When my Husband came to me and told me that it was time for our annual boat trip vacation I should have been ecstatic. I love boating so much: The Zen and beauty of the ocean, the opportunity to do my favorite watersports, getting to go fishing and especially getting to experience and explore new destinations! All of these things make me so happy and this is a trip I’ve looked forward to every year. I always struggle with taking time “off” for myself because I am always so busy with my many projects and this year was particularly difficult.
I am a workhorse. I thrive on immersing myself in my work and doing all that I can to better myself and advance my acting career. I am at my happiest when I am working, strategizing with the JLA Team and accomplishing things, so I was daunted by the idea of taking a vacation at such an important time in my career!
After putting up a fight, my husband and I reached a compromise. I would be allowed to work in the mornings and take some time during the day when there was a lull in our plans. With that agreement in place, I packed up my favorite bikinis and summer dresses and headed to our yacht for our summer cruise!
Vacation, even if you’re like me and spend parts of it working, is an amazing thing. What I love about these vacations aboard our yacht is that it combines the relaxation of being on the water which at times makes you unreachable because of the lack of cell service and the excitement of getting to explore different cities as we dock in different ports. Being without cell service, if you’re anything like me, can make you a little anxious. As there is so much going on in the JLA Office every day, I hate not being reachable. Once you get used to it and learn to accept it for what it is, being unreachable can be quite freeing.
Being on vacation has forced me to take time for myself and has allowed me to get re-acquainted with my appreciations for the simpler things in life. I have been able to take time to meditate daily which really helps my soul and overall sense of being in the moment. With my busy schedule, meditation has recently had to take a back seat as there is so much going on with my busy career.
Taking this time for myself has also allowed me to focus on and enjoy my relationship with my husband without the usual daily life happenings that we are usually inundated with! Having the time to reconnect with him was so refreshing and invigorating! While our journey has really just begun, we have had time to talk and laugh and go on adventures and just enjoy each other which has been the most refreshing and enjoyable experience! Just yesterday we rented a Jeep in Nantucket and went on a joyride where we drove on the beach and laughed and sang and ran through the sand dunes just living in the moment and enjoying each other’s company! We even saw a whole bunch of seals that were so close to us! Just walking on the beach, putting my bare feet in the sand and enjoying the beauty of nature surrounding me was wonderful. It made me appreciate the simple things in life and I felt my soul lighten up. It was a great day.
Days like those and trips like this allow me to really put my life into perspective. I work so hard every single day because my dream of being an important actress is such a big part of me. Every morning on this trip I wake up early and I spend at least three hours working on my diction and upcoming roles. When I am not working I have been taking more time for myself and enjoying some of the things that I don’t have the luxury to do when I work my typical 15+ hour days. (I’m not kidding when I say I am a workhorse!). I have loved getting to explore new cities along the coasts of where we dock and I love stand-up paddle boarding. Letting loose and having these experiences has been so fulfilling and enjoyable and I feel so blessed to be able to take this short break!
Chasing your dreams can be a full time job and a half! While I am the first person to encourage you to dedicate your all to making your dreams your reality, I am also going to be the one to encourage you to find a balance and take a break every once in a while to appreciate your relationships and all of the other wonders of this beautiful world we live in. You can find a balance! Even if you wake up early like me to get your work done, there is a way to have it all. Allow yourself these short breaks because there are so many important elements in your life that need attention. Sometimes when we focus so heavily on work and/or chasing our dreams, we forget about these other things that make us happy too! Work on finding your balance and go out and live your best life! Workhorses can have fun, too ;) XO