This holiday, my spouse and I travelled to Big Island, Hawaii. It was the trip of a lifetime: spectacular views, incredible people, and up-close-and-personal wildlife. The best parts of the trip also taught me some great lessons in purposeful growth.
Here are the seven life lessons I learned in Hawaii.
Hawaii Lesson 1: Be still, and things will come to you.
It’s incredible what comes to you when you are still and observe the world around you. My spouse and I went snorkeling almost daily in the Kapoho Tidal Pools. We found that some of the fish (especially the saddle wrasse) would follow us around. When we were still, they would actually come right up to us.
Hawaii Lesson 2: Have a plan, but leave room for spontaneity.
Because we wanted to get the most out of the trip, we had a general plan for most days – where we would go, what we would see. On the way to a beach hike, we passed a lava tube on the side of the highway. Taking advantage of the moment and the incredible geological form, we pulled off to the side of the road and hiked through the tube. It was an amazing experience that would not have been possible if we weren’t flexible with our plans.
Hawaii Lesson 3: Wake up early.
I’ve spoken a lot about the value of waking up early. Now for us, it was was easier to wake up early in Hawaii because of the four hour time difference between Texas and Hawaii. We found that waking up early on vacation allowed us to see beautiful sunrises and enjoy early morning activities And, because the Big Island has very little light pollution (the stars were amazing!), we experienced a wonderfully dark environment for sleeping. As we all know, a good night’s sleep = an easier early morning.
Hawaii Lesson 4: Enjoy the outdoors, wherever you are.
You know the benefits of getting outside and exercising while traveling. There’s simply something special about going on a hike and exploring the natural landscape when you travel somewhere new. We enjoyed an outdoor activity every day of our trip- whether it was hiking in volcano national park, snorkeling in the kapoho tidal pools, or climbing down to a remote beach.
Hawaii Lesson 5: Never be afraid to be curious.
We went on two dives during our time away. On the first dive, my spouse decided to slow down and look under the coral. Up popped a green sea turtle! Just that one act of curiosity gave us the experience of a lifetime. On those two dives, we found seven different turtles nestled in the coral.
Hawaii Lesson 6: Journal.
You have read my posts on journalling. It’s something I learned from my grandfather and I have found it increases my creative productivity and gratitude. We did a lot of bullet journalling during our trip, because it was a simple way to record our activities. And, it made us happier during the trip, because we were able to remind ourselves of the great things that happened each day.
Hawaii Lesson 7: Experiencing wonder boosts happiness.
Exploring and discovering something new can give you a happiness boost. And, it’s important to recognize and cherish the moments of wonder – whether it’s experiencing a new place, meeting a new friend, or simply discovering a new recipe. In Hawaii (for me), it was seeing an active volcano for the first time.
What lessons did you learn over the holidays? Let me know in the comments!
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