We’ve all felt like this, and probably feel like this right now! I know I am. I can imagine myself on the beach, lounging, not worrying about work, school, kids, bills, or anything.

Today, I want to give you 10 things you can do, if you cant take a vacation right now.

• Explore Local Attractions: Visit museums, parks, historical sites, or local festivals in your area that you haven't explored yet. What I would do is google each one of those keywords and add “near me” and see what pops up. You never know what might be fun or interesting nearby. One near me is the “Anatomy of Death Museum”, which I will likely never visit, lol, but I wouldn’t have known it was there unless I search nearby for interesting things.

• Take a Day Trip: Plan a short trip to a nearby town or natural attraction for a change of scenery without the need for an overnight stay. Here in Michigan, people often go to a place called Birch Run, which has a well known. Ask others or search for places near you where people take day trips.

• Start a New Hobby: Engage in a hobby you've always wanted to try, such as painting, gardening, cooking, or learning a musical instrument. Famous writer Kurt Vonnegut once said “Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something." I make hip hop beats, 99% of them I never release, they are just for me as a creative outlet (not to mention avoiding getting sued for using samples).

• Have a Staycation: Treat yourself to a mini-vacation at home. Disconnect from work, indulge in your favorite activities, and pamper yourself with spa-like treatments. In other words, that bath bomb that’s been sitting on your tub, that someone gave you for Christmas two years ago, USE IT! lol.

• Volunteer: Give back to your community by volunteering for a cause you're passionate about. It can be a fulfilling way to spend your time and make a difference. A sense of fulfillment and gratitude has tremendous health benefits as well. Studies show that altruism is vital for mental health, not to mention spiritual health.

• Take an Online Course: Enroll in an online class to learn something new, whether it's for personal interest or professional development. Learning something new increases the connections in the brain, and helps with a sense of accomplishment and overall vitality. Sometimes your job may offer free courses through websites like Pluralsight or others. YouTube is also a great place to learn new things for free.

• Exercise Outdoors: Take advantage of the outdoors for activities like hiking, biking, or jogging. Nature can provide a refreshing escape from daily routines. There is something about seeing the beauty of nature that helps the mind relax. Also, some preliminary studies are showing that trees release chemicals in the air that may help fight cancer.

• Host a Gathering: Invite friends or family over for a themed dinner, game night, or movie marathon to create memorable experiences at home. Create an escape room at home for your family and friends. Create a Jeopardy game. Create a Cahoot game online with friends.

• Read and Relax: Create a cozy reading nook and immerse yourself in books you've been wanting to read. this is the one I struggle with the most. I have a stack of unread books and when I do pull them out, I fall asleep. But at least try…lol.

• Plan Future Travels: Use the time to research and plan your dream vacation for when you are able to travel. Create itineraries, budget plans, and lists of must-see attractions. One thing I like to do is the trip we are planning, I like to view YouTube videos of that location or watch others take that trip on the video. I watched a bunch of Hawaii videos until I actually went.

So using all of the above tips, you can kind of give your mind the feeling of “vacation” even if you aren’t actually taking one….yet.