Word-Of-the-Week #1085: Vacation
June 5, 2025 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #1085: Vacation
Vacation – time devoted to pleasure, rest, or relaxation.
Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer. Have you made any plans to take a vacation? Would you like to have less stress and feel better?
This week features “Why taking a vacation is good for you. Data shows that getting away can boost your health, happiness and love life” by Beth Howard for The Washington Post.
“Vacations can sometimes seem like more trouble than they’re worth when you come home to a full inbox and a fire hose of problems requiring immediate attention.
But people who skip vacations may be missing out on important health benefits, according to a growing body of research linking regular getaways to everything from better heart health to a lower risk of metabolic disorders and even a longer life. A 2025 review of 32 previous studies in the Journal of Applied Psychology also found that the immediate effects on well-being are more profound and long-lasting than previously thought.
Among the findings in one longitudinal study that followed more than 12,000 men at high risk of coronary heart disease: Those who took a vacation every year over a nine-year period reduced their overall risk of death by about 20 percent and their risk of death from heart disease by as much as 30 percent, according to the study’s main author, Brooks B. Gump, a professor of public health at Syracuse University, who studies the health effects of taking vacations.
In other research, Gump and his colleagues found a similar connection between the frequency of vacations and metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions — high blood pressure, high blood sugar, a large waist circumference, low HDL (“good”) cholesterol and high triglycerides — that raise the risk of heart attacks, stroke and diabetes. Each additional vacation the participants took lowered the risk of metabolic syndrome by nearly 25 percent.
Other researchers have identified links between taking vacations and fewer stress-related physical complaints, lower levels of exhaustion and depression, and greater happiness and well-being.
Even short breaks have health payoffs. When middle managers were assigned to either take a four-day vacation or take time off at home, those who left town reported greater positive effects on stress and well-being, according to researchers at Austria’s University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology. And unlike a tan line, the vacation “afterglow” continued for as long as 45 days post-vacation.
- Bedroom benefits
Not surprisingly, vacations may also help pay down a sleep debt, long associated with a greater risk of obesity and diabetes, a 2022 study in Nature Human Behavior suggests. Researchers relied on data collected from Sony SmartBands worn by some 20,000 people, covering 218,000 nights of travel, some of which may have been for business. Among the travelers, people who were sleep-deprived — sleeping less than 7.5 hours a night — clocked more hours of sleep when they were away from home. (People who typically got more than 7.5 hours nightly tended to sleep less well on the road.)
“My guess is that if someone doesn’t sleep a lot at home, then sleeping someplace new might be an opportunity to catch up,” said study co-author Sune Lehmann, professor of social data science at the University of Copenhagen. People who usually sleep well may miss the routines that help them doze off at home, he said.
A 2024 study by American and Dutch researchers found that couples who take vacations that involve novel, interesting or challenging experiences keep the romantic spark in their relationships, resulting in more physical intimacy afterward.
“Passion can fade even in good relationships,” said study author John K. Coffey, associate professor of psychology at Arizona State University. “But the more new experiences couples had during their vacation, the greater their passion and physical intimacy were after the vacation.”
The key, he said, is to engage in activities that satisfy the innate need to learn and grow, a concept known as self-expansion. You don’t have to “go big” with an expensive adventure, he said. Exploring a new city, visiting a museum or trying different cuisines can make a difference. Even bad experiences like getting lost or missing a connection can bring you closer. Coffey acknowledged that other factors could account for the intimacy boost. Having the leisure and wealth to travel in the first place might reduce a couple’s stress, leading to a better sex life.
More than the immediate rewards, “vacations provide a buffer against chronic stress and inflammation — both of which wreak havoc on the body,” said Gump. Vacationing turns off the spigot of stress hormones like cortisol and allows the body to reset, restoring equilibrium, he said.
With a total break from work, “you regain lost psychological resources like energy and positive mood and emotions,” said Ryan Grant, a doctoral student at the University of Georgia and lead author of the vacation aftereffects review study. Vacations that involve physical activity and socializing with family or friends can be particularly good, he said, since both have been shown to improve health outcomes.
- Making the good times last
To ensure your vacation packs the maximum wellness punch, experts provided these tips:
- Minimize engagement with work. “During the vacation itself, it is key that [you] mentally disconnect from work as much as possible,” Grant said. Limit the time you spend taking work calls or answering email to once a day or less. This season of the TV series “The White Lotus” provides a perfect example of how not disconnecting can be very bad for you.
- Be active. Grant’s meta-analysis found that engaging in physical activity during vacation was the top predictor of better health outcomes later. (Social activity was the second most important factor.)
- If it’s hard to get away for a single long vacation, schedule several short ones. Wellness benefits accrue regardless of a vacation’s length, research has shown (though you may get a bigger boost the longer you are away). Some data suggests these benefits are less seen among people with high-stress jobs, however.
- Savor the memories of your vacation to extend the afterglow. Jessica de Bloom, a professor of psychology and public health at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, who has led several studies investigating the effects of vacations on well-being, says this can be very helpful to health. Picture the whitecaps or perfect waves from when you were taking surfing lessons in Puerto Rico. Or try to duplicate the indescribable mole you tasted in Oaxaca, Mexico, and feel the pleasure and delight rush back, or remember the warm wind from an hour-long bike ride you took. “Keeping a vacation diary or talking about the top three experiences of the vacation may help people to attend to and appreciate the positive vacation experience more,” de Bloom said.
Regardless of the setting or circumstances, Grant said, it’s the breaking up of intense periods of work with long periods of rest and recovery that makes the difference to health and well-being. “We need vacations to take care of ourselves,” he said.
This week’s focus is about taking a vacation. When was the last time you mentally disconnected from work? Have you ever taken a vacation that involved novel, interesting or challenging experiences? Would you like to have greater intimacy and satisfaction in your personal relationships?
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Word-Of-the-Week #1084: Purpose
May 29, 2025 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #1084: Purpose
Purpose – the object toward which one strives; aim or goal.
Are you doing and pursuing things that matter to you? Do you do work that you love?
This week’s WOW features more great thoughts from Sam Horn.
ANECDOTE
Years ago, I presented a workshop for Open University on a step-by-step approach to staying focused – no matter what.
That workshop contributed to a rewarding career and to writing my book called ConZentrate which has taken me around the world and given me opportunities to do work I love that matters – with people I enjoy and respect.
After the workshop, several people came up to me and said some version of: “It looks like you really enjoy what you do. I wish I could do work I loved.”
People talk about finding their calling as if it exists out there somewhere intact, and all they have to do is look long enough and EUREKA, there it will be, hiding behind a tree.
I think our calling – doing work we love that matters – emerges from doing and pursuing things that matter to us. It’s not found, it’s forged.
Purpose comes as a result of turning our passion into our profession and our joy into our job.
ACTION
How about you? Would you like to do work that matters?
I suggest pursuing opportunities in alignment with the Four I’s below so you can catalyze a life you love where the light is on in your eyes.
- What do I find INTRIGUING? What INTERESTS me?
- What is something that is in INTEGRITY, meaning it would benefit people and add value for them and me?
- What is a problem, need or opportunity that has caught my attention and my INSTINCTS are telling me, ‘Somebody should do something about that?”
- What puts the light on IN my eyes when I’m doing it?
Remember, work we love is not out there waiting. It’s a result of us creating… So get busy doing and pursuing what matters to you.
This week’s focus is on purpose. Are you doing work you love that matters? What do you find intriguing and/or interesting? How would it feel to turn your passion into your profession and your joy into your job?
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Word-Of-the-Week #1083: Gratitude
May 22, 2025 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #1083: Gratitude
Gratitude – a feeling of thankfulness or appreciation.
Do you know that expressing gratitude regularly can increase overall happiness and reduce depression? Are you taking time to appreciate life’s small wonders?
This week features the last half of “The happiest people in the world say “yes” to these 5 things, according to science” by Tina Fey at DMNews.com
To Recap: “We all know someone who seems to radiate happiness from the inside out.
They’re the kind of people who appear genuinely content—through both ups and downs—and make us wonder, What’s their secret? They have…
- A sense of purpose
- Healthy relationships and community
- Continuous growth and learning
- Practicing gratitude
“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings,” the writer William Arthur Ward once said, and I couldn’t agree more.
There’s nothing quite like pausing to appreciate life’s small wonders—warm sunshine, a good meal, or a caring text from a friend—to immediately shift your mindset.
In fact, Harvard Health research points out that expressing gratitude regularly can increase overall happiness and reduce depression.
This doesn’t require a grand gesture. A simple habit like writing down three things you’re grateful for at the end of the day can make a lasting impact.
I started doing it in my thirties, and it was so subtle at first that I barely noticed a difference. But over time, I realized that the moments I used to brush off were actually precious highlights.
If it’s not part of your routine already, consider giving it a try. It’s a small “yes” that can have a huge ripple effect on your daily life.
- Mindful self-care
Last but definitely not least, let’s talk about self-care—an area where many of us struggle to say “yes.”
Between work responsibilities, family obligations, and social gatherings, setting aside “me time” can feel like a luxury.
However, I’ve learned that it’s not just an indulgence; it’s vital for mental well-being.
Over the years, I’ve seen clients push themselves to the brink of burnout because they believed self-care was frivolous. Then they’d collapse physically, mentally, or emotionally, and they’d realize how crucial it really is.
Whether it’s going for a walk, reading a good book, practicing yoga, or simply taking a few minutes to breathe deeply, these moments replenish your reserves.
You don’t have to spend a fortune on spa days—true self-care often involves basic self-attention.
This is backed by science, too. Taking time to relax and re-center has been linked to lower stress levels and increased emotional resilience.
In my own life, a few minutes of daily meditation have become non-negotiable, and I genuinely believe it makes me a calmer, more present partner, friend, and counselor.
- Final thoughts
If you’re already saying “yes” to some of these areas, congratulate yourself—it’s not always easy to prioritize what truly matters.
If you feel like you’re not quite there yet, that’s okay. It’s never too late to start making small shifts that point you in a happier direction.
The common thread among these five factors—purpose, relationships, gratitude, growth, and self-care—is that they all nurture who you are as a whole person.
They’re not quick fixes or one-size-fits-all solutions; rather, they’re guiding lights that you can adapt to fit your own life and preferences.
Wherever you are on your happiness journey, I hope these insights give you fresh ideas to explore. Feel free to pick just one to begin with, then gradually incorporate the others in a way that feels comfortable.
After all, life is a process—and the most fulfilling journeys often start with a simple “yes.”
This week’s focus is on gratitude. How would it feel to write down three things you are grateful for each day? Are you taking time to relax and re-center to replenish your reserves? Would you like to have less stress and be calmer and more present?
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Word-Of-the-Week #1082: Content
May 15, 2025 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #1082: Content
Content – mentally or emotionally satisfied with things as they are.
Are you guided by a clear sense of purpose? Do you have genuinely supportive people by your side?
This week features the first half of “The happiest people in the world say “yes” to these 5 things, according to science” by Tina Fey at DMNews.com
“We all know someone who seems to radiate happiness from the inside out.
They’re the kind of people who appear genuinely content—through both ups and downs—and make us wonder, What’s their secret?
I’ve often pondered this question in my own life and work, and I’ve noticed a pattern: happy people tend to embrace a handful of core commitments that light them up and keep them grounded.
Does that mean they don’t struggle? Of course not.
But there’s something special about the way they choose to live and the principles they prioritize.
If you’re looking to boost your own sense of well-being, here are five things the world’s happiest folks say “yes” to—backed by research and my own observations as a counselor.
Let’s dig in.
- A sense of purpose
Have you ever asked yourself, Why am I doing what I’m doing?
It’s a big question, and I’ve found that those who consistently feel happier are usually guided by a clear sense of purpose.
They aren’t just going through the motions or chasing other people’s definitions of success; they’re fueled by a deeper “why.”
Purpose can be as grand as championing a charitable cause or as personal as wanting to be the best parent you can be.
The crucial part is that it resonates with your core values.
As Martin Seligman, often referred to as the father of positive psychology, has noted, having a purpose in life is closely associated with higher levels of well-being.
It gives you a reason to get up in the morning and devote energy to something that truly matters to you.
In my own journey, discovering that my calling was to help others through counseling gave me an internal compass. Even on tough days, I remember that I’m part of something bigger than myself.
- Healthy relationships and community
Have you noticed how much easier it is to tackle life’s obstacles when you have genuinely supportive people by your side?
It’s not just anecdotal—several long-term studies, including the renowned Harvard Study of Adult Development, have shown that meaningful social connections are a key predictor of long-term happiness.
Over the decades, researchers found that people who maintain strong bonds with family, friends, or community not only experience fewer emotional struggles but also tend to live longer and healthier lives.
I’ve seen this firsthand in my counseling practice with clients who have at least one or two close confidants. They exhibit higher resilience when stress hits, and they generally feel more grounded day to day.
Whether it’s a few close friends or a supportive community, investing in these relationships is about choosing quality over quantity.
When you embrace authentic connections, you create a network of belonging and trust that can truly elevate your overall well-being.
- Continuous growth and learning
Another thing the happiest people in the world say “yes” to is lifelong learning.
They say “yes” to growth, whether that means diving into a new skill, exploring a different culture, or simply taking on a hobby that expands their worldview.
Research in neuroscience shows that the brain craves – and thrives on – novelty. This is why engaging in novel and challenging experiences boosts happiness; it creates a sense of accomplishment and wonder.
When you allow yourself to be open, even a little bit, there’s no telling what exciting doors you might unlock.
This week’s focus is on being content. Are you satisfied with how things are? Does your work resonate with your core values? Do you have meaningful relationships? When was the last time you engaged in a novel or challenging experience?
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Word-Of-the-Week #1081: Acknowledgement
May 8, 2025 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #1081: Acknowledgement
Acknowledgement – the act of recognizing and validating one’s existence.
When was the last time someone pointed out a positive attribute that you possess? When was the last time you recognized and acknowledged someone’s positive attributes?
Once again, Steve Straus, author of STEVE’S 3-MINUTE COACHING, sent a very thought-provoking piece.
Personal Need: For Acknowledgement
(An unmet Need causes us to feel empty, incomplete, or less than whole. Fulfilling a Need gives us freedom to be ourselves.)
We live in an age of under acknowledgement. To acknowledge someone is to see a positive attribute of them and tell them so. We do this far less than we could. Thus missing the benefits we could experience. Plus, a continual absence of acknowledgement can lead to a neediness for it.
When receiving an acknowledgement some have described the feeling they experience as one of being ‘gotten’ as in, “He/she gets me. They see an aspect of me that’s real.” A deeper level of connection results.
An acknowledgement is different and deeper than a complement. (See S:0089) When you acknowledge someone, or something about them, you are forging a bond which can last.
But to go a long time without being acknowledged is to see it develop into a Need. At that point we start doing overt actions trying to prompt one from others. That neediness is off-putting, actually interfering with receiving what we are so needy for.
To recognize you have a need for acknowledgement is the first step to letting it go and being free. You might want to start with self-acknowledgement – catching yourself doing something well.
Most people are so under acknowledged that when they do hear one they soak it in like rain on a dry lawn.
Coaching Point: When were you last acknowledged and how did you feel?
See all past issues and subscribe here Steve’s 3-Minute Coaching
Copyright © 2025 Steve Straus, All rights reserved.
This week’s focus is on acknowledgment. What goes around comes around! How good are at recognizing others for their accomplishments? Would you like to have deeper connections? When was the last time you acknowledged yourself for doing something well?
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