Oh the places I have been!
If you feel as though I have been visiting your inbox a little less lately, you would be right. I’ve been a little quiet, yes, and my deepest apologies for that!
It has been a busy few months filled with the joy of getting to support my wonderful 40-Day Focus Coaching Circle and private clients as they have been making huge strides in building sustainable lifestyle changes for themselves.
I was also navigating my way through a jam-packed travel itinerary of expeditions from coast-to-coast in order to celebrate and plan my upcoming wedding this summer.
In fact, over the past 6 weeks I spent a total of 4 of them away from Philadelphia (my current homebase) to spend time in the San Francisco Bay Area and Portland, Oregon with my family and friends…and wedding vendors. It was truly a wonderful time for me!
However, as I am sure many of you have experienced, making 4 trips cross country, plus a few short trips in between, can be a lot to handle…especially if you don’t love airplane travel.
And I do not love airplane travel. The lack of love I have for it actually used to be so bad that there was even a time when I would refuse to even get on a plane at all because I would get so nervous.
But while I do not love air travel, I do love to travel more than anything in the world.
So I have worked really hard to make it work for me. Luckily over the years I have taught myself how to manage my anxiety by being extra caring with myself before and during travel to reduce the stress and negative connotation I have of it.
It’s taken practice, but I am even at the point now where I can ENJOY flying from time to time.
I often get asked how I handle travel while still taking care of my body and my mind and I wanted to share with you today one of the tools I use to help keep me in the right frame of mind during flights. One of my tools: my airplane self-care kit.
For the past few years I have had a designated travel bag that I never fly without. I always keep it stocked up so I can just grab it and throw it in my carryon while I am packing.
The main thing my self-care kit does for me is to create routine and ritual around flying that I find comforting.
I find that creating this ritual not only helps to ease my anxiety, but it also sets a strong precedent of continuing to take care of myself while traveling. Rather than using travel time and the anxiety that can go with it as an excuse to eat or engage in self-sabotaging behaviors it helps me create a bridge of self-care between home and how I begin my time when I arrive at my new destination.
INSIDE MY AIRPLANE SELF-CARE KIT
Herbal Tea Bags
I always ask for plain hot water and use my own non-caffeinated tea bag for a nurturing treat while flying (caffeine and anxiety are not friends so I skip the coffee on flying days!!!). My current favorite tea to have on hand is Yogi Honey Lavender Stress Relief I also love Yogi Purely Peppermint Tea.
Healthy Snacks
Instead of relying on plane snacks, I always bring my own. My favorite plane snacks are my Caramel Almond & Sea Salt KIND Bars, RX Bars, apples, and raw almonds
Compression Socks
Not only is it nice to keep those feetsies warm, any time you are sitting for long periods of time it is important to help prevent venous blood from pooling in the legs and feet to help prevent blood clots. I now swear by my Sockwell Compression Socks when I travel!
Neck Pillow
I have tried a lot of neck pillows, but the Cabeau Evolution Memory Foam Travel Pillow has become my absolute favorite travel companion. It clips in the front of neck allowing for incredible neck support that makes napping so much more comfortable on long flights!
Personal Care Items
I have a small toiletry bag that I keep packed just for flying with hair ties, contact solution and other necessities. I also love to keep Burts Bees Lip Balm for chapped lips and Rosebud Salve on hand for dry skin!
Water Bottle
Staying hydrated while flying is essential which is why I highly recommend bringing a water bottle with you on the plane, either one from home, like a Hydroflask, or a bottle I purchased at the airport before the flight.
A Great Spotify Playlist
I always make sure I have a playlist downloaded to my iPhone with my favorite soothing music. This usually includes a lot of aCapella and acoustic covers and my favorite singer songwriters. You can listen to my most recent Coast-to-Coast Spotify Playlist here.
