Self-Care at lifestyle events, resorts or cruises
We all get excited when going to a hotel takeover, a lifestyle resort, or a lifestyle cruise. We review the schedule of themes and pack accordingly. We review the events and start to prioritize what we want to do, but in most cases, we can’t do everything, and that’s okay. Many people are familiar with FOMO (the Fear of Missing Out). Still, this article explores JOMO (Joy of Missing Out), which represents a mindset shift where you experience a sense of contentment and peace in moments when you are alone, taking care of yourself, and nurturing your soul.
I have heard many stories from couples who pushed themselves too hard. They stayed up way too late and got up way too early, doing all the things on very little sleep. They did not stay hydrated or properly fed, and FOMO took over, leaving them overwhelmed and, in some cases, resulting in a complete crash-out.
One way to avoid this is to pay attention to your partner. Be aware of how they look and act, and if something seems off, head back to your room or cabin so you can take a break from the excitement and overstimulation. You may need to hydrate simply by drinking water, and many events now have IV stations, which work wonders in these cases. Headaches could set in and even migraines, and there is nothing less sexy at a lifestyle event than a migraine when you are at a party with a couple thousand people with flashing lights and loud music.
We often don’t see the signs that we are about to crash out when we are focused on the party, and that is why having a caring and supportive partner is so valuable. But will we listen when our partner says it's okay to take a break, or will we say, “You only live once,” and head back to the party? Decompression is essential at a big event, even if your friends egg you on and say, “Come on, rally!”
Giving yourself time to recuperate and decompress is essential at a big event, even if your friends encourage you to rally and say, “Come on, rally!” If they are really good friends, they will understand and prioritize your physical and mental health.
Don’t just take it from us
We were listening to a podcast the other day, from HumpDay Quickies, in which they summarized Naughty N’awlins day by day, while at the event, and on Day 3, they hit a wall, or at least one of them did. We applaud them for having the courage not to leave this part out but to highlight it on their Day 3 recap. They talk about staying up late on Day 2 and then getting up early for a class, and they only got 5 hours of sleep. They went to a class and then she hit a wall on the way back to the room and Nessa needed to tap out and she had to give up on her plans for the day which included some of her favorite things to do at Naughty (the Sexual Freedom Parade) but she decided she needed some self care and some rest and she couldn’t push through like she was hoping. In the end, it turned out to be a great decision. You can hear more about what happened on the following platforms:
So what happens if you paid for a cruise or you flew all the way to another country to go to a resort, and you push yourself too hard? The first thing you need to do is to give yourself permission to stop. At Naughty N’awlins, it’s a marathon, not a sprint, and if you add alcohol to the mix, you can hit that tipping point really quickly. It’s human nature not to want to miss out on something, especially if your friends are there and you paid a lot of money for the experience.
I attended a large festival once (Burning Man), and the best advice someone gave me was never to leave a party if I was having a good time, because I had heard there was something cool happening on the other side of the event. In most cases, by the time you get there, your friends have moved on to something else, the party has ended, or it was better where you left. Like many life lessons, I had to find out for myself, and I can count many times when I was having a great time, but I had to see a certain DJ, and by the time I got there, I found out that they were not playing or that the sets were delayed by hours. FOMO made me go, and I was disappointed.
Just stop. Take a deep breath and tune into your own body. How are you feeling? Will some electrolytes help? Do you need to take some medicine before heading out? Or do you really need a disco nap, or call it an early night?
Three amazing nights are better than two terrible nights because you pushed too hard. Having a partner who notices signs of overstimulation and helps care for you will bring you closer together and build trust.
So the next time you are going full throttle at a lifestyle (or any) event or festival, plan on doing welfare checks for each of you. Make plans for hydrating and resting. Some of us had the “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” attitude while we were young, but that can not only bring short-term issues upon us, but long-term physical and mental health consequences.
Tips while at events:
• If possible, try to catch a Yoga class in the morning. If not, do some stretching with your partner.
• Try meditating in the morning or whenever you feel overwhelmed. Often, a 5 or 10-minute meditation will do the trick.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, and use the IV hydration stations if needed (it’s worth it!).
• Power naps. Take a power (or Disco) nap in the afternoon, and you will be recharged for the nighttime events. Just don’t oversleep and miss eating. Set an alarm.
• Nourishment is a necessity. At Naughty, there are many great restaurants, but not all of the food is healthy. Splurge on some great New Orleans food, but balance that with a salad and some nourishing food as well.
• Give yourself permission to miss things; you don’t have to do everything.
• Take breaks from your phone, social media, and digital detox from time to time.
• Give your partner a massage. This will stimulate blood flow, and you will feel a lot better.
• Listen to yourself first; your friends cannot know how you feel, and they do not have to deal with the consequences when you hit that wall.
• Don’t plan your flight home really early in the morning. We know you want to get home, but getting to an early flight after a night of partying is hard on your body. Treat yourself and stay an extra night if you can.
Play smart and you will have more fun and better memories.