How Squish Travels Helps Us Release the “Not Doing Enough” Guilt
The Moment We Realized We Were Carrying This Guilt
There was a season when we kept saying to ourselves, “We should be doing more as a family.”
More outings.
More experiences.
More memory-making.
And the more pressure we put on ourselves, the more that “not doing enough” guilt settled in. It wasn’t about Squish, or a lack of effort. It was about us, two parents comparing our real life to everyone else’s highlight reel and ending up feeling behind.
Our lightbulb moment came when we finally admitted:
Maybe we didn’t need bigger plans. Maybe we needed gentler ones.
That shift is exactly why Squish Travels exists in our home, and why it now helps us release that heavy feeling of not doing enough.
How Squish Travels Helps Us Let Go of “Not Doing Enough”
Squish Travels isn’t about perfect itineraries or Instagram-ready adventures. It’s about using travel, big or small, to reconnect, reset, and reduce the pressure we put on ourselves as parents.
These are the five core ways this pillar helps us overcome “not doing enough” guilt:
1. Redefining Travel So It Fits Real Life
We used to believe travel only “counted” when it required luggage, reservations, and weeks of planning. But when we shifted to micro-adventures, everything softened.
A new walking trail.
A 20-minute scenic drive.
A local café we’ve never tried.
Small trips made us realize we were doing far more than we gave ourselves credit for.
Travel doesn’t need to be big to be meaningful.
2. Slowing Down Enough to Actually Connect
Travel, no matter how small, pulls us out of autopilot. It gives us space to breathe, reset, and actually see each other again.
Those tiny pockets of presence reminded us that we are showing up.
We are making memories.
We are doing enough by simply being together.
3. Helping Us Stop Comparing Our Family to Others
Comparison is where most “not doing enough” guilt grows.
But when we travel with intention, even in small ways, it becomes easier to appreciate what our family can do instead of what we can’t.
We stopped measuring our value by someone else’s vacations.
We started celebrating our own pace.
4. Giving Us Something to Look Forward To, Without Pressure
Planning even a simple outing created a gentle rhythm in our home:
A park we haven’t tried yet.
A town with a cute main street.
A new scenic route to explore on a Saturday morning.
These little plans helped us feel grounded, not overwhelmed.
Travel became a joy again, not a performance.
5. Helping Us Reconnect With Ourselves as Parents
Stepping outside our daily routine, even for an hour, helped us reset. It gave us permission to see our life with more kindness and less judgment.
Every tiny adventure reminded us of this simple truth:
We are doing our best, and our best is enough.
Our Message to You
If you’ve ever felt like you’re falling behind…
If you’ve ever believed you’re not doing enough…
We want you to hear this:
You are not behind.
You are not failing.
Small moments matter.
Small adventures matter.
You matter.
We still stumble too. We still second-guess ourselves. But Squish Travels has become a gentle reminder that meaningful travel doesn’t require perfection, just presence.
Share Your Insights With Us
We want to learn from you, too.
Our family is building this space so none of us have to figure things out alone.
What small travel traditions or mini-adventures help you release the “not doing enough” guilt?
How do you bring connection back into your family travels, even on the busiest weeks?
Your ideas might be exactly what another overwhelmed parent needs today.
Share your insights in the comments, we’d love to learn from your experience.
