Have you ever found yourself looking at the way that tourists experience the US, and feeling some pangs of jealousy? Perhaps you, too, would like to experience the country with that same wide-eyed wonder and appreciation that so often seems to befall visitors.

At the very least, it would surely be a nice break from the constant irritations and stress that you might feel when dealing with the obligations of your job, and the petty annoyances of life, right?

While many of us travel vast distances abroad to experience the sweet, relaxing, tourist life for a while, you can take the same approach without leaving the country. It just requires a bit of a conscious mental shift, but the rewards can be well worth it from time to time.

Here are some reasons why living the tourist life in the US for a while can be a great idea.

It can be an excellent reminder not to take things for granted

One of the reasons why we typically love being tourists somewhere else, is that we get to experience a society, culture, and the different features of life in a country, in a direct and visceral way without taking them for granted.

If we’re visiting Florence, we’ll be sure to drink in the Renaissance art and marvel at the artistry involved, without taking it for granted.

If we’re visiting Japan, the sight of Mount Fuji is likely to take our breath away.

But as residents of the US, there’s a good chance we’ll proceed through life on autopilot, taking things for granted. If, instead, you imagine that you’re experiencing the country for the first time, and let your guide book dictate your itinerary, the experience might serve as an excellent reminder not to take things for granted.

It can allow you to get away and change your mindset without major planning and investment

Another big draw of the tourist experience is that it gives us permission to forget about the fixations and worries of our ordinary lives, and to simply focus on having a good time for a while.

This is a somewhat subtle shift, but if you can give yourself conscious permission to leave everything else on hold when vacationing in the US, you can recapture this same benefit, even if you’re in largely familiar surroundings.

Let your hair down, go somewhere tranquil like Knights Inn North Attleboro, and let your “break” truly be a break.

It can reawaken your sense of wonder at just what you might be able to find in your backyard

It’s interesting how residents of a famous city can often live in that city for their entire lives, but never actually visit the biggest tourist attractions in their own backyards — those places that people travel from the other side of the world to see.

Consciously deciding to live like a tourist for a while means consciously deciding to have experiences outside of the ordinary routine.

It means going to visit historical sites and museums you’ve ignored. It means eating at a famous restaurant, or attending a landmark sporting or cultural event.

Forget the usual bars and hangouts. Fill your itinerary with more interesting stuff.

#Collaborative