Over the course of my life, I’ve tried my hand at pretty much every type of travel there is, from luxury resorts with family, to city-hopping group tours, all the way to sleeping in the back of my car while solo traveling. I also get really, really anxious. I’m not talking pre-travel jitters, where you’re excited but nervous and halfway to the airport when you think oh crap I locked the door, right? I’m talking clinically-diagnosed Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I’m about to pass out from dehydration on this hike but I can’t look like it because then people will think I’m bad at hiking, my car is acting weird and Now I’m Crying levels of anxiety. Because it’s not just feeling anxious--when I get anxious, I also get stupid. This may sound a little harsh, but it’s also… very accurate. Case in point: I just took my first solo trip to Yosemite, where I stayed for two days. My truck became my home away from home, which was great but also meant most of my worry was centered around it not working right. Like when I couldn’t get it to turn on again after fueling up at the gas station. Or when I panicked because I didn’t realize I had put the car into neutral, not park, and then it wouldn’t turn off, but when I tried to turn it on again it also refused to do that, so I was just sitting in the parking lot wondering how I was going to explain to my dad that I broke our truck by being bad at parking. Clearly not my finest moment. But I also didn’t let it slow me down. I solved the problem. I continued with my plans for that day. And in the end, it made me more resilient--I know I made it out of this situation, and I can make it out of others like it, too. There’s a few things I keep in mind when I travel, and these are what help me not just survive travel--but thrive. Plan everything you can.I over-plan and over-pack. It’s something I’m very aware of, and also something I’m not particularly inclined to fix. Why? Because I feel better knowing I’ve prepared some sort of plan for every scenario. On this trip, I brought my phone, which has three GPS apps, one of which doesn’t require any cell service or data connection; two road maps of California; and several Google Maps printouts of directions from my home to my campsite to Yosemite Valley and back again. I didn’t use any of my printouts or the road maps, but I felt much better knowing I had a backup plan in case my phone died. I also didn’t need the snake bite kit, or the emergency rope, or any of the other random emergency supplies that sit around at the bottom of my camping gear boxes, but I felt better with them around, just in case. Let yourself off the hook. If you need to take a day before your trip to plan for every scenario, or if you need to overpack just to help yourself feel calm, do it. It’s okay. As long as you’re not hurting anyone, it’s okay to do what you need to do to feel okay. ...but also accept that your plans will fall apart.I have literally never had a trip go exactly according to plan. Frankly, I don’t think it’s possible. But because I prepare myself for that inevitability, I’m pretty okay when it happens. I couldn’t find one of the hikes I wanted to go on (I looked it up online, and then couldn't find anything by that name on the park map). As mentioned, I had some car trouble. I woke up ten different times in the night because it was too cold, or I needed to use the restroom but refused to get out of the car because it was too creepy (I held it until morning, mostly because I couldn’t tell if I was hearing branches fall or a bear wandering around or an axe murderer outside). And I survived. It wasn’t that bad! I knew some things were going to go wrong, and after they did, I did my best not to let it get to me. It’s hard for me sometimes to let go after something goes wrong--I still feel nervous and off-balance, like I’m afraid something else is going to happen--but when this happens I work to consciously let it go. Trust that most people want to be kind.So speaking of car trouble: on the second morning of my trip, I couldn’t get my truck to turn on again after fueling up at the gas station. The key refused to turn, and I was stuck blocking one of the four available pumps. Another truck pulled up beside me, then turned to wait behind me, obviously assuming that I would be pulling out of the gas station and not just hanging out in front of the pumps indefinitely. I was in the middle of nowhere, with no cell service, and my car was throwing a temper tantrum. A year ago, I probably would have cried. That day, I got out of the car, walked over to the truck behind me, and explained the problem. “Oh, I’ve had that before,” the man said. “Try turning the wheel a little bit back and forth, and see if that works.” So I tried it, and it did! The lesson here is we’re not as alone as we think we are, and most people aren’t actually jerks--we really do want to help each other out. This was obviously an uncommon example, but this sort of mentality works for pretty much every situation you’ll come across. When visiting some of Yosemite’s waterfalls, there were lots of people taking pictures. I came across a couple who were taking one another’s pictures one at a time in front of the falls, so I offered to take their picture for them. They really appreciated it, and offered to take my picture, after. We both got what we wanted--a cool pic in front of the waterfall--and even though we didn’t speak the same language, we were still able to help each other out. I’ve found that offering to help others often makes them more open to helping you, too--and even if they don’t, it still feels good! I honestly love travel, but my anxiety doesn’t disappear just because I’m in a new place (despite what some articles on the internet would have you believe). Using these tips, I’ve found a way to keep my anxiety at a minimum, and become better at handling whatever curveballs life throws at me. My hope is that they’re helpful for you, too! Like this post? Why not share it?If you enjoyed this article, please leave me a comment telling me what you think! Or, if you found it useful, share it with your friends! You'll be helping me turn my passion for travel into a business, and more importantly, you'll be helping your friends out with any travel questions they might have, too. See more adventures!If you liked this post, you may also like:
2 Comments
Paula
5/20/2019 09:36:30 pm
Thank you for sharing and being so open about your anxiety. I loved the story about the car and actually getting out to ask for help. Very brave!!
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Kris Rose
6/20/2019 10:20:34 am
Thank you :) My hope is that by sharing my story, I can help other people to overcome whatever they're struggling with (and hopefully give them a few tips along the way)
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Hi, there! Call me Kris. I’m a world traveler, author and artist working to showcase the world's beauty and inspire you to find your confidence to see the world!
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