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Overcoming Travel Anxiety & Mental Health Chat with Jenny · Travel Mug Podcast

• 0:00
  Jenn: Welcome back to the Travel Mug Podcast.
• 0:04
  Jenn: This week we are chatting all about mental health and how that relates to travel, and specifically the benefits the travel can have on your mental health, but also the impacts that travel can have on your mental health as well.
• 0:17
  Jenn: Meggan isn't here today.
• 0:19
  Jenn: If you're watching us on YouTube, you can see no, Meggan, don't worry, I'm not alone.
• 0:24
  Jenn: It's not gonna be just me talking for an hour.
• 0:27
  Jenn: We're excited to bring on guest, Jenny.
• 0:30
  Jenn: So we were on her podcast, wake up with Jenny and friends way back in 2021.
• 0:36
  Jenn: I don't know where that time went.
• 0:39
  Jenn: But we had so much fun.
• 0:40
  Jenn: I'll link that episode in the show notes so that you guys can go check that out.
• 0:44
  Jenn: So, welcome Jenny to our show.
• 0:47
  Jenny: Hey, Jenn, thanks for having me.
• 0:48
  Jenny: Appreciate it.
• 0:49
  Jenn: Yeah, it's the Jenns today.
• 0:51
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 0:54
  Jenn: So first of all, Jenny, tell us some of your favorite travel destinations and maybe somewhere that's on your bucket list.
• 1:02
  Jenny: I would say I really enjoyed Europe.
• 1:05
  Jenny: I've really, as simple as it sounds, Florida is always a great destination for me.
• 1:11
  Jenn: I love Florida.
• 1:12
  Jenny: Yeah, I love it there.
• 1:15
  Jenny: You know, I've been fortunate enough to, to travel pretty much all over the world.
• 1:19
  Jenny: There's just a few places I haven't gone yet.
• 1:22
  Jenny: I'd love to go to Switzerland.
• 1:23
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 1:24
  Jenny: So, you know, Japan
• 1:26
  Jenn: Yes.
• 1:27
  Jenny: Would be great too.
• 1:27
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 1:28
  Jenny: So,
• 1:28
  Jenn: yeah, I definitely, yeah, I definitely wanna get to like Japan, but the, it's the flight that like scares me and I'm like, yes.
• 1:36
  Jenn: That's a long time on a plane.
• 1:38
  Jenny: Yes.
• 1:39
  Jenny: The longest flight I've been on was when I went to Africa and that was all in travel is about 22 hours.
• 1:48
  Jenny: So yeah, it's not, yeah, it's not, it's not first on the list to go back.
• 1:53
  Jenn: Right.
• 1:54
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 1:56
  Jenn: Someday hopefully we'll spent the I don't know, some sort of plane that can just go so much faster and we don't have to spend 20 hours in the air.
• 2:05
  Jenny: I'm sure it's coming with the AI and everything else that's booming right now.
• 2:09
  Jenny: I'm sure there's some, I'm sure I get Jet
• 2:13
  Jenn: and like just be somewhere in like four minutes.
• 2:16
  Jenn: Like that would be amazing.
• 2:20
  Jenn: All right, so let's dive into travel and mental health.
• 2:24
  Jenn: So why is this a topic important to you?
• 2:28
  Jenny: Yeah, so I, I think travel opens up a lot of opportunities to step outside of your comfort zone.
• 2:37
  Jenny: I think it's a great getaway for self care.
• 2:41
  Jenn: Mm-hmm.
• 2:41
  Jenny: It's great to sort of be mindful of keeping track of things and staying organized, which is a really great thing for a lot of people.
• 2:51
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 2:51
  Jenny: So, yeah, I know for me, traveling, it always gives me something to look forward to.
• 2:55
  Jenn: Mm-hmm.
• 2:56
  Jenny: And it's always a great experience for me, so no matter where you're going or what you're doing, it's always an experience.
• 3:01
  Jenny: So I think the, the main key point when traveling is just to be open-minded.
• 3:07
  Jenn: Mm-hmm.
• 3:07
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 3:08
  Jenn: I, I also noticed for me like a big difference in my mental health when I have a trip booked to look forward to, and it's like almost as soon as I book the trip, I can like, feel a difference in like having something to look forward to, but also something to like put energy in, into, like, I love the research part of it.
• 3:28
  Jenn: Like it's, that's a big part of it for me.
• 3:31
  Jenn: Like the trip itself is also amazing, but it's the, the research and the planning also has like a big positive impact on my mental health as well.
• 3:41
  Jenn: Do you find that?
• 3:42
  Jenny: Yeah, absolutely.
• 3:43
  Jenny: Like it's always exciting to, to plan for the future and plan for somewhere to go, so yeah, absolutely.
• 3:49
  Jenn: Need something to look forward to.
• 3:51
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 3:51
  Jenny: Do you spend a lot of time.
• 3:54
  Jenny: Researching and planning before you go, like how long do you usually,
• 3:57
  Jenn: yeah, like, you know, we usually book a trip at least like a couple of months in advance, so I'm usually like browsing Pinterest or like
• 4:06
  Jenny: Right.
• 4:07
  Jenn: Talking to other people that I know that have been there.
• 4:10
  Jenn: Or even like browsing Instagram or just like, kind of like, Getting excited, like learning new things about the place that I'm going.
• 4:20
  Jenn: Like that's a big part of it for me as well.
• 4:22
  Jenn: And I mean, getting there is obviously like amazing too, right?
• 4:26
  Jenn: But it's yeah, I think like planning it and the anticipation.
• 4:31
  Jenn: And the excitement.
• 4:32
  Jenn: Mm-hmm.
• 4:32
  Jenny: Have you ever researched a place and then changed your mind?
• 4:35
  Jenny: And that I don't wanna go there, I wanna go somewhere else.
• 4:38
  Jenn: I don't think that I've ever like researched a place and then changed my mind because of the research.
• 4:43
  Jenn: We've planned or like kind of researched trips and then shelved them for later.
• 4:50
  Jenny: Right.
• 4:50
  Jenny: Okay.
• 4:51
  Jenn: Just kind of like a okay, now's not a great time to go on this trip.
• 4:55
  Jenn: Like maybe we don't have enough time.
• 4:58
  Jenn: Like, you know, this is a place I wanna spend two weeks and we only have one week, so let's like,
• 5:02
  Jenny: right.
• 5:03
  Jenn: Put that aside for later and then come back to it hopefully and plan something else.
• 5:08
  Jenn: So yeah, I don't think I've ever like researched somewhere and went, nah.
• 5:13
  Jenny: Right.
• 5:16
  Jenn: That would be, that would be funny though.
• 5:18
  Jenn: It's funny, we talked to somebody a couple episodes back, Dan, who, like, he doesn't plan anything.
• 5:25
  Jenn: Like he just shows up and I'm like, wow.
• 5:28
  Jenn: Like that gives me a lot of anxiety, like thinking about
• 5:32
  Jenny: Right.
• 5:34
  Jenny: That's a, that's a cool way to do it too.
• 5:35
  Jenny: That's a cool,
• 5:36
  Jenn: yeah.
• 5:36
  Jenn: I think it totally depends on your personality and
• 5:40
  Jenny: Sure.
• 5:41
  Jenn: Like I said, like that would, that would give me a lot of anxiety.
• 5:43
  Jenn: So let's, actually, let's dive into that because some people when they're traveling, experience anxiety and I know that I have.
• 5:54
  Jenn: Do you have any Tips for people for dealing with anxiety when they're traveling.
• 5:58
  Jenn: Like let's say you're somewhere and you're like a little overwhelmed or like getting anxious, like, do you have any tips for that?
• 6:05
  Jenny: So when you're talking about anxiety and getting overwhelmed, is it just because of where you are or not being able to find something?
• 6:11
  Jenny: Where's the I would, I would venture, I would ask.
• 6:13
  Jenny: Where's the anxiety coming from?
• 6:15
  Jenn: Okay.
• 6:15
  Jenny: That would be one of my questions would be, right.
• 6:17
  Jenny: Cause everybody's anxiety is different.
• 6:19
  Jenny: Like cuz I, I know when I travel, if I have any anxiety, it's like, because I don't know where I am, so I wouldn't know how to, how to find places.
• 6:27
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 6:28
  Jenny: But some people's anxiety is, okay, where are we going to eat next?
• 6:30
  Jenny: Some people's anxiety is, I'm in a beautiful place and I just can't relax.
• 6:34
  Jenny: So that's giving me anxiety.
• 6:36
  Jenny: So I would try to try to pinpoint, I.
• 6:38
  Jenny: Where the anxiety is coming from.
• 6:40
  Jenn: Hmm.
• 6:41
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 6:41
  Jenn: For me, it's usually like an overwhelm of new stuff and like definitely if it's like I don't know where I am, that would definitely like stress me out.
• 6:54
  Jenn: But I also, sometimes it's like too many choices and I don't know how to like, and it's funny you mentioned , I don't know where to eat next, but like that is something like that I get , Overwhelmed when there's like too many choices.
• 7:09
  Jenny: Yes.
• 7:10
  Jenn: So something that we've actually done on our last trip, and it was sort of by necessity when we were in Scotland, is like you had to make dinner reservations just because places were busy.
• 7:19
  Jenn: But it also helped a lot with that, like overwhelming anxiety to research a little bit in advance and have some options and maybe not like, Choose, you know, months in advance, but the day of, it's like, okay, we're in this area.
• 7:34
  Jenn: We could go here, here, here.
• 7:36
  Jenn: Let's call them and make a reservation.
• 7:38
  Jenn: So that's something that we've done lately that I really like.
• 7:41
  Jenn: That has definitely helped with that overwhelm and anxiety when you're traveling.
• 7:47
  Jenny: Absolutely.
• 7:47
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 7:48
  Jenny: That's so great.
• 7:48
  Jenny: That's so great that you do that, Jenn.
• 7:50
  Jenny: That's awesome.
• 7:51
  Jenny: So yeah, I, I think that's a really good idea.
• 7:53
  Jenny: I think if you're going, if you know where you're going and you're gonna be staying in a particular place for a couple of days a week and the fear is having anxiety of too many choices or not being able to find places.
• 8:05
  Jenny: So what I would do is make a, take a just a scrap piece of paper and a pen with you.
• 8:10
  Jenny: It's always great to have something to jot notes down and whatever.
• 8:13
  Jenny: And if you're in a particular spot and there's like 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 things to do that you, you're getting overwhelmed with choices and overwhelmed with just the environment and being in a new place and seeing all of these things that you wanna do, but maybe aren't necessarily on your list or didn't think these things would be available to you.
• 8:31
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 8:31
  Jenny: I would just sit and write, just take a minute, take a couple deep breaths, sit down, have a seat, take out your pen and paper and write down all of the things that look interesting to you.
• 8:42
  Jenn: Mm-hmm.
• 8:43
  Jenny: So maybe you have 10 things on your list and you're gonna be there for the whole day.
• 8:48
  Jenny: So I would pick one or two or three of those things and sort of map out.
• 8:54
  Jenny: You know the areas that you wanna go to and, and so you bring it kind of full circle around.
• 9:00
  Jenny: So you start with the closest place and then you get to the next place.
• 9:03
  Jenny: Maybe you have a bite to eat, and so you take in a two or three four of those things.
• 9:08
  Jenny: And then it doesn't seem so overwhelming because you're sort of on a pace.
• 9:11
  Jenny: On a track for that day.
• 9:12
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 9:13
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 9:13
  Jenn: I really like that.
• 9:14
  Jenn: I am, in the past, I'm getting better, but I was an over planner in that I would jam packed too many things in one day and maybe not be as good at looking at where they are on a map.
• 9:29
  Jenn: So then you're like traveling far between and that could be really stressful too.
• 9:35
  Jenn: When you're like too much on a time schedule where you're like
• 9:39
  Jenny: mm-hmm.
• 9:39
  Jenn: Not enjoying the thing that you're in because you're like, oh, I gotta get to this next thing by three o'clock cuz we have to get to the next thing by five o'clock.
• 9:46
  Jenn: And you're kind of like stressing yourself out.
• 9:50
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 9:50
  Jenn: So I think accepting that when you're somewhere, especially if you're only there for a few days or a week, like you can't do everything and you'd have to just kind of accept that you're not able to do everything.
• 10:01
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 10:02
  Jenny: It's really important to give yourself that grace to even just make other plans.
• 10:06
  Jenny: Like maybe you plan to go to x, y, Z museum, but you just don't feel like it that day.
• 10:12
  Jenny: And maybe you wanna try something else or you see something else along the way.
• 10:15
  Jenny: It's okay to get off of that, that, that schedule.
• 10:19
  Jenny: It's okay to get off of that train.
• 10:20
  Jenny: Right.
• 10:21
  Jenny: And choose something.
• 10:21
  Jenny: And choose something else too.
• 10:23
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 10:24
  Jenny: But I, I wanna go back to what you said about the.
• 10:27
  Jenny: The restaurants and that, and that, that's a really great way to sort of give yourself a foundational point for the day.
• 10:35
  Jenn: Mm-hmm.
• 10:35
  Jenny: Is, is.
• 10:36
  Jenny: You know, finding places to eat when you're, if you're a very picky eater or if you're something, if you're worried about that.
• 10:42
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 10:43
  Jenny: I know for myself, I'm vegan, so that's always a little bit of a, it's, it's not overwhelming, but it's a little bit of a sticky point when you're traveling.
• 10:50
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 10:50
  Jenny: But usually you can find stuff, but, but you know, planning on where you're gonna go and eat for the day and making reservations, that's so great that you do that because then you can plan your other activities around that and it.
• 11:01
  Jenny: That that plan for where you're gonna have that meal is kind of your center point.
• 11:05
  Jenny: So you can always get back to that.
• 11:07
  Jenny: So you can sort of, it's, you know, it's like when you go on a cruise and they let you off of the boat for the day and they say, okay, go do what you want, but just be back by five.
• 11:16
  Jenny: You know, so it's kind of, you know, you reconvene, right?
• 11:19
  Jenny: So, yeah.
• 11:19
  Jenny: So that's, you know, your, your restaurant is your focal point for whatever time of the day you're gonna be there.
• 11:24
  Jenny: So it, it kind of gives you a little bit of a, a grace period to, to work around.
• 11:28
  Jenny: So That's great.
• 11:29
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 11:30
  Jenn: Yeah, I love that.
• 11:31
  Jenn: Like it definitely gives you more of like a grounding, like, okay, we're gonna come back here and we're gonna, like, if you're traveling with a group too
• 11:38
  Jenny: mm-hmm.
• 11:38
  Jenn: If everybody's off doing their own thing, like you can kind of come back together and and kind of reconvene.
• 11:45
  Jenn: I wanna talk about self-care while traveling, so,
• 11:50
  Jenny: mm-hmm.
• 11:50
  Jenn: For me, like I said, I used to be like an over planner and like jamming things in and like doing a lot and I've really learned over the last couple of trips to also include some downtime that like a little bit of self-care and like.
• 12:08
  Jenn: Kind of incorporating some self-care, routines that I do at home, whether it's like having a bath or doing a workout or something like that.
• 12:18
  Jenn: Or even just spending the evening in the hotel, like watching TV instead of being out again I think is really important.
• 12:27
  Jenn: Is there anything like that you do for self-care when you're traveling?
• 12:32
  Jenny: I think that's, those are all really, really good suggestions and really good things that you do.
• 12:37
  Jenny: I think you're absolutely right.
• 12:39
  Jenny: It's, it's maintaining some sort of familiarity with your schedule when you're at home to bring in some sort of comfort when you're traveling.
• 12:48
  Jenny: So things like getting a manicure or a pedicure when you're, you know, kind of staying onto that, that kind of schedule.
• 12:55
  Jenny: Like you said, just taking the, the night off and watching TV in the hotel room, you know, just because you're somewhere new doesn't mean you gotta be out every second of every day and night.
• 13:04
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 13:04
  Jenny: So taking that downtime too.
• 13:05
  Jenny: So it's really great to relax.
• 13:08
  Jenn: Mm-hmm.
• 13:08
  Jenny: For me, traveling is part of self-care.
• 13:11
  Jenn: Mm-hmm.
• 13:12
  Jenny: It's so great to get away and get out of, you know, your.
• 13:16
  Jenny: You're a nine to five environment.
• 13:18
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 13:18
  Jenny: Right.
• 13:19
  Jenny: But a lot of us are used to, to living in especially if you're in the city, you know, it's in, in a busy place.
• 13:25
  Jenny: You have a hectic job.
• 13:26
  Jenny: Especially if you're, you know, working all the time.
• 13:29
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 13:29
  Jenny: It's so good to get away, you know, if you can two, three times a year, and especially in those winter months when we can get really, really down and
• 13:39
  Jenn: yeah.
• 13:39
  Jenny: You know, we start to expen experience those winter blues.
• 13:42
  Jenny: I know I do myself more so as I get younger.
• 13:46
  Jenny: Um, It does, it does, it does come on a bit in the winter.
• 13:51
  Jenny: So it's always great to, to find Time to get away.
• 13:54
  Jenny: And, and part of that is, is in the planning, you know, you mentioned planning before.
• 13:59
  Jenny: Part of that is planning, planning, financially, doing your research on where you wanna go.
• 14:04
  Jenny: So these things throughout the year gives you that, something to look forward to, right.
• 14:08
  Jenny: So it kind of sustains you until you do travel.
• 14:11
  Jenny: But definitely having a little bit of a, a familiar routine when you do travel is definitely a, a great thing to have in mind.
• 14:19
  Jenn: Mm-hmm.
• 14:20
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 14:20
  Jenn: It, it makes.
• 14:22
  Jenn: A huge difference in the enjoyment of the trip for me when I take a little bit of time to do some self care instead of like, I would definitely put a lot of pressure on myself to be out from the moment I woke up.
• 14:37
  Jenn: Until the moment that it was like, I'm too tired to move anymore.
• 14:42
  Jenny: So, and do you think that, is that a sense of adventure or do you think that comes from, you're not sure if you'll ever come back to see that place again?
• 14:48
  Jenn: I think it comes from.
• 14:53
  Jenn: Not a self sense of adventure.
• 14:55
  Jenn: I think it's like as, it's probably more from anxiety of like, I don't wanna miss anything.
• 15:02
  Jenny: Okay.
• 15:03
  Jenny: It's a little bit of fomo.
• 15:04
  Jenn: Yeah, it's a FOMO thing, I think.
• 15:06
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 15:06
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 15:07
  Jenn: Like, it's funny, when we were in Scotland we were with a group of people, which was one of our first times traveling in like a larger type group, and there was one morning that we were going out for a hike.
• 15:18
  Jenn: It was supposed to be morning and it was like noon and , no, everybody wasn't ready.
• 15:23
  Jenn: And I'm sitting on the balcony like, why we haven't left yet, like we're wasting time.
• 15:29
  Jenn: And my husband's like, calm down.
• 15:31
  Jenn: Like it's okay.
• 15:33
  Jenn: We're gonna get there.
• 15:34
  Jenn: Like just.
• 15:34
  Jenn: Sit out on, we had this beautiful balcony, we had this great Airbnb on the Isle of Skye with this beautiful balcony, and it's just like, why aren't you just sitting here enjoying this , beautiful view?
• 15:46
  Jenn: But yeah, definitely some FOMO that I I have to like push myself through.
• 15:52
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 15:52
  Jenny: And that's a, that's a good point to make too, Jenn, is taking a moment to just take a breath and take it all in and just be in that moment.
• 16:00
  Jenny: Be mindful of, of where you're at and be in that present moment.
• 16:05
  Jenny: Because it's, it's kind of, especially this day and age, it's for a lot of people, it's a luxury to travel.
• 16:12
  Jenn: Mm-hmm.
• 16:13
  Jenny: So just, you know, being in a new place and experiencing a new environment, you know, take a minute to just breathe it all in.
• 16:20
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 16:20
  Jenn: I think also with, you know, our generation and the technology like it, a lot of us have a hard time being in the moment, I think, and you know, we're.
• 16:33
  Jenn: I mean, I'm guilty of it for sure.
• 16:35
  Jenn: Like I need to get the perfect picture and I need to like
• 16:38
  Jenny: Right.
• 16:39
  Jenn: Video this.
• 16:40
  Jenn: But then you're not also enjoying it and living in the moment and like making sure to take in the scenery with your own eyes and not through your phone screen as you're taking a picture.
• 16:51
  Jenny: And it's hard not to, right?
• 16:52
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 16:52
  Jenny: Because you wanna like, you wanna memorex everything.
• 16:56
  Jenny: Right.
• 16:58
  Jenny: You know, I remember when I, you know, when I was younger, when I was traveling, you know, we'd have those disposable cameras, right?
• 17:06
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 17:06
  Jenny: You'd get them at, get them at Kodak or Blacks or whatever.
• 17:08
  Jenny: I'm dating myself here, but but yeah, you'd have like two, you know, one or two of those little disposable cameras.
• 17:15
  Jenny: And you know, when, when they run out you're like, oh no, I'm not gonna remember this.
• 17:20
  Jenny: And so now we have these phones and all this technology at our hands and it's just, So hard not to like be on it all the time.
• 17:26
  Jenny: You know, people do it at concerts too.
• 17:28
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 17:28
  Jenny: You know, and there's been a number of performers that have just said, like, even in the middle of their songs, have stopped and said, you know, put down your phone.
• 17:35
  Jenny: I'm right here.
• 17:36
  Jenny: Enjoy the concert.
• 17:38
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 17:39
  Jenny: Know it's the same kind of thing.
• 17:41
  Jenny: Traveling, so
• 17:42
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 17:42
  Jenn: For sure.
• 17:43
  Jenn: Yeah, it is really important.
• 17:44
  Jenn: It's funny, like our last couple of trips well we, we were in Florida in February and we were at Disney, and it's like, it's our seventh time to Disney.
• 17:55
  Jenn: You know, I d I don't need the same picture of the, you know what I mean?
• 17:59
  Jenn: Like, I'm like, I have.
• 18:00
  Jenn: 50 million pictures of this thing.
• 18:02
  Jenn: I don't need another one.
• 18:03
  Jenn: And just, I tried to really put my phone down and enjoy it.
• 18:08
  Jenn: But then also, and I get home and of course we have this podcast and then I have a travel blog and I'm like looking for pictures of stuff to put in what I'm writing about and I'm like, I didn't take any pictures.
• 18:19
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 18:20
  Jenny: It's, it's, it's nice to have those memories too, as it's a Yeah, it's a double-edged sword, I guess.
• 18:25
  Jenn: It is.
• 18:25
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 18:26
  Jenn: I just need to like hire a photographer to like come around with me and take the pictures.
• 18:29
  Jenny: Yes.
• 18:29
  Jenn: For me so I can enjoy what I'm doing.
• 18:35
  Jenn: I wanna talk about the fear that I've, I've had and I haven't done a lot of like.
• 18:44
  Jenn: I haven't really done any solo travel, but I've flown by myself to somewhere to like meet up with somebody.
• 18:51
  Jenn: So the first time I did that, when I was in my, like early twenties, I was flying from Nova Scotia to Thunder Bay to go visit my best friend and I had so much anxiety about the traveling alone part, and I did it, but like I really had to be pushed.
• 19:06
  Jenn: Like, I was like, I don't want to go.
• 19:08
  Jenn: I'm really nervous.
• 19:09
  Jenn: And I mean, the fact that I spent like $600 on a plane ticket was like, okay, well I have to go now.
• 19:15
  Jenn: But I, I think that that really could have held me back from going and I'm glad that I did, but I think that it probably holds a lot of people back.
• 19:23
  Jenn: Like the fear of either like traveling alone or the fear of getting lost or the fear of being somewhere and not, I, sometimes I'm like, oh, like where's the nearest like hospital or something.
• 19:39
  Jenn: Like, we just had someone on talking about medical emergencies, but I think that people let fear stop them from traveling sometimes.
• 19:48
  Jenn: And do you have any maybe like advice or tips for people that are like really nervous to maybe book their first trip?
• 19:56
  Jenny: Yeah, absolutely.
• 19:57
  Jenny: So I'm glad that you shared that, that story about your fears too, because I had a similar thing when I first started traveling alone and the biggest thing that I did for myself was I just asked questions all the time.
• 20:10
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 20:11
  Jenny: And I, I was like the kid in the back of the classroom with their hand up the whole time.
• 20:15
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 20:16
  Jenny: I didn't care if people, you know, if they heard this question a thousand times.
• 20:20
  Jenny: I didn't care how many people I asked, I just, I just kept asking questions all the way through.
• 20:25
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 20:26
  Jenny: Especially like in the airport, you know, trying to navigate when you're young, trying to navigate the airport.
• 20:31
  Jenny: It's not as streamlined as it is now.
• 20:33
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 20:34
  Jenny: Back then, so I, I literally just asked like every, two, three people, like, am I going the right way?
• 20:40
  Jenny: Is this what I do?
• 20:41
  Jenny: Do I, how do I do this?
• 20:43
  Jenny: How do I fill this out?
• 20:43
  Jenny: What?
• 20:44
  Jenny: So having, giving yourself that grace to just ask questions and not feeling like you're not supposed to ask questions or you should know this already, or it's silly to ask questions.
• 20:53
  Jenny: Ask as many questions as you need to, as often as you need to.
• 20:57
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 20:58
  Jenny: And I think it's really Important as well too, to remember that wherever you're going, the fundamentals of a different country in a different city are the pretty much the same as they are at home.
• 21:12
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 21:12
  Jenny: Every city in every country, for the most part is gonna have a gas station, they're gonna have some form of transport, like taxis or trains.
• 21:22
  Jenny: They're gonna have a hospital, they're gonna have restaurants.
• 21:25
  Jenny: They're, so, there's places that you can, if you don't know where you are, you can go into one of those places, find one of those places, ask for directions.
• 21:34
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 21:35
  Jenny: You know, if, if you're in a place that you, you don't remember how to get back to where you're going, just get in a taxi, get in an Uber, get, you know, get back to center, get back to somewhere that's familiar, and then start from there.
• 21:47
  Jenny: There's hotels everywhere you can go in and ask the concierge.
• 21:50
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 21:51
  Jenny: You know, where, how do I get to this place?
• 21:53
  Jenny: So things like that.
• 21:55
  Jenny: I think sometimes We think when we, we have these fears about going to a new country or a new place, we think we're gonna get there.
• 22:02
  Jenny: And it's like our brain goes, okay, we're just gonna drop you off in the middle of nowhere with a baguette and you're on your own.
• 22:08
  Jenny: Oh.
• 22:08
  Jenny: Like that's not really how it is.
• 22:12
  Jenny: So I think to remember those things like.
• 22:14
  Jenny: Even though it's a different place, every place you go to that you're gonna find things that are similar to home, whether it's, you know, in the foods or in, you know the establishments that are around you, there's gonna be something of familiarity with you.
• 22:27
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 22:28
  Jenny: Most likely you're always gonna have a phone on you.
• 22:30
  Jenn: Mm-hmm.
• 22:31
  Jenny: So if you're in a place where nobody speaks the same language as you, you can call someone back home and say, Google this, I'm, I'm sure you'll be able to Google on your phone where you are.
• 22:43
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 22:43
  Jenny: But if you need another person on the line, you know, you can call someone back.
• 22:47
  Jenny: Like, there's always something and someone to help you out.
• 22:51
  Jenny: Mm-hmm.
• 22:52
  Jenny: So I think that's a, a, a key point to remember is that you're, you're not alone.
• 22:56
  Jenny: I mean, you're gonna make the best decisions for where you're at.
• 22:58
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 22:59
  Jenny: I mean, I wouldn't recommend walking down any dark alleys in a, you know, in a new place that's probably not advisable.
• 23:05
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 23:05
  Jenny: But, but there's always.
• 23:07
  Jenny: Someplace that you can You know, look, look for assistance.
• 23:11
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 23:11
  Jenny: So those are really good things to remember too.
• 23:13
  Jenn: I think it's funny, I, you know, read some like travel articles that like never go to Starbucks or McDonald's because like you have that at home and why would you go?
• 23:23
  Jenn: But also like these places, not only can they be like comforting because they're familiar.
• 23:28
  Jenn: Usually they have free wifi.
• 23:31
  Jenn: Like it's, if you're feeling overwhelmed, that's probably one of the first places that I would go for like a, a, you know, feeling comfortable ordering something that you know, that you've had before.
• 23:43
  Jenn: So, And yeah, use the free wifi and sit down and take a breather and like regroup yourself.
• 23:50
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 23:50
  Jenny: Or a bookstore.
• 23:51
  Jenny: Bookshops can be amazing for that too.
• 23:53
  Jenny: And there's, you know, tons of travel guides in bookstores and Yeah.
• 23:57
  Jenny: You know, tons of, tons of self-help books in bookstores.
• 24:00
  Jenny: So if you're feeling really anxious, you can read a chapter on how to chill out, you know, you know, but, but that's, you know, that's one of the reasons why you know, big businesses and companies do that.
• 24:11
  Jenny: Why they have, you know, Starbucks all over the world, they have McDonald's all over the world.
• 24:15
  Jenny: That's one of the reasons they do that is because they want a sense of familiarity for people who travel.
• 24:21
  Jenny: You know, I mean, there's probably more people that go to McDonald's in Japan than go to you know?
• 24:28
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 24:28
  Jenny: An authentic sushi or Japanese restaurant and I mean, you know, so yeah, it's, it's making those things that are familiar, available to people when they travel that, that not only keep them coming, but that give them that sense of comfort.
• 24:43
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 24:44
  Jenn: Yeah, I love that.
• 24:45
  Jenn: One thing for me, like I used to experience a lot of anxiety while flying, and I know that that's a really common,
• 24:54
  Jenny: so common
• 24:55
  Jenn: anxiety.
• 24:55
  Jenn: Right.
• 24:56
  Jenn: And it's really interesting because I'm not really anxious about it anymore.
• 25:02
  Jenn: I like, you know, if it's like really turbulent, I'm definitely nervous, but
• 25:07
  Jenny: Right.
• 25:08
  Jenn: For the most part.
• 25:09
  Jenn: So things that have really helped me I'll , download podcasts or like something that I'm like really looking forward to either watching or listening and Saving it for the flights that I have something to do that I'm actually looking forward to do on the flight.
• 25:26
  Jenny: Mm-hmm.
• 25:26
  Jenn: Has been really helpful for me.
• 25:29
  Jenn: I mean, it's mostly been an exposure thing as I've done it more and more, like I'm more comfortable and I'm more comfortable with the whole process of you know, going through the airport and I know the steps now, so it's not as like anxiety inducing, but do you have any tips for anyone who experiences fear of flying or flying anxiety?
• 25:49
  Jenny: Take the train drive if you can.
• 25:52
  Jenn: You don't have to fly.
• 25:53
  Jenn: I guess it's like a good tip, but sometimes you have to fly, but sometimes you fly.
• 25:59
  Jenn: You don't always have to fly.
• 26:00
  Jenny: Yes.
• 26:03
  Jenny: So I, I think I think the things that you mentioned are really great.
• 26:06
  Jenny: You know, having something to distract you, like a podcast or a movie or a book that you're looking forward to reading or listening to.
• 26:14
  Jenny: I know a lot of people just you know, will fall asleep on, on a flight and that will consume a big, huge chunk of the time.
• 26:22
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 26:23
  Jenny: Which is great for a lot of people.
• 26:24
  Jenny: So if you're able to do that, you know, that's great.
• 26:25
  Jenny: There's lots of different masks, eye masks and, and things that you can bring with you on flights.
• 26:31
  Jenny: So that's great.
• 26:33
  Jenny: I think it's also good to a few days before you are gonna fly, just have a little conversation with yourself and know that flying is just a part of the process to get you to your destination.
• 26:48
  Jenny: And we all know this, you know, well, most of us know this anyways, that statistically flying is much safer than driving or any other form of transport.
• 26:58
  Jenny: So That's one thing to, to take comfort into.
• 27:02
  Jenny: For me, I.
• 27:04
  Jenny: I don't so much have an anxiety about flying as I do.
• 27:09
  Jenny: I just, it, it's just fishy to me.
• 27:13
  Jenny: I'm like, hold on a second.
• 27:14
  Jenny: We're going up in a tin can and it's gonna float in the air and then we're gonna land somewhere.
• 27:19
  Jenny: Yeah, it's so, I actually, I'm one of the weirdos who actually likes the turbulence cuz I'm like, I feel like I.
• 27:27
  Jenny: Okay.
• 27:28
  Jenny: There's something I, we're actually, I can feel something.
• 27:31
  Jenny: So something's ha we're, you know, something's real here, just floating.
• 27:35
  Jenny: Ok.
• 27:37
  Jenny: So I, I actually like the turbulence, but, but but I think, you know, just trust the process and know that you're, you're in good hands.
• 27:46
  Jenn: Mm-hmm.
• 27:47
  Jenn: Mm-hmm.
• 27:47
  Jenn: I think like the flight attendants are also like a really great source of information.
• 27:52
  Jenn: Like if you have questions.
• 27:55
  Jenn: There's a little call button and they will come to you and like they're great.
• 27:59
  Jenn: Like I've, yeah.
• 28:00
  Jenn: Every flight attendant I've ever had and chatted with has been like amazing and reassuring and they're just, I think a lot of people don't really chat with them.
• 28:10
  Jenn: And they're a great source of also information.
• 28:13
  Jenn: Usually if you're have questions about the airport or if you're wondering about the procedure when you land they're, they've done it like a million times and they know what's going on.
• 28:23
  Jenn: So if you have questions, absolutely.
• 28:24
  Jenn: They're agree.
• 28:25
  Jenny: Yeah, and I, I wouldn't underestimate the power of mindful breathing too.
• 28:28
  Jenny: You know, whether it's box breathing or, you know, the 3, 2, 1, descendant breathing or, you know, just getting up and walking around.
• 28:37
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 28:38
  Jenny: You know, walking up and down the aisle for a few minutes stretching your legs, you know, that's recommended anyways, right?
• 28:43
  Jenn: Yeah, exactly.
• 28:44
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 28:45
  Jenny: But yeah, but just some deep breathing can really be, you know, really meditative.
• 28:49
  Jenny: And yeah, I wouldn't underestimate that for sure.
• 28:52
  Jenn: Yeah, that, that's a really good point.
• 28:54
  Jenn: Especially yeah, longer flight, like getting up, walking around, doing some deep breathing.
• 28:59
  Jenny: Mm-hmm.
• 29:00
  Jenn: Doing some and you know, and also in reading and hopefully sleeping if it's an overnight flight.
• 29:05
  Jenn: Although I do not have a good track record with sleeping on flights, I wish I could.
• 29:13
  Jenny: Where's one of the, the most recent places that you've been, that you've really loved?
• 29:17
  Jenn: One of the most recent places I've been that I've really loved, well, we were, Disney is like, Disney's my happy place.
• 29:23
  Jenny: It's always a hit.
• 29:24
  Jenn: Yeah, it's always a hit.
• 29:25
  Jenn: And it's actually like Disney's really good for my mental health.
• 29:28
  Jenn: People think, oh my God, the crowds and like the lines, but just like the entire experience for me.
• 29:36
  Jenny: Yes.
• 29:36
  Jenn: Like the, it's, it's like a full senses experience, like the smells and the sounds and that is really really good for my mental health and it, but it's funny, like sometimes the crowds do get overwhelming.
• 29:51
  Jenn: And if anyone's ever seen a picture of Meggan and I, I am quite short.
• 29:56
  Jenn: Meggan's like a foot taller than me.
• 29:59
  Jenn: And we were, you know, in the crowd to watch the fireworks and, you know, there's a lot of people and being a shorter person when all you see is bodies like around you and above you.
• 30:11
  Jenn: That got a little bit stressful and I'm like, I dunno if I really wanna be in this crowd.
• 30:16
  Jenn: So I think maybe tall people don't get that problem, but when you're five feet tall and everyone's like a foot above you, it can be a little bit stressful.
• 30:29
  Jenn: But before that, going to Scotland was really interesting because it was my first time in quite a while going somewhere new.
• 30:36
  Jenny: Mm.
• 30:37
  Jenn: So I did Get a like, just a little bit like anxious one day.
• 30:42
  Jenn: And of course we were my husband was driving and we're on the other side of the road and there's like, you know, all the experiences, I dunno exactly where I'm going.
• 30:50
  Jenn: And
• 30:50
  Jenny: the roundabouts.
• 30:51
  Jenn: Yeah, the around, there's many roundabouts, so many on the other side.
• 30:56
  Jenn: And I'm just like, what is happening?
• 30:59
  Jenn: But it was also like really amazing and beautiful and the scenery was stunning.
• 31:05
  Jenn: And it has, Reignited my love for Europe, cuz we hadn't been, oh, since like 2015.
• 31:13
  Jenn: So it had been a long time.
• 31:15
  Jenn: And we had kind of been.
• 31:17
  Jenn: I wouldn't say we were in a rut, but we were just going to Disney a lot, which is something my husband and I both love.
• 31:22
  Jenn: But it definitely, like,
• 31:23
  Jenny: it's so great to go to Disney as an adult cuz it's such a different experience.
• 31:27
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 31:27
  Jenny: And, and it, it's, it's a unique experience that if you haven't been, you can't really quite explain it.
• 31:34
  Jenny: For someone who hasn't been, it's just going to a place like that.
• 31:37
  Jenny: It's not like going to Canada's Wonderland or another theme park.
• 31:41
  Jenny: It's not like that.
• 31:42
  Jenny: Disney really is magical.
• 31:45
  Jenny: It really is magical.
• 31:47
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 31:47
  Jenny: And it's, it's so it's so precious to be there as an adult and, and enjoy it as if you were a kid.
• 31:54
  Jenny: Like the way they've done it is just so.
• 31:57
  Jenny: It's,
• 31:58
  Jenn: yes.
• 31:58
  Jenn: I think there's, you know, there can be a lot of like, hate online about quote unquote Disney adults and like that sort of stuff.
• 32:07
  Jenn: And I'm like, why are you making fun of somebody who found something that like makes them happy?
• 32:14
  Jenn: Like we're all just trying to Go through life and find things that,
• 32:18
  Jenny: yeah,
• 32:19
  Jenn: spark joy, and like this is something that sparks joy for us.
• 32:22
  Jenn: So like, let us
• 32:23
  Jenny: Absolutely.
• 32:24
  Jenny: Yes.
• 32:24
  Jenny: Back off Janice.
• 32:27
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 32:27
  Jenn: More Disney for me if you're not there,
• 32:33
  Jenny: yes.
• 32:37
  Jenn: Oh, that's so funny.
• 32:38
  Jenn: Thank you so much for coming on today, Jenny.
• 32:40
  Jenn: And yeah, chatting with us and sharing some tips for people.
• 32:43
  Jenn: I think that I think that people are getting more open about mental health and anxiety and, and depression and all of that stuff, but it's really nice to like talk about it with other people and like be more open about it and you know, show people that they're not alone and experiencing anxiety about travel.
• 33:04
  Jenn: Travel is my favorite thing in the world, but it also does, like, I do experience anxiety.
• 33:12
  Jenn: You know about it and while we're doing it, and I've had bad days while traveling where I really just needed to like take a break and like not leave my hotel room for a few hours and like relax.
• 33:25
  Jenn: And I think that sometimes people feel alone in that experience.
• 33:31
  Jenn: And like, you know, they should be just happy that they're traveling because it is a privilege and not everybody gets to do it, but it's not always rainbows and butterflies and like beautiful Instagram pictures.
• 33:44
  Jenn: Like
• 33:44
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 33:44
  Jenn: There's also that, the other side of it as well.
• 33:48
  Jenny: Yeah.
• 33:48
  Jenny: And I think when we're talking about traveling too and, and maybe fears or anxieties around if you're not you know, a regular traveler too, is that you don't always have to go to another country like a whole ass country.
• 34:00
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 34:02
  Jenny: You can just, you know, if you're, if you're just embarking on sort of getting out of your house or getting out of your, your city, you're getting out of your, your, your regular, normal environment, you know, just book a weekend away to a cottage somewhere that's, you know, two, three hours away.
• 34:18
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 34:18
  Jenny: You know, just.
• 34:19
  Jenny: Sort of get yourself into the act of like getting at a map, planning for the traveling, planning for the food planning, where you're gonna stay, you know, getting into, into the habit of planning for traveling and traveling short distances, you know, in anticipation for a longer- a longer trip, you know, down the road maybe in a, you know, a year or two's time.
• 34:40
  Jenny: So it doesn't always have to be a huge, grandiose vacation.
• 34:43
  Jenn: Yeah.
• 34:44
  Jenny: A lot of the smaller places and even, you know, out just outside your city is a great opportunity too.
• 34:50
  Jenny: So Yeah, for sure.
• 34:51
  Jenny: That's a great starting off point.
• 34:53
  Jenn: We definitely, you know, learned that during covid we're here.
• 34:57
  Jenny: Yes.
• 34:57
  Jenn: Meggan and I in Nova Scotia, we couldn't really leave right during 2020.
• 35:01
  Jenn: So but we kind of had to like redefine travel in your mind.
• 35:05
  Jenny: Yes.
• 35:05
  Jenn: Travel doesn't have to be an international getaway for two weeks.
• 35:10
  Jenn: Like it can
• 35:11
  Jenny: mm-hmm.
• 35:12
  Jenn: Literally be the next town over.
• 35:14
  Jenn: Like, it doesn't have to be this like, giant thing.
• 35:18
  Jenn: You can, there's always something to explore.
• 35:20
  Jenn: I truly believe that no matter where you go, and I've been to places that are the middle of nowhere, but there's always something to discover and always something to learn there.
• 35:30
  Jenn: So I think that, yeah, people have to just maybe shift their minds a little bit that travel doesn't have to be you know, a super fancy vacation that you go to on a plane, you can literally get in your car or take a bus or a train from where you live and just explore the next town over.
• 35:49
  Jenny: Absolutely.
• 35:50
  Jenny: I love that.
• 35:51
  Jenn: Yes.
• 35:51
  Jenn: Thank you so much for coming on.
• 35:54
  Jenn: Where can people find you and your podcast if they want to check you out?
• 35:59
  Jenny: Yeah, thank you.
• 36:00
  Jenny: So you can find my show, wake Up with Jenny and friends on Instagram, under the same name at Wake Up with Jenny and friends.
• 36:07
  Jenny: It's on all audio platforms.
• 36:10
  Jenny: Spotify iheartradio, everything.
• 36:13
  Jenny: Got some great shows on there, some great guests.
• 36:15
  Jenny: And in terms of clinic, you can find me at mindful Health ICC on Instagram and Podcast for that will be coming up shortly, so that's great as well.
• 36:27
  Jenn: Very exciting.
• 36:28
  Jenn: Yes.
• 36:31
  Jenn: Yay.
• 36:31
  Jenn: I will link all those things in our show notes people can
• 36:34
  Jenny: Awesome.
• 36:35
  Jenn: Click on them and find you.
• 36:37
  Jenn: As for us, you can always find us.
• 36:39
  Jenn: We have a website, travel mug podcast.com.
• 36:42
  Jenn: We are on Instagram and Facebook at Travel Travel Mug podcast.
• 36:47
  Jenn: And we would love it if you would share the show with a travel loving pal.
• 36:51
  Jenn: We wanna get.
• 36:52
  Jenn: All the information out there to people.
• 36:54
  Jenn: And we would love it if you'd also leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
• 36:59
  Jenn: It helps us grow.
• 37:01
  Jenn: So until next time, thank you everyone, and thank you Jenny for coming on.
• 37:05
  Jenny: Thanks so much.
• 37:05
  Jenny: Appreciate it.