Everyone has experienced it at least once in their life. You are getting closer to doing something exciting and a little bit scary! You are prepared, but you are not feeling like your confident, amazing self. Anxiety steps in and you panic. You start to question your path. Did you make the right decision? Are you doing the right thing? Before you know it, you have convinced yourself you should not be doing what is ahead of you and you are not capable of succeeding! Sound like a familiar story?
Even the most confident, self-assured people deal with anxiety throughout moments in their life. This happens often in the travel world. Whether you are a new traveler or a longtime traveler, there are some actions you can take to ensure you are more confident, self-assured, and excited for your next assignment.
Gather all the facts
Traveling for your career is a life changing decision. Take care of anxiety by grabbing as much information about traveling as you can. Your recruiter is an awesome resource for you. They bring experience of what to expect. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Research the areas where you are looking to travel. Seek out the traveling groups on Facebook. These groups are designed to help you! You will find fellow travelers, advice on traveling, information on different areas needing candidates, and much more. Fear and anxiety tend to lessen when you have all the information.
Make lists
Make a list of what you are going to need while traveling. On Samsung, there is an app called Samsung notes. On iPhone, the same type of app is called Apple notes. Both applications are easy to use and super helpful when you are making lists! Making a detailed list with what you want to bring on your travels takes the anxiety out of it. You don’t have to worry or fret because you will bring everything you need!
Build-in extra time
Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to plan for packing, getting your home together, and saying your goodbyes. Plan for busy traffic on the streets. Prepare to get searched and searched more at the airport. Plan for mistakes. If you do, you can take the trip with stride, curb the running late feeling and maybe even catch up on your current book at the airport with your extra free time!
Setting reasonable expectations
Traveling is an exciting thing! Whether it is for your career or fun, most of us love the adventure of it all. Often the excitement clouds our reality. Yes, it will be fun! And it will be adventurous! Yes, to all the positive, amazing things about traveling! We do need to remember to keep our expectations to a manageable level. Flights will be late. Flat tires will happen. Bad living spaces will be there waiting for you. Remembering to take these things with stride is important. The situation is only temporary. The thing going wrong can probably be fixed with a simple phone call. Reminding yourself of these facts will keep your expectations and anxiety to a minimum.
Find your person
You know who they are. The person you call when life is hitting the fan and you need a moment to vent. The person who listens without judgment and knows what you need to hear to be okay. Your people can be your biggest asset when going through anxiety-driven situations. Talking about the situation with a trusted person can often ease the intensity and bring you back to the reality of you being okay!
Breathe
Finally, make sure you are breathing. Often in stressful situations, people forget to breathe or the intensity of the breath increases. Deep breathing helps calm the nerves. When you breathe deeply, your body sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax. Try counting to seven as you breathe in and counting to seven as you breathe out. This will pull you into the moment and allow you to see your anxiety is most likely lying to you. You are safe and you are okay. Everything will work out!
Ensuring you are prepared for your upcoming adventure will help you stop anxiety and allow you to enjoy your travels ahead. Gather the facts. Make the lists. Get your people behind you. Breathe deeply and remember you are ready for whatever life has in store for you! You can always call your favorite recruiter too. We are always here to help!
Selena Palmer is an Account Manger for the Imaging division of Aureus Medical Group.
I started a new travel assignment, my first one, by taking one close enough so can drive home on stretches between work days. It makes it a bit easier to be able to go home for a few days a week.