How to manage your anxiety while on vacation?!
Happy summer days everyone!!
It feels so good to connect with all of you after being on vacation for 2 weeks!
My family and I took a road trip to the East Coast. We visited Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Some of my highlights were the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia, the Flower Pots in Bay of Fundy, Charlottetown in P.E.I, Halifax in Nova Scotia.
If you’ve never been to the East Coast, I highly recommend visiting! We truly live in such a beautiful vaste country!!
Even though traveling can be fun and adventurous, it can also be a little anxiety inducing for people who are prone to anxiety. I must admit, I felt a little anxious here and there. Especially when I was stuck inside my head and experiencing intrusive thoughts. Things like; What if the car breaks down and we’re stuck in the middle of nowhere with no cell service? Or, what if we run into a bear while hiking?
I think it’s normal to feel anxious when traveling to new places and probably more common than we think. As human beings, we tend to love structure and gravitate to what’s familiar because it makes us feel safe. But over time that can feel dull and boring. That’s why we love a good family trip once in a while.
If you’re like me and love traveling but you also tend to feel anxious on vacation, here’s a few things you can do to ease your anxiety;
Turn your “what ifs” into “what is”. When we feel anxious, we often think about the future and start a sentence with “what if '' and attach a worse case scenario thought. The reason we do this is because the brain is designed to keep us safe so it looks for any possible threat to get you ready to “fight or flight”. This puts you in a sympathetic response which can feed your anxiety. Unless you learn how to gain control over your own mind. That’s why this simple, yet powerful practice of turning your “what ifs” into “what is” can put your mind at ease because you're bringing your attention into the present moment where you are safe!
Practice living in a state of gratitude by writing down 3 things you’re grateful for before bed. This mindfulness exercise trains your mind to be in a state of love vs being in a state of fear. Because when we live in a state of grace/love, we cannot be in a state of fear!
And finally, learn how to use food as medicine that best supports your nervous system so you can ease your anxiety symptoms. Things like bone broth with collagen and ghee, L-Theanine (amino acid from green tea), and ashwagandha (adaptogenic root) that help modulate stress.
For more tips and tricks on how to manage your anxiety naturally, you can check out my website where you’ll find other related blog posts or you can simply reply to this email to schedule your free 15-minute consultation call. I would love to support you on your journey towards health and wellness!
https://www.yourjourneytowardswellness.com/
If you feel this would benefit a loved one who experiences anxiety, please share this blog post so they can implement these mindfulness practices that will help calm their nervous system.
Looking forward to connecting with you soon
Be well…
Sincerely
Your Health & Wellness Coach
Nancy Pitre