Leave The Stress Behind, Head To California

It doesn’t matter how relaxed you’ve promised yourself this year will be (already was past my expected stress level), after a few months, you start to experience the old feeling of stress breathing down your neck, picking at you constantly. Inevitably, unless you’ve seriously focused on applying your energy to transform your lifestyle, it’s a high probability the pace of life and the pressures at work have not changed. Consequently, it’s normal to feel a little worn out and overwhelmed by that daily stress surrounding you. Do you know what you need to recharge your batteries? You need a break. Don’t have time for a long vacation on a tropical island? No problem. Pack your bag and head to a relaxing weekend getaway in California. If there is a place in the United States where you can learn to slow down the pace of life and enjoy every moment, it’s in the glorious state of California.

 

A happy state

It’s no wonder that California, and especially Californians, tends to be represented as a friendly place full of chill vibes. Indeed, the analysis of the personal finance site WalletHub has revealed California is all things considered a happy place to live. Oddly enough, despite high housing costs and struggling public schools, the sunny state records one of the lowest rates of depression in the country – second – as well as very low obesity and suicide rates. Altogether, people in California are satisfied with their lives, their jobs, and their health. So, if you’re looking to improve your emotional and physical well-being, the Californian coast is the destination you need to pick. In other words, the accumulation of positivity around you can have a contagious effect on your mood. I don’t know about you but I’m extremely susceptible to the energies around me, positive or negative. Don’t they say that you should surround yourself with happy people if you want to eliminate depression and stress? California is where you will find them! Personally I think the amount of Vitamin D in the abundant sunshine certainly helps!

 

A destination for nature lovers

Being in nature has a soothing influence on the nerves. I never get outside enough, but those little moments of fresh air, to me, are pure bliss. However, as a lot of people have grown up in town, the idea of exposing yourself to the risks of camping in the woods surrounded by potentially aggressive wildlife can be a little off-putting (I’d much rather go glamping!). Instead, you should look for a traveler-friendly location, such as the Aqua Breeze Inn in Santa-Cruz, which is in the vicinity of the ocean (and ocean breeze) and lets you appreciate the presence of majestic wildlife without taking any unwanted risks. You can ask at the reception to know more about the migration period of the humpback whales, which you can observe from the harbor – how amazing would that be?

 

A place that keeps people in the sun

Finally, direct sunlight is medically proven to boost your mood (Vitamin D). You may have heard of SAD or seasonal affective disorder, which basically spells out to seasonal depression. Personally, that’s me to a tee. Constant days of rain, grey skies, or gloomy weather considerably suffocates my happiness and overall mood – should you find yourself in this same situation, please do contact your physician! Aside from a whole pharmaceutical discussion – perhaps all you might need to relax and reset could be a trip to a California beach to let the sun soothe the shadows of your pains. In fact, you’d be pleased to know that there are plenty of outdoor activities in California, from hiking to the Granite Lake and the Seven-up pass, to exploring Redwood National and State Forest to following the lost coast trail. It may not be warm enough to dip into the water, but staying outside will do you equally good.

Are you ready to switch your urban sadness for a sunny weekend in California? Let one of the happiest states in the U.S. take your worries away! Have you been to California? What are your favorite places or ones you wish to see?

My last trip to California was to San Diego (for work) and Napa Valley (for a wedding). I highly recommend seeing the Mumm Vineyards, it was gorgeous! I’ve been to San Diego many times, it’s such a beautiful city. I adore the San Diego Zoo – we saw the pandas!