Travelling in general, no matter if it's for fun or for work or another reason, can be stressful in general. There are always many components that need to be arranged and planned for, and often this can create more stress than we may wish to experience.
This can especially be the case when we experience anxiety. Anxiety can amplify and often cause us to ruminate on every aspect of travel to the point where we can create more anxiety just by thinking about the trip. My hope is that these tips can help you navigate any feelings that arise so you can be more present on your travels.
Now lets dive in...
Before your trip..
- Schedule yourself 'worry time' to write out any concerns about the trip. These can be any thoughts that may come into your mind. This time is dedicated once a day or every few days for you to put your thoughts down.
- Look into any guidelines or changes that you can prepare for ahead of time. For example getting all your documents ready to go.
- Put together a sensory pack with things that soothe you. You can bring this with you if you feel like it may be helpful on the plane or while you're travelling. This also may be a small reminder of home that you can focus on.
During your travels..
- Anytime your awareness shifts, bring it back to the present moment. Have a few grounding exercises in mind that you can use to ground yourself while you more through these moments.
- Bring things to keep your mind active! For me its crossword puzzles, but finding ways to keep your mind occupied can be helpful.
- Set boundaries around when/how you're going to connect back home or engage with work/school/friends/family during your vacation. Its important if you're travelling to take a break then be mindful of that and ensure you bring awareness to how you can best support yourself.
- Have fun! I know we can get so focused on anxiety that it may begin to take away from our vacation. Even in those moments, we can choose to see joy as well. Focus on how you can best support yourself and bring yourself joy even during moments of anxiety.
Know that however you're feeling, this will pass and everything will be okay.
Sending you love,
Carly
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