Hawaii is Magical

Permit me to pretend for a second that this is a travel blog, so I can talk about my recent trip to Hawaii. My husband and I spent a week on Oahu, enjoying some sunshine, ocean waves, and beautiful beaches. We stayed for two nights in Waikiki at a charming boutique hotel called the Wayfinder Waikiki. If you’re a fan of the Freehand/Ace Hotel vibe, you’ll like this hotel. The design of the room was colorful and unique, and we greatly enjoyed our balcony for some early morning sun. If you’re going to Waikiki, I recommend checking out the Foster Botanical Garden – a welcome and peaceful respite from the craziness of downtown. That said, if you are downtown, do plan to enjoy a drink outside at the Royal Hawaiian or the Moana Surfrider hotels. After Waikiki, we spent the rest of our time in Oahu on the North Shore – the scenery was beautiful and we were lucky enough to get an ocean view from our lanai.

Wait…this is an MS blog…I’m supposed to be talking about MS, right?

To be honest, our vacation was so relaxing and lovely, I actually did give my brain a break from thinking about MS for a few days. Other than the first evening, where my legs were bothering me (understandably) after powering through jet lag, my symptoms were relatively quiet. I had been nervous going into the trip because of our long-haul flights – direct from Chicago to Honolulu – and the impact they might have on my legs (which tend to cramp or twitch or generally just be annoying and uncomfortable). Maybe due to my compression socks, in-seat stretching and near constant water-drinking, I actually did ok.

Spending our days with almost no real plans, being outside as much as possible, and spending time with some dear friends had me in a great, peaceful mood. I soaked in the sun and the scents from tropical plants, and allowed myself to be in awe at the green mountains and vivid blue ocean. I think it was this low-stress approach that helped my symptoms chill, too. All the more reason to prioritize mindfulness and low-stress in my day-to-day life – the results show it works!

An image, or moment, that I will hold on to happened on our last full day at the hotel on the North Shore. It was stormy, cool, and rainy. I sat on the lanai and just listened to the ocean waves and the rain. I tried not to think about anything in particular. It was perfect.

Friends: Take your vacation, or just take a day off, and do your best to be present. It’s hard to tune out, but it’s worth it!