How to survive Pre-Trip anxiety

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I wrote the first draft of this post on my flight from JFK to Cartagena, and I’m embarrassed to say that I practically didn’t get on the plane.

As the departure date of my Colombia trip loomed, knots grew in my stomach. Was I only traveling because I thought I ought to be traveling? Did I want to be away from my friends and family in new York for 19 days when I had so numerous much more travels coming up this fall?

Would I be able to get work done there? would I miss a lot of cool events at home? What was the point of paying rent in expensive new York if I was going to be paying for simultaneous accommodation as well?!

I flipped back and forth a lot. As late as the day before, I told my friends I was split 80/20 in favor of not going.

This happens to all of us — even the pros.

At some point before your trip, you’ll likely feel a few doubts creeping in. typically at the last minute, within a few days of your departure.

This is completely normal and it happens to everyone at some point.

What can set off this? Something as innocuous as hearing friends make plans for when you’ll be away. It could be an offhand comment from someone about how your destination is harmful or boring. Or realizing that you unintentionally booked a trip during the Olympics and won’t get to view them.

Soon, those doubts can snowball into a monster, making you second-guess your thoughts and feelings. but if you plan a tactical defense for this anxiety, you’ll be able to manage it better.

Practice extra Self-Care before Your Trip

Even if you feel confident, it’s good to guard against anxiety triggers before you go on your trip. This is especially essential if you’re trying to finish up big projects at work or home before you leave.

Here are some ways to practice self-care:

Exercise. Whether you’re a fitness pro or couch potato, make sure you break a sweat regularly. I’m a fan of the 7-minute workout app and dance workouts on YouTube.

Take long walks. Save your podcasts or audiobooks for these walks if you need the motivation.

Meditate. I’m a big fan of the Headspace app, which is ideal for beginners.

Read, write, make music, or release creative energy. have an outlet that lets you express yourself and your feelings, even if indirectly.

Spend time with loved ones. let them know how much they imply to you, even if you’re planning a trip without them.

Stay healthy. eat well, get enough sleep, don’t go on any benders with your friends.

Figure out the source of what’s bothering you.

If your trip is arriving and you’re queasy at the thought of it, try to pinpoint what’s bothering you. Are you nervous about being robbed? Not being able to communicate with anyone? Are you scared of flying? Or that you’ll be lonely? Do you think you’ll miss an essential event at home?

Once you identify the source, see what you can do to remedy it. would you feel much more confident about not getting pickpocketed if you bought a video camera bag that locked? If you’re nervous about meeting people, why don’t you post a message on the local Couchsurfing group or book yourself into a dorm or private room at a social hostel?

Sometimes you’ll only be concerned about the unknown. Which, again, is completely normal. in that case, it can help to plan out your first day on the road.

Plan your arrival and first 24 hours on the ground.

I did this carefully for my arrival in Bangkok in 2010, the trip that kicked off my full-time travels. This was my first time in Asia and although I knew intellectually that Thailand would be an easy region in which to travel, I was nervous about facing an entirely new culture.

Here’s what I planned:

After going through immigration, I would go to the ATM and take out cash.

I would get a taxi to my guesthouse, Wild Orchid Villa, and I had a piece of paper with the address written in Thai as well.

I would check into my guesthouse and email my family to let them know I made it.

I would go to sleep and then walk to Wat Phra Kaew to see the Grand palace and Wat Pho the next morning.

I would get street food somewhere for lunch.

I would meet blogger friends for dinner on Khao San road that night.

Now, that didn’t all go to plan. The cab chauffeur had trouble finding my guesthouse and kept stopping to ask people for directions. I had tonullnull