“There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home…” Many will instantly recognize the sentence that Dorothy repeated while tapping her glittery, red-clad heels in order to depart from the Land of Oz. While Oz was full of dazzling, frightening creatures and beautiful places, Dorothy wanted to return home to Kansas. She missed her family and the familiarity common with home. While unceremonious, the farm of her childhood provided her with activities wildly different from Oz. Accordingly, vacationing is a spectacular way to relax and get away from the common. Circling back to a home base may be a relief after the excitement of a sabbatical. The presence of community, outdoors activities, culture (music, art, theatre), history, and acceptance …show more content…
Humans crave social interaction and may experience loneliness if deprived of it. Finding a community is not always easy and changes to our personal interests often lead us to seek out one. The specific people who make up your people may be part of a running crew, a group of readers who love to drink while discussing books, or inside a guild in the video game you love to play. It takes time and effort to find those who are YOUR people. Look for them. It’s likely they are searching for you, too. Ideas of where to meet new people who share your interests: www.meetup.com, Facebook groups, message boards at the library or coffee shop, or classes at your local university. Outdoors The positive effect of nature and outdoors activities on mental health is established in numerous research studies. Outdoor activities in your area may differ due to weather and seasons. When feasible, walk barefoot in the grass while enjoying the sunshine and Vitamin D. Grounding yourself in this way and stepping away from normal activities will refresh you. In order to find the wild side of your city, meander down a park or greenway trail, visit the zoo and observe the animals, or enjoy the scent of blossoms at a botanical garden. Ideas of ways to find outdoor activities: Web search “outdoors activities near me”, call or visit local parks, and www.activeoutdoors.info. Creative