MY 5 TIPS FOR MAINTAINING MENTAL HEALTH WHILE TRAVELING
It’s holiday season again, which for some of us means we are traveling more than usual, and this is the first holiday in a while that some of us are able to see loved ones far and wide as the pandemic has slowed a bit to allow for travel. For me, maintaining my mental health while traveling is all about routine.
I’ve been traveling a decent amount for work lately, which I am so grateful for. Seeing other parts of the world, and being able to connect with friends and family along the way is something I am extremely thankful for. That said, if you travel for the holidays, you get it. There’s a lot of hustle and bustle in airports, lots of family gatherings and it can sometimes feel like you don’t get a moment for yourself. It can also be unnerving when you have to disrupt the routine that works in your day-to-day life, even if it is in the name of something you’re really excited about. My philosophy to combatting the feelings of anxiety that come with disrupting your routine, and the guilt that comes with feeling anxious when you’re supposed to be excited: find the in-betweens. Need some elaboration? I’ve got you!
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Dial In Your Travel Skin-Care Essentials: My skincare routine is something small I can do everyday that makes me feel refreshed, centered, and at home in my own body. My main skincare essential, as many of you know, is coconut oil. I recently found out that Trader Joes sells travel-sized coconut oil packets, and it changed my life. Figure out what your essentials are, and make them work for you! Taking care of your skin is a sure fire way to feel at home in your body, even when you’re away from your home itself.
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Journal, Journal, Journal: In addition to this blog, I love to journal. It’s a great way for me to check in with myself and work through the things I’m feeling everyday. It’s also become a really nice way for me to track my internal growth, as I’m able to look back and see how far I’ve come. When I’m traveling, I sometimes get overwhelmed by the amount of things I need to do (especially if I’m traveling for work). When I’m anxious, I have a lot of feelings and the source of those feelings sometimes gets blurry. Journaling helps me to pause, reflect, and identify what I can be doing to reduce my stress and enjoy the ride.
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Eat Nourishing Foods: I bet a lot of you are expecting me to advise you to choose salad over french fries or to talk about how healthy I eat when I travel. The truth is that nourishment is so much more than just eating “healthy” foods. True nourishment is mind, body, and soul, which is why when I’m traveling I give myself grace and honor my cravings. One of the best parts of traveling is trying new things, namely, new foods, and they’re not always going to fit into the ideal of what my routine meals might be at home. Food is so much more than fuel, it’s celebration, community, and culture! So when I travel, I try to maintain balance by getting myself the healthy foods I need to feel good, but also foods that bring me comfort and happiness.
4. Dress In What YOU Feel Best In: I have to admit I admire people who can dress cute for a flight. As previously mentioned, I get anxious when I travel, and I’ve found that one of the best ways for me to combat this is by dressing in clothes I feel really cozy in. It’s easier for me to forget that I’m high up in the air on a plane when I feel like I’m snuggled up on the couch in my parent’s house. My favorite go-to travel outfit is a pair of gray men’s Hane’s sweatpants, a white tank-top, and usually my Unif sweater.
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Prioritize Daily Movement, But Don’t Stress Over It: I have found that moving my body in some way, shape, or form everyday is essential to my routine. Obviously when you travel you don’t have the same access to your normal gym or workout routine, so you’ve got to make it work for you! When I travel, I try to prioritize restful movement like stretching, walking, and breath work. Walking is such a great way to sight-see in new places, meet new people and find the best restaurants in your area! Stretching and yoga you can do virtually anywhere, and breath work helps me calm my nerves pre-flight. I also try to remember that when I’m traveling, I may not be “working out,” but I’m walking between meetings or shows or landmarks, surfing, hiking, and more. No matter what, I try to remember that rest is also an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, so I definitely make sure that I don’t beat myself up if one day I stay in bed after a long day.
I hope if you take anything from this journal entry, it’s that there’s no one right way to do anything, and that though breaking your routine can feel a little unnerving at times, it’s essential to give our lives variety with adventure, new experiences, and opportunity. We can take care of ourselves imperfectly, the best we can, and that will always be enough. <3
