My actual family vacation versus the fantasy, social media version

We all know how a trip presents on social media is starkly different from how it really is. 

Speaking of social media, in my fantasy I'd be the person who disconnects when away, focuses on what’s in front of me and leaves the rest at home.

One day on vacation I went 9am-2pm without social media and it was a challenge. I pretty much posted the whole trip.

In my fantasy, my kids would try every new food with gusto.

In reality, my son almost threw up tasting poké and I think he had fries with everything 

In my fantasy, I'd feel better physically finishing the trip after being away and eating well. 

I did eat well -lots of salad and ceviche but cocktails, not enough water and constant restaurant food makes a bathing suit not as much fun.

In my fantasy, I'd be happy and relaxed while away but truthfully, when I relax, I have anxiety about things I should be doing and I was away with 5 family members.

In my fantasy, 3 generations away sounded like a dream. The truth is managing expectations of people ages 13-83 is kind of a nightmare. 

Don't get me wrong, I love to travel and explore. I love the things that go wrong (um NEVER go to a luau) as much as things that take your breath away (helicopters, who knew?) but I wanted to assure you that life isn't all margaritas and beaches- as great as that would be...but it's still damn good.

The Horoscope Diet

Do you ever read your horoscope and feel it rings eerily true? Maybe you don't read horoscopes at all but, even if you say that, I'd guess when you see yours you peek. Horoscopes are confusing for me. I'm what they call "on the cusp" between two signs. This makes me insecure as sometimes I'm a Leo and other times a Virgo. I've sided with Virgo mainly because everyone says "you're SUCH a Virgo." What they mean by that is that I'm particular and either neurotic or a control freak or, in my case, both. 

Anyway, I'm on a plane right now. I have my usual seat next to the crying baby and I read Marie Claire magazine in an attempt to distract myself. In about 10 minutes, I found myself on the horoscope page. My horoscope basically said do one thing at a time. Revolutionary? No,  but it was a reminder I needed. For example, yesterday I was in the house for most of the day and found myself making a red white and blue açai bowl, researching a trip to Hawaii, reading the first section of the Times, purging two drawers from my closet...you get the point. At 10pm I realized I hadn't done the 1 thing I needed to do which was packing for the trip I'm on. 

It occurred to me that this acute case of ADD (not making light of ADD) could be seasonal or summer-related. I see a lot of it with my clients. If you're suffering from the summer sloppies - don't say you'll wait until September to get it together!!! At the same time, you're not going to clean everything up. So pretend you're a Virgo and do one thing! Do you need to socialize a little less and cook or bbq at home? Ditch the day drinking? Stop staying up late? Pick one thing and focus on that behavior for now. If you'd like you can do our Sept Squeeze to focus on your food even further (we're announcing the details next week). And if you're wondering about my birthday? I'm sure you're not but I made my own reservation (Virgo) at Senza Gluten.

Are you a horoscope person? Or, can you relate to the need to focus on one thing versus many?