Nothing beats the feeling of booking a holiday. Selecting your flights, choosing somewhere to stay and researching things to do in your chosen destination is a lot of fun, but when the trip actually comes around, there’s a lot that can go wrong.
Having feelings of anxiety when travelling is so common, and understandable too. However, the last thing you want to do is spend your precious holiday time feeling worried or nervous. But one pro, who travels all the time, has found the perfect solution.
Brontë King, a social media influencer with over 110,000 Instagram followers, founded the company ‘gals who travel’, who help to organise group travel trips.
Over the years, Brontë has faced her very own travel anxieties and has found coping mechanisms to deal with the stresses that travel can bring.
And in a chat with eSIM travel company, Airalo, she shared her biggest tip on how to cope with travel anxiety to help those who are feeling similar to how she has in the past.
Brontë said: “Travel anxiety can be triggered by a lot of things, and just know it’s super normal to feel like this.
“Anything from the unpredictability of plans changing, to navigating unfamiliar places, language barriers or even just being far from your comfort zone can be a trigger.
“For me, it’s all about creating little moments of calm that make me feel safe and grounded, no matter where I am. I’m 27 and I still bring a cuddly toy with me on every trip.
“It might sound simple, but having something familiar from home and something that instantly brings comfort makes such a difference.
“Whether it’s a favourite hoodie, a playlist or a scent you associate with home, these little havens are powerful.
“Finding what soothes you, and making it part of your travel routine, can be a game-changer for managing anxiety on the go.”
It can seem daunting to take that leap and book a holiday if you’re anxious about travelling, but according to Brontë, baby steps is all it takes.
She said: “If you’re someone who wants to travel but feels too anxious to take that first step then I promise, it’s so worth pushing through those feelings.
“Anxiety and discomfort are completely normal, but nothing truly changes or grows in your comfort zone.
“Once you take that leap, even if it’s a small one, you’ll come away with the most amazing life experiences, memories you’ll treasure and confidence you didn’t know you had.
“You’ll look back and be so proud of yourself for doing it, even if it felt scary at the time. Trust me, the reward is so much greater than the fear.”