How to Make Your Life More Interesting (By Treating it Like a Vacation)

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If you're thinking: Why only four days?! It's because I got over-excited and over-planned, then decided to "Take it easy" after four days (which is so funny given that this was about making life more enjoyable) - and I think that's a fun lesson to not over-plan your leisure time! If you want to enjoy life, you have to go at a pace that feels good for you.
Alsoo this was a "working vacation". Two of my days were working, and two were the weekend! You can bring the vacation mindset into your work days with a few tweaks (especially! people who work remote).
I MENTIONED THESE THINGS…
☀️ Book: Time Smart by Ashley Whillans: amzn.to/3soBnnL
☀️ Book: The Power of Strangers by Joe Keohane amzn.to/3QOqGoo
☀️ Bumble For Friends: bumble.com/en-au/bff
☀️ Designing Your Life (Book): www.amazon.com.au/Designing-Y...
☀️ Variety makes you happier: www.nyu.edu/about/news-public... / www.nature.com/articles/s4159...
☀️ Book: Rest by Alex Pang amzn.to/45BuSMu
☀️ Awe as a Pathway to Mental and Physical Health: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti....
☀️ A Lesson From Ernest Hemingway in Why You Should Plan Your Weekends: www.artofmanliness.com/living...
OTHER VIDEOS TO WATCH
🧠 How to (actually) get more done + be more productive ☀️ - • How to (actually) get ...
🧠 The Bounce Back Strategies Playlist (momentum creators) - • Bounce Back Playlist
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💫 A QUICK BUT IMPORTANT NOTE...
You always know you best. Please take what resonates with you from this video and leave what doesn’t. My thoughts are always changing and evolving, and I might get things wrong. I appreciate you watching this video in a mindful way.

[@4eburawka18]

Idk, I think we are happier on vacation because we postpone all our worries, chores, and uneasy things to do to a later time (or sometimes we do those things in advance in preparation to a vacation). But I believe it's impossible to always be in this mode 😮

[@whiskedbyalicia8152]

I don't think the aim is to always be in this mode, I think of it more as a reset. A fun little way to bring balance back into our lives.

[@patchfire]

So interesting! Back in January, one of your videos posed the question “What would be the most enjoyable goal I could focus on this year?” The answer I landed on was “Travel, and carry the travel attitude into my day to day life,” so this has been my jam for all of 2023 so far. One of my favorite things is to do a perspective shift: “What would I be thinking about this drive if I wasn’t from this area? How would I think about this place or these restaurants or these people? What’s actually quite unique around me?” I also realized I love a plain simple clean hotel room, so I’ve been reallllly working on decluttering the house so I have that vibe when I walk in. I still love to travel (and have managed more of it this year than I expected in January!), but this mindset shift has been great.

[@shelleydenison]

Re: creating more opportunities for social interactions. One of the things I really love about going on walks on a particular trail in the morning is saying good morning to all of the cute older couples (and their dogs) also out on walks. Sometimes reminding myself of how good that makes me feel is the motivation I need to get me out on a walk.

[@jmsl_910]

smiling at people. IRL i typically avoid eye contact... except when i'm on vacation. a big genuine full-body smile makes me feel good AND it's something i do when i stay at a resort or go on a cruise

[@muchelleb]

This is such a good one!!

[@jmsl_910]

@@muchelleb 🩵🩵🩵

[@bishaldeb5910]

Hi Michelle, just leaving a message here to mention that there are some guys who follow your amazing content as well. I have been following you for years now and find the content super relatable and helpful. Thank you for your great work. One request from my end is if you can share your favourite reads and suggestions for audiobooks from time to time. That would be really helpful.

[@KarinasaurusRexx]

Timing of this video is great. I just got home from a vacation and realized I explored more in that area in a week than I have in my new city in the last 3 years. For shame. So I decided to not go anywhere I've already been for the rest of the calender year.

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

The connection with strangers thing is real. I left my home country half a year ago and moved to Paris. My home city is frequently ranked "unfriendliest in the world" while in Paris, people are easy-going and polite. Within weeks, I went from years-long depression to being calm and content, even cheerful. A general climate of amicability and sense of belonging makes a HUGE difference to quality of life.

[@herondelaney]

I love going to new places but every time I leave my house I end up spending £50 😂😂😂

[@Nessabirdie]

I do the schedule of emails tip and it’s AMAZING. I also take work email off my phone for the weekend.

[@kittykatFL23]

Since I started working from home, I find myself always talking to strangers! At the supermarket, at the park, in the stores…my kids think I’m funny but I don’t care, I like talking to people and my smile lingers after talking to strangers 😁

[@mairead354]

It always makes my day when you upload! 💗🌟 You always have such quality and unique content! 😃👌🏻

[@atiajanssens5654]

I think it also makes a huge difference in which surroundings you are. I'm from a large city in Germany but I moved to another large city in the Netherlands and now I live in a village in Belgium. I noticed the culture differences, with the Dutch being the most friendly and chatty people and the Germans the least. If you make an effort yourself, people will usually react kindly no matter where you are. I just noticed that in the Netherlands I got way more opportunities of chatting with strangers, because they're so happy to greet you, smile at you, strike up a conversation, they even sometimes just hum to themselves. For me as a reserved German, this was quite a culture shock. But I have to say I think this is a huge reason why they are always at the top of the list of happiest countries in the world (you know, next to the wealth and standard of living and free healthcare....)

[@GracebutnotGraceHopper-hu7cp]

Wow, your comment is a particular eye-opener for me because my dad's Dutch, and I used to find it sooooo embarrassing that he was always humming to himself! But by giving it this context, you actually help me to see it in a new way... As something quite sweet! So thank you for giving this more loving perspective, you're probably a very kind-hearted person! I hope you'll continue to have many warm and friendly interactions for a long time - with those humming to themselves as well as with everyone else! :)

[@atiajanssens5654]

oh thanks, what a lovely comment!@@GracebutnotGraceHopper-hu7cp

[@CiaraHilton]

Also eating lots of different fruits you usually don't eat make me feel like being on a vacation.

[@blackwomanminimalist]

Just stopping in to say thank you for everything you do. Your post are amazing and really refreshing.

[@allybartoszewicz]

I LOVE this whole video, thank you Muchelle!! So many good and actionable tips, as well as just an important reminder that we have the power to create the fun, awe-filled lives we crave-- whether we are on vacation or not! :) Watched this 3x in a row to drill that into the noggin haha

[@stacie6782]

Hemingway is an interesting person to quote when discussing happiness... 😅 lol no hate, love your videos !

[@allyjoyce]

Definitely needed this video!! Thanks Michelle 😊❤

[@milenasteffen7480]

The point about the variety of locations made sooo much sense to me, such a simple thing to implement too! Thank you for this video, your content is incredible ✨

[@brontebyars7695]

It’s really interesting because I’m from Texas, USA and here it is extremely normal to have someone just randomly talk to you for example in the grocery store or in line to get coffee it’s very common

[@KachkaHere]

This was such a lovely video! 😊 Thank you, Muchelle ❤

[@Memyselfandi2708]

I'm gonna start using the "worry time" method ASAP. That’s a genius way to go about it. Thank you for your good advices 😊

[@juliarocchio8860]

I love this topic. This is something I think about a lot. How to bring more joy and fun into everyday life. These are the kinds of topics I share on my blog because I want to help others as well!

[@eringraybeal2718]

The way I cackled at “going to attack them” 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@kerenelizondo8841]

This video is sooooo inspiring and helpful!! ♥️ thank you!!

[@user-se6tl5dq3t]

i love you!! pls keep on making videos 🩷

[@iHanna]

I need a staycation, this was so great. 💕🎨🇸🇪✂️

[@Mislimdaklepostojim]

We love MuchelleB😊

[@ilinzrh]

Gold Coast is an amazing place to be to do this! I live in Brisbane but come down here every weekend to see my partner, and i absolutely love the vibes here!

[@alinabelousova]

Every time I watch your videos they prompt me to action, even if it's not related to the content - e.g. do a weekly or monthly reset, etc. I guess I started associating your videos with action, which means any time I need a boost - I just need to click on play :D

[@deannaalee]

I’m very curious to know how many people in that study about weak ties were young women and if so what the nature of these interactions are. For instance, a cashier saying hello to you versus a stranger on the street saying hello, which would likely make most women nervous

[@L32067]

I love your videos!! they are great. but I was wondering if you could make a video based on University students who dont have weekends and need to work/study everyday... Im struggling to enjoy life and feel guilty when I have time off. Also if you have any tips of making the most of learning - especially when uni makes it so boring... thanks queen

[@katjaolsen1017]

OR the people who were happier and had a greater sense of belonging, naturally went out more and had more weak interactions ;)

[@Erika-pq7ip]

This is what ive been doing in my island 😂😂😂

[@narutosd8178]

Nice

[@swithheld9905]

I think US Americans are really good at the weak ties thing. we talk to anyone, anywhere. standing in line, with a cashier, while shopping, etc. it is very normal (at least where I've lived in the South, Hawai'i, and southern Cali; the northeast cities may be a bit different, I've heard?). it's definitely cultural. I was talking to some friends in New Zealand about this and it's not a thing they really do here I guess. a friend here from the netherlands just looked at me in horror, haha.

[@Pixii_1]

Second and omg it’s so helpful

[@freshfreshfreshfresh]

I second this

[@mirandag5974]

Oh my GOSH this video is pure GOLD! Please please please would you pretty please consider creating an entire series diving deeper into the concept of vacation mindset/vacation lifestyle? :) I'd kill for a whole series on this :)

[@asmaa.8293]

Hi Muchelle, thanks for the video. I would like to know please the relation between being a scientist and a musician and mastery?? I am not a native English speaker.

[@sandhyachristine7173]

She said that mastery is more important for "uncertain" jobs. So I guess she means that being a scientist is an "uncertain" job. Because of this they tend to also be musicians or mountain-climbers

[@grubhubboogieman6125]

HIII

[@mastandstars5869]

Curious if it’s just introverts who refer to people they don’t know as strangers or do my fellow extroverts use this word too? Yes… I have called other people strangers but only very very very rarely.

[@wardamohamed3308]

I’m curious. What do you call people you’ve never met before?

[@mastandstars5869]

I think I would say… I started talking to “the person at the coffee shop” or I talked to “this woman in the parking lot” or I asked “some random guy about…” I guess I label people by the location I encounter them in now that you asked 😊

[@wardamohamed9351]

@@mastandstars5869 I would say I usually use descriptors as well like "the old man who plays music all the time" "this girl from work." I think only use the term stranger(s) when teaching someone because it's more succinct and you can pluralize it.

[@Lireoec]

Why is your 's' so breathy and sibilant? It's like a high pitched hiss. Is it subconscious?

[@carolinafr7]

omg hi

[@aryabee]

Hi, love your content, but listening to your videos makes me tense because you talk very fast... i feel like you rush through your videos which leaves me stressed afterwards.