3 Things To Do Before & During Travel That Will Make It Way Less Stressful

Article originally posted for MindBodyGreen.

Most of us feel at least some discomfort when we think about leaving home for extended periods of time. And for good reason: The act of leaving a place we’re comfortable with to go to a new or foreign environment can send us into fight-or-flight mode, alert and ready for anything. Research shows that travel over relatively short distances is associated with higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. As a psychotherapist and someone who struggles with anxiety, I’m all too familiar with this drill.

Fortunately, the more mindful we become of our anxiety surrounding travel, and the more awareness we develop, the more we can train ourselves to move through it in a positive way.

A few things to do before you travel that will help reduce your stress:

1. Identify your triggers.

While you’ve probably been told before that mantras and positive thinking can help ease travel anxiety, the truth is a little more nuanced than that. The first step in making your travel experience less stress-inducing is addressing your triggers ahead of time. For example, I’ve figured out that if I watch the news while I’m prepping to go away, I turn into a hot mess, worrying too much about the outcome of my trip instead of staying in the present moment. Now, I avoid the TV and social media altogether the night before a flight.

Continue Reading

About the Author:

Emily Roberts, M.A., LPC is a Psychotherapist, Parenting Consultant, Educational Speaker and Published Author. Her Book Express Yourself: A Teen Girls Guide to Speaking Up and Becoming Who You Are was published by New Harbinger Publications. The Guidance Girl is a concept created by Emily as an innovative, powerful approach to help you achieve goals and feel your best by redefining traditional therapy for the girls and women of today.

Suggested Products

Join the Conversation

Speak Up & Shine with Confidence
Do you want to get rid of your insecurities and feel confident in the skin you're in? Who doesn't?! Enter your email now and get a bonus chapter from my book Express Yourself, plus weekly confidence boosters and early access to upcoming projects and events!
Speak Up & Shine with Confidence
Do you want to get rid of your insecurities and feel confident in the skin you're in? Who doesn't?! Enter your email now and get a bonus chapter from my book Express Yourself, plus weekly confidence boosters and early access to upcoming projects and events!
Success!
Check your inbox
We're sending you an email that includes your discount code for 10% off your first Rock Your Worth purchase! Check your inbox, snag this promo code and click below to start shopping now!
Rock Your Worth
I'm offering 10% off my new jewelry collection, Rock Your Worth, an inspirational jewelry line that will help you disrupt negative thoughts and build unstoppable confidence! Sign up below to get your promo code now.
For a Limited Time!