The vacation is a pressing time with high expectations for many, according to Siri Helle.
It is the time of year when you are expected to realize yourself. We have our routine daily life but on vacation you should travel, have fun hobbies, go on excursions and socialize.
It can be about feelings of shame or guilt for not wanting what is expected.
First and foremost, it is friends and acquaintances that we compare ourselves to.
No one is surprised that Ronaldo or Taylor Swift has a more luxurious vacation than I do. On the other hand, when my colleague or best friend has it, you think "it could have been me".
Limits screen time
The comparisons take place both on social media and in reality.
But what is special about social media is that you can compare yourself to others all the time on all parameters. Previously, you might have had a tough first day at the office when everyone told about their vacation, but now you might not even get a break.
For that reason, it may be good to limit screen time.
A smart thing is to unfollow or pause accounts that fuel this, which you probably should have done anyway. Then you do not nurture the feeling more than necessary.
Acknowledge the feelings
A good first step is otherwise to acknowledge the feelings of disappointment or jealousy. They are there for a reason to give us a signal about what we need.
Otherwise, there is a risk that they will come out in other ways. Your friend tells about their wonderful vacation and then you just sit there and say passive-aggressive things like "I do not like paella anyway".
It is important to ask yourself what you yourself want and long for in life.
You may not want to travel to the Riviera at all, but just have more variation in your daily life, it is actually possible to fix in other ways.
Talk to others
It is also important to remember that you are not alone in your feelings.
Just because people do not show emotions does not mean they do not have them. Overall, it is good to talk to someone in your vicinity, it is likely that more people feel the same way.
Can it not be okay to just be disappointed then?
Yes absolutely. It is not the end of the world and it is a part of being human.
