The Dahlia Diaries Blog

Beat the Travel Day Slump

7/5/2023

Ways to unwind after a rough travel day.
The worst part of a vacation is when it's over and you have to deal with the travel day. Unfortunately, more potential terror is waiting at the airport. Travel days can be exhausting, taking the last little bit of strength left just to get on a plane to go home.

Rushing to check out, ride share waits/prices, long lines, security checks, and even trying to find the gate. Imagine having the best island vacation only to have it end by having to sit and wait at the airport OR even worse on the plane. It can make one forget about all the great times in an instant.

Unfortunately, there's no way to escape airport woes (outside of the usual tips of getting there early). We're all human and inconveniences can turn a good mood into a bad one. However, with a little bit of focus, there are tricks to add to the first day home to tap back into that vacation mode.

After arriving home, only unpack your essentials. The rest can wait.

Here are ways to unwind after a vacation:
Exhale on the plane ride home. Finally time to board. Get in touch with the friendly skies by allowing the ride home to be a place for initial relaxation. After fighting through the wait, take a deep breath and start to dial back into the vacation. Watch a good movie or rest as best as you can. There's nothing that can change the terrible terminal experience. Just relax.

Hot shower/Hot bath. Cleanse the aggravation from you (along with the airport germs). Not only for sanitary purposes but the steam and hot water will help relax your mind and your body.

Rest. Take a nap OR go to bed for the night. There's nothing like reuniting with your own bed (even your comfortable couch) for a restful time. Resting stops the replay of the travel disruptions and clears the mind.

Self-care routine. Incorporate your own self-care routine after returning home. Just like clockwork, end the night with your usual wind down for the day. Add a little extra time than normal to REALLY pamper yourself.

Entertainment therapy. Entertainment can be key in taking a mental break from frustrations. Whether it's a comedy or romance, watching a good film can entertain you back to relaxation attained during the vacation.

Good meal/favorite snack. The perfect way to settle a bad day is with a favorite meal. Food is healing to many and sometimes the travel day would have been better if you didn't have to be "hangry" during the process.

Read a good book. For my book lovers, diving into a chapter or two is a great way to decompress from a rough journey. Travel down the road of a storyteller to release the brain from being upset over the travel day.

Don't forget the feeling/memories. Look at the pictures (add your favorite filters) and videos. You can even occupy your time making a reel (because everyone knows creating those is a task in itself). Turn it into a fun activity (with no pressure) that involves good memories.

Stay in vacation mode until it's time to tap back into reality.

Regardless of what you choose, pick an activity that takes your mind away from travel day stress. It happens, and it'll probably happen again. I guess it's the price we pay for wanting to see the world. Breathe and let it go. Turn the woes into a funny story.

The Blakk Dahlia (E. Alexcina Brown) is a New York City author/blogger from Macon, GA. Recently, she released the book series, the Heartbreak Diaries outlining different perspectives of heartbreak. The Dahlia Diaries is a lifestyle blog penned by The Blakk Dahlia, sharing her story in NYC along with life lessons and tips she's learned in her journey.

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4 Reasons Why Aguadilla is Great for a Mental Health Vacation

5/3/2023

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My mind was cluttered…
Work was NOT working…
And the stress was stressed out…

Even being at home was frustrating. After a self-assessment, I concluded that I needed MORE than a mental break. I needed a mental vacation. To me, a mental vacation is traveling to a destination of peace. For this type of break, I didn’t require the flashy city and lively nightlife. All I craved was good scenery, snacks, and a quiet place to be still.

Thanks to my go-to airline offering direct flights, I ventured to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. I picked this place because it’s in an area I’ve been to before, however, it was a new place to visit to release. The city receives a good number of tourists, however, it's not as popular as San Juan. This beautiful gem was just what I needed to get my mind back right.

Sunset at Punta Borinquen Beach

Fun Fact:
For those who don’t know, Aguadilla is located in the northwest area of the island. It's well known for its sunset views, Punta Borinquen Golf Club, and beaches.

After leaving this beautiful place, I felt so relaxed and at ease. Even the layover in another city due to bad weather didn’t bother me. Aguadilla did the trick. So, I’d like to share 4 reasons why I think Aguadilla, PR is one of the best places for a mental health vacation. Hopefully, this will inspire you to look for “100% Peace” on your next getaway.

1. Multiple Beach Options. Aguadilla has a coastline of beaches with beautiful views and a first-hand look at the well-known sunset. Each beach has a unique vibe, look, and feel with gorgeous waters flowing against the beach and rock formations. My favorite was Peña Blanca Beach. Driving there gives the illusion of a forestry area. Once parked, I looked over the small cliff and saw magic. The hidden space opened into a beautiful ocean with rock formations for peaceful meditation and a photo session.

Although this was a vacation for peace, I did find a little action at Crash Boat Beach. Still peaceful, however, they have water sports activities, vendors, and a DJ to keep the vacation mode flowing. Even while there, I found a peaceful area to continue the meditations and stillness.

2. The Perfect Place for a Release. The stress was wearing me down and I needed to get out of loud New York City to just RELEASE. I needed to breathe it out, cry it out, fuss it out, and lay out in the sun. Aguadilla has a calming and serene atmosphere. I couldn’t help but relax and soak in the tranquility. Even when I was hanging out on the couch at the Airbnb, I was at peace. It wasn’t the usual night at home where I’m thinking of a million things that I have to do.

meditation on the beach, e alexcina brown

Peña Blanca Beach

3. Views. Rock formations that look like abstract art, distant mountains, ocean waves in alluring blues, trees right out of a travel pamphlet, and sand complementing the ocean. All elements for a spectacle to capture with your mind and your camera.

A visit to Ruinas del Faro delivered a one-of-a-kind art show. This site surprised me with amazing graffiti art telling a million and one stories.

4. Beautiful Weather. The weather was perfect for any activity. I went out for a drive, went sightseeing, took a walk around the plaza, and of course the beach. Any activity on any day served great weather for me to relax my mind.

Crash Boat Beach

Aguadilla set the perfect tone for what I needed and that was a TRUE break. I love the ocean and this location was the perfect addition to the list. I left with a relaxed spirit and gratefulness. It even spilled over onto the following days of my returning home. The mental health vacation was a success!

Where’s your hidden gem for a relaxing vacation?

Photo credits: E. Alexcina Brown

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So, I did a thing…Solo Birthday Vacay in St. Lucia!

12/1/2021

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Seasonal depression, too much on my plate, cold weather, work, and more work, nervous about what was to come. I felt all of that. I looked forward to completing the run for my play (Penny’s Kids) and hopping on a plane to St. Lucia!

As time ran down, I felt the stress and anxiety of traveling alone while handling business before I left.

Then, once I stepped off the plane, my heart, mind, and body were in paradise!

Ending the month on a great note by visiting a new place really set the tone for finishing the year strong! Upon returning home, I felt rested, happier, and accomplished at trying new things.

So, what did I do while there?
Enjoyed the all-inclusive resort, Bel Jou. Beautiful place in Castries, St Lucia with an amazing staff and two pools, and a view to get lost in.

Let’s not forget about the food and the nighttime!

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were buffet style and the hotel took great measures in keeping everyone safe and sanitized. Fresh tuna, good salads, jerk chicken, omelets, and amazing drinks!

I even tried my luck at karaoke which everybody loved! You can do things like that in places where people don’t know you!

Took a boat ride to Sugar beach and tried snorkeling for the first time. The ride there gave an up-close and personal look at the gorgeous deep-blue waters surrounding mountain tops that reached the clouds. I’ve never seen a thing like that before.

Snorkeling time. I’m a fire sign (Sagittarius) and water without a boat isn’t my thing. But I’m happy to have crossed that off my bucket list. I stayed close to the shore and enjoyed the small “fishes” swimming in clusters. I spent a small time there but, it was enough to have an enjoyable experience. (Maybe I’ll try again one day, lol).

The boat ride back consisted of rum punch fellowship, dancing, and good music. I had a nice time enjoying the diverse crowd of people from different places taking in the moments along with me.

Spent the day by the pool with endless margaritas and rum punch. Who doesn’t want to leave the cold air of New York and emerge into a place where you can walk around in a bikini all day?

The resort provided two pools with bar areas in each section. Soaking up the sun and feeling cool waters was exhilarating. I took a break from hanging out on my room’s balcony and took a few pics.

Laid in bed with no worries. On my last day, I wanted to sleep in. I watched the sunrise over my balcony and enjoyed movies.

On the way to the airport, our taxi driver took us on a small tour before leaving Castries. We stopped in a small pub for drinks, and I got to know a beautiful couple from Ireland who spent two weeks there for their honeymoon.

A few take away thoughts:

I LOVE being a “solo traveler”! Met so many beautiful people from different places.
No matter what I’m dealing with, I must take time to enjoy the view.
I need to find another Caribbean island to check off on my travel list…Any suggestions?

I definitely want to keep this going as I embrace 2022! I’m thinking Barbados for next time. What would you suggest?

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A New Kind of Summer!

6/22/2021

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Although things are different, the world is trying to get back to normal. But do we want it? Or can we create a “New Normal” taking in the lessons from the past year? I choose the latter. With a new season upon us, I refuse to go back to the old. I don’t even want to think about the old habits, yielding zero positive results. Sometimes we do things just because, that’s how it is. I’m charging myself to take in this new season with a new outlook and creating new habits.

black woman meditating, meditation, affirmations

More Meditation. Sit down and breathe out the anxiety. I’m excited about the Summer, but that doesn’t erase the anxious feelings carrying over from previous seasons. Meditating more throughout the day (or at least once a day) is sure to help keep me grounded in the Now. Anxiety builds the fear of what might or never will happen. It takes me away from the current moments where I can live in and enjoy. Sitting down back in 2020 gave me time to breathe and think of more positivity to drown out the negative. Slowing down from a busy life will allow you to gain so much clarity and it's much needed.

Better Experiences. We can travel now! Events are popping up left and right! How can I experience these amazing things in a better way?

For starters, I could just go! Before, I’d sit and wait; thinking about something important coming up like a life event, bills, or me just not feeling it. But this time around, I’m taking it all in and making time to visit and experience events like never before. I hate looking at Instagram experiencing extreme FOMO because I didn’t make it happen.

Saying ‘No’ More Often. Whether work or leisure, being a yes person wears me out. I do it to take care of other’s feelings, all the while doing a major disservice to myself. Saying no and meaning it unapologetically takes care of my peace. Something as simple as not doing what I don’t want to do, or having the time to do at the moment.

Those who understand, will…those who don’t can find someone else to do it OR wait for it!

Self-Care times 1000. The self-care kickstarted way before the pandemic, but now it’s time to take it up a notch. With offices reopening and NYC MTA getting back in order, I’ll definitely need a lot more “me time”. This calls for putting on my calendar and signing off from EVERYTHING for some self-care. Before it was sporadic. I’d do it on a Sunday here and there, or wait for the idea to come. This HAS to become a habit for me to keep the anxiety levels low and remain sane. Just because everyone else is up in arms doesn’t mean that I have to join in.

The heat moving in for a few months doesn’t mean I have to have a Cruel Summer. This can be the best Summer yet, only if I keep my head together and allowing the good times to flow.

What are your plans for the Summer?

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A Night Flight

11/4/2020

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I found a new place of peace in the midst of what gives me anxiety

Usually, plane rides give me anxiety. Which is weird because I LOVE to travel, but I suck it up and drink a cocktail to ease the nerves. Since COVID-19, cocktail hour has been eliminated on flights and I’ve had to find new ways to channel the anxiety by thinking positive thoughts, thinking about being anywhere else but on the plane, and deep breathing.

My latest flight from my hometown in Georgia was a bit different. I took an evening flight home and I experienced something like never before. Peace on a Plane. Take off didn’t have me grabbing the armrests like a baby clenching to his mother. And I was intrigued with the working mechanisms of a plane. I felt fine and enjoyed my window seat, peering out onto the earth where we reside.

in the sky, flying, airplane, airplane ride, flight

I saw the sun setting on my side of the planet and preparing to rise on another part of the world, while the moon took center stage in giving light. Buildings were illuminated below displaying a sky view of the world continuing to keep moving during the moon’s grand performance. Then, there was an “ah-ha” moment. “Wow this is God’s creation, and it's beautiful.” I never saw the skies like that before, especially during the evening turning into night.

night flight, jet blue, wheels up, flying, airplane, airplane rides, travel

As we elevated above the clouds, those balls of gas were as beautiful as the colors of the sunset. It was amazing to see, like a real-life science lesson as I took the same ride home as I’ve taken many times before. Turbulence hit, and I didn’t care. The captivating views made me one with the clouds. Floating and exploring through the wind. I tried to take pictures, but the iPhone just didn’t capture what my eyes could see.

clouds, flying, above the clouds, in the air

An hour and a half later, we descended to land, and I wanted to see more. I wasn’t ready for the show to end nor the lights to come on with announcements. But I was grateful for that time in the air. Peace was all over me and I came home with more motivation to appreciate everything around me. Even the cold winds that makes me bundle up as I take a walk to my destinations.

Planet Earth is beautiful in all its splendor, and I experienced it first-hand.