Well hello to you my reader chums! Travel and seeing the world is my favourite thing ever. I love having the opportunity to experience new cultures, see amazing places and learn the history of a country, it thrills me inside. However, travelling wasn't something that was always easy for me. I used to dread going to airports, stepping out my comfort zone and going somewhere I didn't know - the whole experience gave me so much anxiety.

I often look back at those days and feel so proud of the person I am today and how I adore travelling the world. If your someone who is scared to travel or go to a new country, here is how I overcame my travel anxiety and I hope it inspires you to push yourself and do the same.

Stepping out of my comfort zone 

When it comes to any fear out there, the first thing to do is step out of your comfort zone and that's exactly what I did. I used to have the biggest fear of airports and crowded spaces that when I would even contemplate going to one, I'd have a panic attack and the same went for flying. It was the fear of uncertainty and not being safe which really triggered me in these situations. However, one day my friends and I spontaneously booked a trip for a few weeks time abroad, and as it was so quick, I didn't have the time to develop any fear and had to get on with it.

'Getting on with it' wasn't easy as these fears were still prominent in my mind and I was easily triggered at the littlest of things. However, I was lucky to have friends with me which understood my anxiety and did their best to make sure I felt at ease. With all that in mind though, if I didn't go and step out my comfort zone, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to tackle my fear.

Familiarising myself with airports 

Airports used to be a major trigger. It was the whole idea of there were loads of people, I could get lost and I wasn't safe that really freaked me out. However, airports are a very safe environment and organised places that there is no need to get stressed on where everything is. I think this is why it was so important to not only familiarise myself with different airports but to also reassure myself it'll be okay.

I did this by mapping out what went on at the airport, having the times noted down on where I have to be and all the information that's necessary because it gave me something to focus on. With anxiety, distractions are so necessary as they prevent you from overthinking or letting your mind wander. Something that also helped me familiarise myself was getting into a routine at the airport - this for me is going to Pret and getting the same sort of breakfast thing. Now, even to this day, I always have to go to Pret at the airport as it'll be weird not to. I also used to wear my 'travel jumper' as it was a safety blanket in my eyes that meant everything will be okay. Home comforts are everything when you're travelling.

Making myself feel at home

When you feel comfortable and at home in a situation then you're less likely to feel anxious and it's one of my favourite pieces of advice to give anxious travellers. Whether you're terrified to get on a plane, a train or go to a new place, home comforts will help you out. I'm not saying to bring everything and the kitchen sink with you but to bring a few meaningful items can help. This could be your favourite jumper to wear when travelling, a pillow or some PJs to wear on the plane (no judgement here). Whatever will help you feel at home can also help you feel better when it comes to travelling. As I said previously I used to bring a jumper and wear it for every trip I went on. I also used to download music that I know would help me feel calm and at ease as I travelled.

Keep at it 

The main thing that helped me overcome travel anxiety was to keep doing it. Book flights over and over again, choose to go to new places and really try to enjoy it. When I first began doing this, I was terrified and didn't think I could enjoy it. However, after a while and getting used to the travelling process, I began to get a buzz to go to new locations and always wanted to be travelling. I found myself really enjoying flights and planning trips and genuinely caught the travel bug.

The world is huge and there are so many places to see that you don't want travel anxiety to limit your opportunities. Step out your comfort zone, be brave and book that flight. You never know what experiences you may find as you land. If I can overcome my fear of travels then so can you!

Happy travelling!

I hope you enjoyed this post. Do you have any tips for anxious travellers?

Thank you for reading <3