I Got Away

This past weekend I went to a Getaway House in Ohio to escape for a bit. Not from anything serious—I haven’t traveled on my own in a while and working from home is getting increasingly boring and uninspiring. Following great advice from my therapist, I decided to pack a small bag and drive up north to a large camp filled with tiny, modern cabins.

I spent two nights in a cabin called 'Joseph'. It was very tiny but perfect for one or two people. It had all of the amenities one would expect from a hotel suite plus a quaint outdoor seating area with a fire pit. Indoors, a large window above the bed took up more than half of the back of the cabin so you could stare into the wilderness while lounging.

It was peaceful.

I spent the first-night journaling, listening to Outlander on audible, and working on my vision board. That’s right: I brought glue, poster board, and a random assortment of magazines and clippings with me so I could manifest this crap out of my life. I felt relaxed and unburdened by the goings-on outside of the campgrounds which was the goal.

The drive here was long but not exhausting. I felt good because I knew my destination would be a memorable one. Even the large number of TRUMP / PENCE signs in rural Ohio didn’t bother me. To each their own.

I made this trip without a concrete plan of what I wanted to do. I don’t mean planning which park I would visit or which trail I would walk—I didn’t completely know what to do with the solitude. I know that I needed it so I could think and focus on my desires without the use of technology (something I relied so heavily on), but I didn’t know what I was hoping to get out of the experience.

While searching for my reason, or my ‘why’, I discovered that the simple act of coming out here on my own was the catalyst I needed to push myself out of my comfort zone more. I don’t often go on road trips by myself, usually relying on the footwork of others. But this time I knew I had to do something that was for me and planned by me. My why was finding inspiration or motivation to give myself more life experience.

Like I mentioned earlier, I journaled and worked on my vision board during my getaway. It allowed me to reflect on how I was feeling and what I wanted to do moving forward. It’s hard to do these things when I’m at home because there are so many distractions—errands to run, chores to do, and regular socializing. I journal at home too, but here, I was able to put pen to paper more fluidly and let the thoughts roll out organically. It felt great! As for my vision board, I didn’t take it seriously until I started working on it here. I started noticing a theme in the clippings I glued to the poster board—peace, happiness, and growth.

Here’s a scenario, you’re young and you have time and have extra spending money. Have you ever wondered what to do with those precious commodities? Don't wonder, just get away. You need it even if you feel like you don’t. We get so swept away in the comings and goings of our busy lives that we forget that as humans it necessary to recharge, reflect, and rebound. Society makes it seem like we always need to be occupied to find success. But you’ll never be successful if you can’t breathe on your own. So book a Getaway, unplug, and vibe out.