Vacation is sacred in my native France, and we not only feel entitled to our long break but take l’art des vacances very seriously. I recently wrote an article on HLN (CNN’s sister network) about why we all need vacations, and if you are someone who ends up with leftover vacation days each year, I would encourage you to give it a read. Too many workers worry that their companies won’t miss them if they take a vacation, or tell themselves they are too busy or don’t need to take their days, but these are short-term ways of thinking. Companies in many countries are beginning to understand that vacations are necessary to recharge our batteries, and that they allow us to operate better in both our work and home lives. Vacations help us to maintain our health—both physical and psychological—and refresh our minds, all keys to remaining “bien dans sa peau” (comfortable in your own skin). Vive les vacances!