What Is an "Oblication"?
"Oblication" is an invented term that covers any trip taken primarily to be with family or friends for necessary reasons, such as weddings, graduations, annual visits and religious ceremonies. Most people take oblications because they love the people they plan to visit, but consider them to be different from regular vacations because they cannot choose their travel dates or destination.
Who Goes on Oblications?
Almost anyone. If you find yourself looking ahead to your trip and saying to yourself, "Well, we really just have to be there for this," you're probably planning an oblication rather than a truly relaxing vacation.
Tips for Surviving Your Oblication
- Pack your patience. If you're attending someone else's special event or visiting to provide support of some kind, this trip is not about you. Be willing to let others direct events.
- Keep your smile nearby. Sometimes a smile is all you need to diffuse a tense, stressful situation. Smiling will help you feel more cheerful, too.
- Plan some "me" time and announce that you'll be taking it as early in the trip planning process as possible. Whether it involves a daily walk, lunch out or a relaxing nap, your just-for-you time will allow you to recharge your emotional batteries.
- Add a day or two to the end of your trip and visit a place you'd really like to see before you go home. Doing this will help you feel like you did get something special out of your trip, something just for you. You'll also get time to relax before you have to face your daily routine.
