May I start off by saying that my wish for you is to encounter the least amount of stressful situations on your journey! While our trip has been relatively calm and stress-free, we have faced a few challenges, and how we handled them made all the difference.
To put this into perspective, I wrote this post during a very stressful experience in Bali. Here’s what happened:
“I’m writing this at 1:00 a.m. after a very long day of dealing with a few very unexpected, stressful events. We just missed our flight a few hours ago out of Bali, while waiting at a lounge, after we had already checked in… inside the airport! This was completely our fault, and because of the missed flight, we had to overstay our visa in Bali for a day. We ended up paying a penalty for the overstay—about $60 per person. Because it was late at night, we had to leave the airport, book another hotel for the night, and buy a new flight out the next morning to avoid overstaying another day and paying additional fees. Plus, we lost the night’s hotel stay at our destination since we didn’t arrive on time. The bonus was that none of this was covered by insurance, as it was all our fault. Crazy, right? But the reality is that it could have been a lot worse.”
Before we get any further, let’s acknowledge that having an established and strategic plan is beneficial and can minimize the chance of risks. Insurance and detailed plans exist for a reason; however, this post is to help specifically in moments when all else fails.
While we can’t prevent every stressful moment from happening, one thing we can do is prepare ourselves mentally for when they do. This includes learning how to acknowledge a stressful situation and knowing when to step away from the emotion of the moment while it is happening.
How to Handle Stressful Situations While Traveling:
- Immediately take a step back: Realize that stress itself won’t solve the problem you are currently facing. Your brain is most likely going into a fight-or-flight response—aka panic mode—because the situation is different from what you had originally planned. Zoom out and ask yourself the following:
- “What can I do to handle this in the least stressful way possible?”
- “Is it life or death?”
- “Can it be fixed? If so, how? If not, what’s the next step?”
- Reassess the situation: Avoid reacting with anger. The situation is most likely not going to be solved just because you become stressed and reactive. Acknowledge the following:
- This is different from what I planned, which is why I feel this way.
- Stressing over it will not solve it.
- In a day, month, or year from now, this most likely won’t matter.
- Regulate your nervous system: If you are prone to feeling anxious, use techniques that can help you feel calmer in that moment.
- Step away from anyone who may be escalating the situation.
- Use breathing techniques, such as box breathing, which are very quick and effective.
- Determine the best approach: What is the best way to go about solving the problem in that moment?
- Even if you feel like you don’t have time, give yourself a few minutes to brainstorm ideas.
- Example: Getting the contact info of the right department instead of wasting time trying to argue with someone who will not be able to help effectively.
- Look for the lesson: Reflect on what this situation is trying to teach you. Consider asking:
- “What lesson am I meant to learn from this situation right now?”
- “What am I being tested on?”
- Plan for next time: After resolving it, think about what you can do now to prevent it from happening again in the future.
- Evaluate your actions: Once it is all said and done, check in on how you handled the situation. Acknowledge any progress you made from previous challenges and any places where you still have room to improve.
Stressful Situations Cost Time and Money
The reality is that most of the stressful moments during travels and in our lives revolve either around the loss of time or money. Whether it is missing a flight, double-booking, overpaying for something you later learn you didn’t have to, getting into accidents, or being scammed—the list can go on.
Losing money is a valid reason for being stressed; however, what I am suggesting is not to devalue time or money but to look at it from another perspective.
- “Though the money is gone right now, is there a way I can retrieve it (either through my credit card company, by filing a claim with my insurance, etc)?”
- “If the money is completely gone, and there is nothing else I can do, how can I shift my perspective from a loss to a learned lesson mindset?”
- “If I can’t get the time or money that was lost back, how can I view it so it doesn’t feel wasted?”
This is very difficult because, when we lose money, the fact is that something has been lost. The moment that it is happening, we don’t want to see how it could have possibly been for anything else besides the fact that it is gone and we no longer have it.
One thing that has helped us a lot is looking at this “waste” of money and time as a paid lesson. This is a difficult mindset shift to make, but it has helped us tremendously. Here are some examples:
“We missed our flights while at the airport, now I have to pay for another one… What is the lesson that I have to learn in exchange of purchasing another flight? What is the $200 lesson that I am learning now?”
- It may be a reminder to be more responsible and more attentive to time
- Or to let go of putting money as such a high priority
The truth is, there are infinite lessons that can come from each situation. The most important thing is to allow ourselves to learn from them as they are happening.
Here is a wonderful podcast episode featuring Lewis Howes and Ken Honda, where they discuss Ken’s philosophy of “Happy Money,” where he explores how to create a peaceful relationship with money. Click here to listen!
Accept the Unpredictable While Traveling
Life, especially travel, is unpredictable. My biggest advice is to mentally prepare by learning how to handle stressful situations before they come up. This includes knowing how to step back, regulate your nervous system, and communicate effectively without feeling entitled or angry. Most importantly, know when to let go of what we think should be and accept what currently is. Though it is easier said than done, regardless of the situation, remember you have control over your reaction, and how you choose to perceive the situation ultimately shapes the outcome.
Did you find these tips helpful? Let us know what is one lesson you learned from a challenging experiences recently! Be sure to follow our journey on Instagram @THETRAVELERINUS
Disclaimer: All the information shared is based on our research and experiences. Please note that we are not travel consultants, tour guides, or financial advisors and are not held liable for any misinformation. We give suggestions, but advise each person to do their own research and make the decision that best suits them. This blog posts also contains affiliate links, by using the links we provide you are helping us at no additional cost to you. Photos on this page belong strictly to The Traveler In Us and are not allowed to be saved or used for any reason unless granted permission so by the owners.
