6 Thoughts From My 10-Day Summer Vacation

July 1, 2015 / in General Information / by Mic Johnson

Hi everyone…it’s Mic. My wife Missy and I recently got back from a 10-day vacation in California. We had a great time and I wanted to share a few thoughts and experiences from the journey:

1. Take vacations.

This one might seem obvious, but I thought it was worth mentioning because it’s easy to get busy and never get a vacation on the calendar.

Each and every one of us needs to make a conscious effort to take time off and unplug from the stress that comes from work and day-to-day life.

Missy and I typically take 3-4 day “long weekend” vacations and I have to say it was really nice to have 10 days to disconnect and enjoy ourselves.

2. Go someplace you haven’t been before…and EXPLORE.

I’d never been to San Diego before. I really enjoyed the tour of the USS Midway, riding a golf cart around Coronado Island, checking out the Gaslamp District, eating an amazing meal at Juniper and Ivy (owned by Richard Blais, winner of Top Chef All Stars), and doing a beer tasting at Ballast Point Brewery.

3. Become one with nature. Check out a National Park.

It was a long drive from San Diego, but we really enjoyed our visit to Sequoia National Park.

We did a couple of hikes, saw the world’s largest tree, and were thrilled to see four black bears and several deer.

On top of that, just being out in a peaceful, natural setting with nature and the fresh air was extremely relaxing.

4. Spend time with friends and family.

During our trip, we were able to reconnect with friends living in California that we’ve known for years. We were also able to spend an afternoon with Missy’s cousin and family, who we hadn’t seen in nearly 10 years.

I’ve known this for years, but sharing experiences with friends and family is what life’s all about…and we really cherished the opportunity to mix that into our vacation.

Reconnecting (and laughing) is just so darn good for the soul.

5. Eat well.

Missy and I are total foodies, so enjoying a few good meals is always a part of our vacation experience.

I mentioned the incredible meal at Juniper and Ivy, but we also enjoyed my favorite food, sushi, while on Coronado Island, had some great Mexican food in Orange County, and grilled out one night with friends.

You only get one shot at this life, so eat well.

6. Do something you’ve never done before.

I’ve often said “Outside of your comfort zone is where the magic happens.” While it can be hard to practice that in your day-to-day life, vacations give you the perfect opportunity to do something different.

On this trip, we went sailing for the first time ever. My friend Mike had been taking sailing lessons and chartered a boat from Dana Point Harbor.

It was a lot of fun, even though the dramamine didn’t quite prevent a few of us from feeling sea sick. Hard to get your “sea legs” growing up in Kansas, I guess.

In closing, I hope this post has inspired you to plan your next vacation. I’d love to hear about any exciting adventures you’ve already experience or have coming up!

Who knows…maybe you’ll inspire me to book my NEXT vacation!