For years, the thought of boarding a plane filled me with dread. Each time I flew, I was struck by anxiety, casting a shadow over what should have been moments of excitement. But as I stepped off my flight this week, a sense of accomplishment washed over me.
While my flight anxiety tries to still pull me in, I've learned valuable lessons along the way.
Flight anxiety is a complex beast, capable of robbing even the most adventurous souls of their sense of freedom. It's a struggle I know intimately, but one that has also taught me resilience.
You may be wondering if I practiced any exercises, like deep breathing or guided meditations, and the answer is no. I used to use these coping strategies, but no longer need to at this stage of my journey.
Rather than relying solely on traditional coping mechanisms, I choose to accept it as a natural part of the human experience rather than fighting it. I can coexist with my discomfort without letting it control me.
Two days leading up to my flight, I wasn’t having any worried thoughts, but my body still tried to “warn me” about the dangers of flying (which is normal and I expected this is). My body was reacting HARD. Nausea gripped me and my appetite vanished.
I didn’t like this at all. It made it very hard to function.
However, I found some helpful ways to handle it. One, I got outside for a walk and this helped a lot. This next part sounds silly but it helped a lot….I made a video of myself talking about my experience. I found that after I made the video I felt a lot better.
This was surprising to me, it reminded me of the power of sharing your feelings…even if it’s just with yourself.
Ensuring to still eat was also very important. Applesauce pouches came to the rescue on this one.
On the day of my flight, I woke up excited to leave. In the past, I have said goodbye to my kids in a way like it would be my last time. I didn’t do that this time. It was more challenging than I expected but I was proud of myself.
One goodbye was enough.
I trusted I would get home to them again.
As we taxied down the runway I was met with familiar jitters as we prepared for takeoff. But this time, I approached this by reminding myself “this is exactly the practice I need right now.” I carried on with a good show (humorous and familiar sitcoms are my go-to) to keep me occupied. With each wave of turbulence, I remained calm, knowing it was like riding the waves on a ship.
I was relaxed the entire flight. No alcohol. No meds. It was all because of the mindset shifts and skills I have been practicing all this time. It didn’t happen overnight. But with committed action, it’s something I can be proud of.
If you struggle with flight anxiety, I want you to know that you can get better. The way I experienced anxiety when flying 10 years ago compared to today are very different. I don’t feel like I need to over prepare myself for a flight. I have some discomfort but am overall unfazed by it.
Just imagine the amazing places you can go when anxiety isn’t standing in your way.
Ready to take the first step towards overcoming your fear of flying? Join the waitlist for our Fearful Flyer’s Blueprint Course to be the first to know when enrollment opens.