, when you slow down enough to hear his voice, you start experiencing peace in ordinary places, not just on vacation, but places like your kitchen, your living room, not just during the weekend, but in the middle of a Tuesday, on a walk around your neighborhood, during a drive with your kids to the grocery store. Guys, Florida was beautiful. The ocean is, you know, a wonder that you have to see and feel to believe it. It was Ellery's first time at the ocean. It was my niece's first time on a plane. It was awesome to bring them to experience these things. But you know what's also beautiful? A quiet morning at home. Coffee in our kitchen, in the quiet, having a conversation, our bed, Allery being safe in her own home, you know, that feeling of just being home. That kind of peace you do not have to travel for. That kind of peace can be found in your every single day life. So of course, you guys, take the vacations, enjoy the beach, order the fun drinks, spend too much money on dinner, rest your body, do it all. But don't, do not, please, I repeat, do not spend your whole year waiting for one week away to feel alive. Start building a life that feels peaceful right where you are, a life that's slower, more connected, more intentional, more aligned with what actually matters in your life. Because when your life is rooted in the right things, you don't spend all year waiting for escape. You start enjoying the life you already have. Thanks for listening. I hope there was something that blessed you in today's episode. If you enjoyed it, would you take a second to subscribe to the show or leave a quick review? It helps so much. And if you know someone who could use a little boost, please share this episode with them. Until next time, take care and thanks for letting me help.