The Final Countdown: How to Stay Motivated in the Days Leading Up to Your Big Trip

It's the final countdown!! (I bet you just sang the theme in your head, didn't you?)

We all know the excitement and the agony of those final weeks and days before the trip of a lifetime. I myself am currently in that purgatory as I type. I am mere weeks away from a two-week jaunt across Australia and New Zealand, and I can not wait!! I know it's going to be a blast, but I need to stay motivated in my normal life for a little while longer.

Stay Busy

Keeping yourself occupied is key to making the days fly by. You know how those busy days at work always seem much shorter than the ones where you have nothing to do? At least that's the case for me. Leading up to a big trip, I make it a point to stay active. I go to the gym a little more frequently (never hurts if you are working on that beach bod for your upcoming trip!) and set work goals. I need to make sure I can get everything done for my regular work before going on vacation.

Let The Excitement Build

Staying busy will help keep the days from dragging by, but that doesn't mean you should forget about your trip entirely. Let that excitement and anticipation build! It's okay to be a little anxious to get going, but turn that anxiety into excitement. Print out pictures of your future destination at keep those handy at work for inspiration. Heck, I even have a countdown of days stuck on the bottom of my computer monitor. It's ok to have something to look forward to! Embrace it!

Don't Stop Preparing

Keeping the trip fresh in your mind by googling some last minute pit stops you'd like to see. At this point, you probably have all your big ticket items booked (hotels, attractions, flights etc.) but don't hesitate to keep searching out the best local restaurants or some fun places to visit - like local book and yarn stores (sometimes I think I am actually 90 years old). This will make you feel like you are still actively moving towards the trip, instead of just waiting around in agony.

I know waiting it never easy, but it's a part of life - so make the most of it! If you need some help getting your trip ready, check out my website MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com. I'd love to help!

The Joy of Leisure Vacation

For those of you who have seen my posts, you know that I am an adventure traveler. I absolutely love it! My daydreams always revolve around where my next great adventure will take place. I have a massive trip coming up in a little over a month. A few friends and I are going to spend 2 weeks trekking across Australia and New Zealand doing everything from snorkeling to rolling down a huge hill inside an inflatable ball to spelunking to taking a helicopter up to the top of a glacier. It's going to be awesome! That said, I just enjoyed a very nice relaxing vacation where the most exciting thing we did was go to Walmart. I was thinking about what to write for today's post and almost passed right by my most recent trip to New Mexico. But I think leisure vacations definitely have a place!

We were visiting family in Albuquerque and had a very chill week. We didn't go on a single hike or visit even on museum! And you know what? It was AWESOME! We just laid around the rental house, read books, watched Christmas movies and enjoyed being with family. While this particular trip did not really satisfy my adventure itch, it sure did rejuvenate me! And the views from the car as we drove to Walmart and back were GORGEOUS!

It certainly helped that we had already explored the area the last time we came to visit New Mexico. In fact, we hiked up that very mountain!

As for this trip, I tried to stay off of my phone and instead I took on a thousand-piece puzzle (which we didn't end up being able to finish - frustrating!), read tons of books, painted and spent quality time talking to some amazing people. I think it's important to take a relaxing vacation every once in a while - or even a stay-cation! Not every vacation has to be this big, grand adventure. Sometimes staying in one resort and laying on a beach all day every day can be just what you need.

That said, I am rested up and READY for my next big adventure! If you'd like help planning your vacation - chill or daring, up to you! - I'm happy to help. Visit MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com.