Esther Perel Instagram – In my American life, I often find myself having to justify taking a vacation, especially when it’s longer than a week. In my European life, it’s a sin to work during the entire month of August. 
 When I booked this trip, I said to myself, “come on, Perel. Even God rested on the seventh day, no justification needed.” But this is easier said than done. I am rarely unoccupied. I actually find it a very difficult state to achieve. So, when I set out to take a “real vacation” this summer, I made an intention to reconnect with my sense of play. At this moment, I’m not feeling connected to playfulness, such a core philosophy in my practice, and I feel a bit guilty for that lack of connection. This sprawling summer trip took me on a boat through the Greek islands with a few close friends. We celebrated a wedding anniversary, hiked miles of coast line trails, cooked, danced, biked from village to village, did daily yoga, and lavished in the company of women. We played. And we played well. But I found myself plagued by a sense of distance, not the kind that comes with traveling far from home, but the kind in which you feel distant from yourself. Even though my surroundings had changed, I was still occupied by work and home. No matter where you go, vacation always comes with a choice: do you want to stay connected to the world and its realities or do you want to disconnect and simply be present where you are? I think what struck me this year is that while I loved seeing friends in each leg of the trip, I came to realize that what I may need more than anything is a fast. To empty out. To go still and quiet. I am full, of people, stories , their problems, my own…and there is not much room inside me. I need to empty the tank, to digest and create space, that will recharge my system. There are many ways to take a break, and perhaps we need a little something different with each season. What does a break mean to you, in this moment?