I love traveling, but I am also one of those people who enjoys their comfort zone and perceived safety. I pride myself on establishing healthy and familiar routines to safeguard myself from anxiety and to establish strong emotional regulation. Simply put, my mental well-being is important to me. And while I appreciate traveling and learning about new traditions, cultures, and customs, domestically and abroad, lately, staying close to my Los Angeles nest has been a vital priority for me.
The last time I traveled abroad was to Turks and Caicos, two years ago, for my birthday and to Mexico for a much-needed vacation. The experiences were wonderful, a private island, serene beaches, and infinity pools; what was there not to love? Though I enjoyed myself, I had crippling thoughts in the back of my mind, like, so many things could go wrong while I’m far away from my loved ones. Although nothing out of the ordinary happened on that trip, as the plane rides were smooth, the flight staff was mainly pleasant, and the resort was fabulous, I still wondered, what if?
I believe those questions stem from my anxiety, as I often need to control specific outcomes due to traumatic events in the past, but I didn’t think those feelings would show up while prepping for a work trip of a lifetime. When those old feelings resurfaced, I didn’t know what to do with them. After some research, I realized I probably have some travel anxiety. WebMD states travel anxiety is the fear of visiting an unfamiliar place. It can also involve the stress that comes with planning your travels. Even if you have no anxiety history, being outside familiar territory can throw you into panic mode.
However, I tried to think about the amazing opportunities ahead instead of worrying myself into oblivion about all the negative things that could happen, like being lost in a large international airport, one of my connecting flights to the final destination mysteriously getting canceled, the language barriers, getting a swollen eye due to an allergic reaction, all scenarios, did actually, happen during this recent work trip to Europe. Still, I turned out to be just fine. From experiencing those unfortunate scenarios abroad, without the closest people in my life there to help me, I realized how prepared and capable I was to weather any storm or work through unforeseen and undesirable challenges.
If you’re anything like me and crave new, fun, and exciting experiences but are afraid that your anxiety may hold you back, I encourage you to take a deep breath and press through your plans anyway, as you won’t regret it. See below to learn how I overcame my fears of traveling abroad.
Take a self-assessment. Identify your triggers and what’s giving you pause about your upcoming trip so you can prepare for it; this preparation will also limit your anxiety.
Accept the unknown. Unfortunately, no matter how much you plan, some situations will be out of your control. Prep as best as possible, but leave room for error and spontaneity.
Try to relax as much as possible during your journey. I know it may be difficult but take moments of rest, especially during those long plane rides. If you can, try to limit the screen time and work on professional projects; instead, enjoy a movie, music, or podcast.
Trust yourself. You deserve to have a relaxing vacation or an adventurous time away. Trust yourself that you’ll be able to handle travel hiccups as they come so that you can look forward to the fun times ahead.