Aloha! The Hawaiian word for travel is hele, and you need more hele in your life – especially to scenic, relaxing, Hawaii. I see you, and I know you need a Hawaiian vacation so badly. In fact, I know 17 reasons you need to hop on a plane to the sunny islands and find some Hawaii beach rentals today.
Share this post with a friend that needs a vacation too. It will brighten their day to know you were thinking about them.
Keep reading to the end – I share some packing tips and links to a few posts that will help you plan your next vacation!
17 Reasons You Need That Hawaiian Vacation NOW
1. Sunshine is fantastic for your health
According to Harvard Medical School, moderate exposure to sunshine can reverse Season Affective Disorder (SAD) and increase levels of vitamin D in your blood (increasing bone health).
2. Making memories is the best investment
You know that saying “you can’t take it with you”? It’s true! So why not invest your money in memories instead of things that will just break or get stolen? Creating memories with your friends/family pays off for years to come. You will always have stories to tell, always having a bond over the shared experience.
3. Seafood is extremely healthy for you
Eating the food in Hawaii is actually very healthy for you! Fish and seafood is naturally low in fat, low in cholesterol and high in protein. And don’t forget the amazing healthy fats in fish! Go and indulge in the seafood, your body will thank you later.
4. To Practice mindfulness
We all need to practice mindfulness. What is mindfulness? According to Psychology Today, “Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you’re mindful, you carefully observe your thoughts and feelings without judging them good or bad.”
How many times a day are you stressing out about the past, or freaking out about upcoming deadlines or issues? If you are like me, the answer is WAY TOO OFTEN! When you go on vacation, you (hopefully) force yourself to think only about the present. Looking at the water. Soaking up the sun. Feeling the hot sand underneath your toes.
These are all things we should be doing every single day to maintain emotional and mental health. But we don’t. Vacations help us practice mindfulness and take this practice into everyday life.
Photo by Braden Jarvis on Unsplash
5. You need to see where LOST was filmed.
You seriously do! Remember that show we were all addicted to back in early 2000’s? It was mostly all filmed in Hawaii. It is actually on my bucket list to see those beaches.
6. Your brain is hardwired to need the ocean
“We are beginning to learn that our brains are hardwired to react positively to water and that being near it can calm and connect us, increase innovation and insight, and even heal what’s broken,” Marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols writes in his book Blue Mind. Studies are constantly showing us the health benefits of the ocean, but it is just in recent years that we are seeing that our brains actually need to be around water.
7. Ocean air heals your lungs
There has always been that theory that ocean air is good for your lungs – well now science is backing it up! In fact, one study has found that there are therapeutic qualities to ocean air that have helped lung disease patients.
So go on vacation, take deep breaths, it’s actually helping your lungs function better and heal!
8. Unplugging is better for your brain
When you go on vacation to Hawaii, do not spend the entire time on your phone! Take a few pictures, then turn it off. You can create an Instagram story or Facebook album on the plane. Unplugging is so vitally important to your emotional and mental health. It helps you experience the present and grounds you in the moment.
9. Experiencing new cultures is vitally necessary for your mental health
When we get stuck in the way we see things, it makes us even unhappier. Get out and see new landscapes, experience new cultures. A Hawaiian vacation will break you out of your current mental rut and help you see things from a new perspective.
10. You’ll do better at your job
Studies are proving that vacations make you better at your job, so you really need to take that time off! A 2011 Intuit study shows that 82% of small business owners who took a vacation experienced an increase in job performance upon their return to work.
11. Planning a vacation makes you happier
This won’t be very shocking, but it does have studies backing it up! The studies show that people planning or anticipating an upcoming trip tend to rate themselves happier than people who don’t have a trip coming up. The main study was led by Dr. Jeroen Nawijn, a senior lecturer in Tourism at the NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands.
You know you want to try this! Start planning your Hawaiian vacation and see how happy it makes you! You’ll be giggling through your TPS Reports in no time.
12. Stress is actually killing you
People with high stress levels are at a greater risk of heart attack and stroke. Stress also negatively effects interpersonal relationships, which increases stress even more. Break this sickening and deadly cycle by taking those vacation days. You will feel happier and it will benefit your health too!
13. Vacations Enhance Family Bonding
Living through shared experiences enhances deep emotional bonds. Yes, an unhappy vacation can create more tension, but a fantastic vacation brings people closer together. It is so worth the risk to vacation as a family or with your close friends.
14. Adventure sparks creativity
When you vacation in Hawaii, take time to relax and just be in the present. But also take a little time to hike the volcanoes and mountains and see some breathtaking waterfalls! Stepping out of your comfort zone will spark creativity and give you a fresh vision for your life (and work) back home.
15. If you don’t, you are giving your time away to your boss
So many Americans are just not taking advantage of their vacation days! By giving up this time off, Americans are effectively volunteering hundreds of millions of days of free work for their employers,” the researchers write, “which results in $61.4 billion in forfeited benefits.”
Don’t volunteer your time to your boss! Take that vacation – you earned it!
16. Saltwater is antibacterial
So not only is the ocean air good for you, but so is the ocean. Let the ocean water lap at your feet – the antibacterial qualities are amazing for your skin.
17. Life is too short not to!
Go out there and explore, live life in the moment! Life goes by in a vapor, so take advantage of every instant you have to soak up all the good, the amazing, the happy! You are worth it.
Ready for your Hawaiian vacation yet? I am! Here are a few tips to have the best vacation of your life.
How To Get The Most Out Of Your Hawaiian Vacation
1. Vacation Frequently
Studies show you are happiest when you are planning your vacation – so keep planning and keep going! Traveling frequently also has the added benefit of allowing you to take it slow on each trip.
2. Unplug
Sure, take some pics, but don’t stare at your phone the entire time. Practice the art of mindfulness – being present in your surroundings. This is the best way to experience the most benefits from your vacation.
3. Be Frugal
If you save your money each time, you’ll be able to take more vacations. Take advantage of lower priced hotels farther away from the ocean, eat at local restaurants. You’ll be so glad you did! If you also prefer having a more private setting then you could consider looking into a villa rental,
4. Don’t Plan To Do Too Much
Over-scheduling is the worst thing you can do on a vacation. Don’t keep yourself so busy you are unable to enjoy the beauty of the island!
Now go plan your Hawaiian vacation! It is so worth it!
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