Now that summer is officially here, I can start executing my travel plans!

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And … I don’t really have any big plans. I’ll be in DC a bit more than usual, due to some conferences and a few in-person activities I have to do for work. Other than one weekend in Atlanta, I’ll be pretty close to home. I remember at one point in my life I would have been saddened by my lack of travel plans, but now I’m just enjoying the downtime. I did quite a bit of summer travel over the past couple of years which was fun but a tad tiring.

With my new role as a co-caregiver for my grandmother and great aunt, I’m no longer able to pick up and go whenever I want. I have to coordinate supervision and do resource management if I plan to take any trips. It may sound like a drag, but there’s a sweetness that permeates this situation. Aside from the satisfaction of knowing that my loved ones are well cared for, and that they are thriving in unprecedented ways, there is a loveliness that comes from being still and a tad domestic. Being home more means I can actually take a closer look at my surroundings and note, with precision, what I love and what doesn’t delight me. I figured out that this summer is a great opportunity for me to really finish turning my home into my dream house. I started already, by going through each room and ruthlessly analyzing what should stay and what should go. Once I’ve moved out what isn’t serving me, I can focus on only adding what thrills me.

Whenever I travel overseas, I often find myself having an incredible time, then coming home and having quite a bit of difficulty adjusting to my routine. It’s such a challenge getting back to the regularity of my life, and it’s in that regularity that I am my most accomplished, efficient and healthiest. So, by postponing my international travel until later this year, I give myself a chance to shore up my energy and get some of my ongoing home projects done before I get back to jet-setting. Not to mention, saving travel money this summer means more resources for incredible travel in the future!

Another perk of staying close to home during this time of the year is that it helps me to avoid many of the crowds that overtake popular vacation spots during the summer. I love London, Lisbon and Athens, but the number of visitors that descend upon those cities in the summer makes them less appealing. Navigating through throngs of people may not be completely avoidable throughout the year but it’s practically impossible during the summertime, especially in Europe. I’d rather go during a different time of the year, when most people are unable or unwilling to travel.

So, in short, no big summer travel plans. But I’m looking forward to the short getaways I have scheduled, converting my house into my dream space, and spending time with my friends. I can’t wait to take you all on this journey with me!