A visit is when you go somewhere to visit family.

A visit ≠ a vacation.

Unless your relatives have moved somewhere abroad, time in the family bubble does not count as a vacation. We all have family we want to spend time with; just don’t confuse it with vacation time.

A vacation is a soul-nourishing time of joy, discovery, and optional debauchery. Where your only obligation is to yourself: inspiring yourself, relaxing yourself, and returning yourself to the naturally curious, open, fun-loving person you are meant to be.

Everyone has family obligations. Just don’t burn all your vacation time fulfilling them.

* Exception to this rule: a family wedding abroad does count as a vacation.

Thank you to my friend Becky for elucidating this very important distinction.