Yesterday I walked out to my yard to find that all of my zucchini (courgette) plants are dying. It was cold enough the night before to kill them all at once and there really isn’t any saving them.

We got greedy at first and wanted to reclaim the wasted space, until we realized that our garden has been running strong for about 9 months now, since Erica and I planted our first seeds of the season in March of last year. Now we’ve decided to give it a rest so we can add some new compost to fortify the soil.

For me, the dying zucchini plants serve as a reminder that nature intends for us to rest and will find a way to see that we do (sometimes permanently). Plants drop seed, decompose, and ultimately end up feeding their offspring. Animals need to eat and sleep.

It’s a new year and you likely just had some time off that wasn’t very restful. If you’re like me, you were probably busy traveling, shopping, worrying about money, or the holidays may even open up some new wounds for you. Don’t accept this as your vacation for the year.

Your real vacation should be about rest and relaxation. You can travel or you can stay home, but the bottom line is that you should be relaxing. Sleep in some days if you’d like. When you’re awake, maybe read a book, go for a walk, or take up that hobby you’ve been thinking about. On my last stay-cation, I tried our archery for the first time and have been hooked ever since.

So start planning your time off now. Trust me, it’s worth it.