I am sitting at the Bristol Airport, enjoying a salad in a small, quiet restaurant and waiting for my plane gate to be announced. I arrived at the airport early, very early, to allow myself a lot of time to enjoy this liminal space – I love travelling because, in those transitional spaces, we gain a lot of time and perspective for reflection. However, many of us find the Holiday travel stressful. So, as I sit here, I am reflecting on what helps me create a more peaceful experience. Here are my top tips on a more relaxed Holiday travel developed over 18 years of parenting and many more years before that.
- Plan your trip with your trip goals, personal intentions, and well-being in mind. Balancing cost and comfort can be tricky, but planning is the time to consider Return On Energy proactively. Today, I decided to take a taxi, which is more expensive than public transport. However, I am on a tight schedule and being at the airport early and relaxed is very important to me. I had a busy two years, and my intention for this Holiday season is to rest and restore (more than usual this time). I am prioritising myself this Christmas. In fact, the money I spent on the taxi meant that I had to restrain myself in the duty shop – and so, in the end, I was rested and didn’t spend money unnecessarily. A small tip on this: to work with your defaults and biases, write down all your transport options -even those you usually do not take, research them and make an informed decision.
- Plan even more ahead, if possible, to prepare for emergencies. Travel comes with a high risk of small or large emergencies. To respond to them with a lower risk of stress on the way, it may be worth preparing. For example, my family always ask me – why do you print your boarding passes in the digital age? I do it because if I dropped my phone and it broke, it wouldn’t affect my trip. I wouldn’t have to go to customer service and ask for support etc. I have a backup paper option. Some may call me old-fashioned, although I feel this stems from the need to relax and enjoy the journey truly, without hickups. It’s more of an old Scout habit in me – be prepared!
- Remember the basics of good mental and physical health. Eat well, drink enough fluids, and sleep well (if possible, I know travel can disregulate our sleep if we are anxious about it or very excited). Plan to feel comfortable in your body and in your mind. Wear comfortable clothes. Consider different weathers on both sides of your journey – yes, you can get a scarf on the other side, but do you need another one? Is it sustainable? In fact, I prefer to have one all-purpose scarf that always keeps me warm but also serves as a blanket in hot weather. Again, this is probably an old Scout habit to always be prepared.
- Be aware of how you are feeling and offer yourself much-needed care during travel. Today is a good example for me. I am travelling alone (I love travelling with others, but I am also alone), and I am in my holiday state of mind: not distracted, but a bit slower, calmer, and quieter. I need space and silence, which at an airport may require a bit of thinking and searching. I could go and sit at a gate. However, it was lunchtime, so I sat in a quiet corner of a calmer restaurant, where the staff was super friendly but also beautifully non-intrusive. I found a quiet booth where which felt like a tiny room in which I could breathe.
- Prioritise your body over your mind. It may sound shocking to hear from a mental health practitioner, right? I personally think that we spend too much time in our heads, especially those of us living in the Euro-Patriarchal, Western societies. If you tune into your body, you will get a clearer picture of what you actually may need at the time of travel. My menopausal body was faring up with warmer temperatures today, signalling that I needed to slow down. Of course, a bit of mint oil on the top of my neck can cool the nervous system down…and I need to think this through holistically – I need to go slowly, rest, eat well, have a quiet moment… and fair enough, I am feeling much better.
If you travel with others, communicating your needs and preferences becomes an additional, important factor. So is checking in with others to ensure everyone’s journey is as pleasant as possible.
I hope my tips are helpful. I am going to spend some time enjoying the buzz of the airport from my quiet corner now and head over to my gate soon. I hope your Holiday season is as calm and peaceful as possible.
