Do you ever feel like all you do is wake up, go to work, eat, go back to bed and then start all over again? It's not that life is bad but it's just the same, day after day with no real forward momentum.
Well of course you're making strides in the long run but sometimes the daily grind can just wear you down. Maybe your job doesn't even stink. If life doesn't seem really bad but more like just like beige the solution could be as simple as making an impromptu getaway.
Ugh, what about money?
Well here's the deal you can do an unexpected weekend for cheap just by swapping houses with a friend, sharing expenses at the beach, or signing on to house sit in a new locale. And don't forget that tax refund you've got coming. This is by no means a suggestion to wipe out your savings, it's a call to live a little in a new and unexpected way. The key is to try and drop everything on a dime and just go – and the resulting euphoria or making it happen will be far more important than the way and place you choose to spend your time. It's a matter of making your heart feel free and good.
What about the kids?
If you and your partner are needing to reconnect and rekindle then just make it happen, either by taking the kids to Grandma's or to their friend's house for the weekend. Even offer to return the favor so those parents can get away some time too.
Feel guilty? Well don't because you being happy will ultimately make you a better parent.
Break Old Patterns
So you've decided to just go for it but then you and your partner start over-planning and possibly even bickering over the logistics. Stop. Just stop. The point is to connect, not put barriers between you. If you're an A-type over-planner then allow yourself the liberty of going with the flow just once. That doesn't mean you should hop in the car and not check the oil, or merely hope you'll get a condo during Spring Break, but it does mean letting yourself be a bit more spontaneous than you normally are.
Take Some Time for Yourself
If you're single or you and your partner could do better to take a weekend apart don't be afraid to do that. You can come back to share your experiences and feel more connected than ever. Routine is good and can help you streamline your days, months and years. Stagnation is not good. Be careful to recognize what aspects of your life are routine and which are ruts.
To really find that feeling of being free and unfettered it doesn't mean you have to ditch all of your worldly responsibilities but it does mean you should find new and creative ways to keep mixing things up. Not just for you but for the people you love. Because stability is great but living with rigidity and no room for change is of no service to anyone. Life is nothing if not change, so why not embrace it by being the instigator every now and then? You'll be glad you did.