Untying the Knot: Vacation for Your Soul
Divorce…. sounds like a good reason for a vacation to me!
Ok, I know what you are thinking: the idea of a vacation right after splitting up with your spouse is crazy, right? Obviously at this point, you have tons of emotions running through your body. Maybe sitting on the couch in your PJ’s watching Eat, Pray, Love and holding a bottle of wine sounds better? No way! You’re a Boss! The time right after a divorce is the beginning of the next chapter of your life, so why not start it off with a celebration?
Traveling is incredibly healthy for the body, mind and soul. Exploring and seeing different cultures will help you to put things in perspective—and who knows you might just see a hottie you can wink at for fun.
Think about it, when is the last time you and your girls really got together and let loose? Maybe before the kids? A few years ago?....
You are past due for the trip of your life. Let’s celebrate the new you, celebrate your strength, and celebrate your newly found independence.
Ok, are you with me? Ready to change your mental scenery? So, where should you start?
Here are 5 vacations ideas you should consider after you split up with your spouse….
- #BucketList- Let your hair down! Do that thing you have always wanted to do, take a dare, and do something unexpected. Most of us would love to travel more, so this is your chance to pack your bags and jet set. Where have you always wanted to go, but never had the time or the freedom? Go there!
- Get Ship-Faced! - That’s right take a cruise. Sail around the Caribbean with good friends. Or, take a solo cruise to relax and get away from it all! Cruises are most often all-inclusive, so you really won’t have to worry about much more than having an incredible time. You don’t have to go somewhere extravagant—but if extravagant is more your speed, why not go to Europe and cruise the Mediterranean?
- Pamper Yourself- Book a trip to Sedona, Arizona—one of the most beautiful and peaceful locations in the US. Or, stop at one of my favorites: WAKE Foot Sanctuary in Asheville, North Carolina.
- Need some more flexible in terms of location? Check out Canyon Ranch—it’s a must and they have a few locations around the US.
- Would you rather get pampered outside the US? Try out one of the COMO health retreats in St. Lucia or Bali.
4. Help someone: have you heard of a volunteer vacation? Volunteer trips are a huge trend these days. GoVoluntouring and GoEco have made it super easy for you to help people, animals, or any other cause you are into. Now more than ever, there are ample opportunities to help those with disaster relief and other important initiatives. Helping others is one of the best ways to help you, from a mental health perspective. It just makes you feel good.
5. Staycations- No, no, no… do not lock yourself in your home! I mean stay local: try that new restaurant, check out the new brewery in town, or explore the outdoors around you. Better yet, attend an event. Check out She Rises for local support.
These ideas are just a start, and if you want more options for an "Untying the Knot" vacation, several Caribbean resorts (especially, one of my favorites, the Breathless Hotel) have a special Untying the Knot package. It includes a cocktail making experience, a spa pass, a reserved area at their resort disco, an official Trash the Memory Ceremony (breaking a piñata with the exes face on…it is a real thing and sounds like fun), and dinner with your girls.
So, if you really aren’t sure where to go, you should go for this Untying the Knot experience.
A few TravelBash favorite places include:
Costa Rica - this location is easy on the finances and allows you to recharge with nature.
Kamalame Cay - notorious for divorce vacations, they have a special Le Divorce package, which includes a snorkeling trip and treatment at the overwater resort spa.
Mexico - anything goes in M-E- X-I- C-O! Cheap drinks, good times.
A few closer to home:
New Orleans – this is always a good time, you can literally eat your way through your feelings and dance while you are there.
New York City – it’s back to the Sex and the City days in New York, shopping in the Big Apple and trying the new restaurants will keep you from the gloom.
More adventurous? Thailand is as far away from the situation as you can.
Note: This time is clearly a very fragile period in your life, so if you decide to travel with someone, pick travel companions wisely—it honestly might be better to go solo, or with one or two besties. During this time, you really just need a small tribe with positive vibes.
But, Untying the Knot with your girls might just not be for you, and that’s ok too. Traveling is still important. If you aren’t up for a crowd, solo vacations are the new craze. (A few special places for recent divorcees include a long weekend in the Grand Canyon or Napa Valley, and if you really want to disappear try Kemptville, Nova Scotia Canada—no phone, no TV, just animals. Talk about off the beaten path.)
Take time to reflect.
Remember there is so much in life to celebrate. Count your blessings. Celebrate yourself, and don’t let her get away. You owe it to yourself.
Live, Let Go & Enjoy All of Life
Courtnie XOXO
Courtnie Nichols is the lead planner and founder of TravelBash. After years as an ambitious fundraiser in the higher education and nonprofit sector, she set out to build the leading boutique travel and destination event company from the ground up. And guess what? She did it. Since her first solo flight at the age of 10, Courtnie has lived and explored around the world – from London to Hungary to Greece. As a travel agent, expert destination event planner and natural connector; she uses her powers to create kickass trips and help others be their best. She currently lives, works and plays in Gainesville, Florida with her hubby, a college basketball coach and fur baby, a mini schnauzer named Zoe.