Summer is winding down to a close. School is starting. Routines are returning to normal. Maybe you are suffering from the post-summer, post-vacation blues. I don't know about you, but sometimes I wish I could live my life on vacation! 

Summer is winding down to a close. School is starting. Routines are returning to normal. Maybe you are suffering from the post-summer, post-vacation blues. I don't know about you, but sometimes I wish I could live my life on vacation!  Unfortunately, that dream cannot become a reality. So, how do we combat the doldrums that daily life can bring? What's a mama (or a daddy, grandma, grandpa, etc.) to do? When the vacation is over, and you are in the midst of daily life, how do you continue to have fun and cultivate relationships in your family? I love helping my clients design travel experiences that will help their family make lasting memories. When we escape from the everyday details of life, it seems easier to create magical experiences for our families. Experiences that live on in our memories. Experiences that help family members to bond with one another. Experiences that help cultivate relationships. I was reminded recently about the power we have to influence our family's vacation memories. We have the power to create magic with our loved ones or let the melt-downs take over and ruin the vacation. This got me thinking about everyday life. The same is true. We have the power to cultivate relationships and create meaningful moments everyday or let the boredom and mundane rob the joy from our families. So, how do we do this? How do we keep the vacation mentality alive in our daily lives? How do we make a little magic everyday for the people we love? Create Joyful Experiences I am a list-writer and a task-completer.  When I wake up each day, I have a mental list of all of the items that must be accomplished in my day.  I take stock of the activities on the calendar and make my game plan to make sure every detail is taken care of.  Unfortunately, that sometimes means I forget that my kids like to play!  I have to be very intentional to create room in our daily routines for fun...for JOY!  Sometimes this means an unexpected trip to the park, or the creek.  Sometimes it means snuggling up on the couch for a fun read-aloud.  Sometimes this means building a fort in the living room.  If I want to build on the memories we made during vacation, to have fun with each other in daily life, then I have to provide space for fun in our everyday life! Find Joy in Your Daily Life It is so easy to get caught up in our daily duties.  Work. School. Chores. Laundry. Cooking. Cleaning. Our list of daily responsibilities seems endless.  We cannot forget to celebrate our lives.  We must be intentional about this, though, or we will forget to make this a habit.  Every night, at the dinner table, we take turns sharing our Favorite Moments from the day.  This daily practice allows us to reflect on the Joyful Moments we have each day.  We also learn more about what brings our loved ones joy throughout the day. This dinner tradition has given our family many reasons to celebrate our lives together, even during the post-summer blues. What can you do to help your family Find Joy in your daily life? It's up to you!!  The only way to combat the post-vacation, post-summer blues is to create experiences for your family to Make Memories and Find Joy together!! When you are ready to plan your next great adventure, head over to my Agent Page, so we can get started dreaming together!