10 tips and tricks for traveling at your best!

In hopes to show you the way to travel at your best.  To feel and be safe.  To travel the world,  or even to just get out the door for a bit.  In this lies my passion to help others.  Paving the way for those of us with #socialambiguities to travel.  

Social Ambiguities

This is my ‘umbrella term’ for all aspects of PTSD, anxiety, empathic, Bi-Polar disorders, manic, etc.  KNOWING these are all separate entities with things within themselves, I travel with them all.  #Socialambiguities gives me a multi spectrum definition overall.

To plan or not to plan?

Here’s the thing….ya I recommend planning to an extant…

As a person with (I call it checkmark box yes): #socialambiguities be it PTSD, multi spectrum anxiety, manic depression, mania, and well just yes. I over planned many a trip and lost myself in it.   Please learn from my mistakes.

I totally over-planned in the beginning on my Euro trip…and many others.
For some reason I thought I needed to be sure on everything…however…

Letting myself have that extra day to, for me, do nothing.  It was one of the best ideas I ever had for myself, even if hard as hell to do.

You know the, ‘I’m on vacation I should do this or this or go on this excursion or see this in that city or wish I could stay another day, even just I should lay on a beach….’

Yet you don’t!  or at the very least have high anxiety about it.  DON’T PLAN IT ALL OUT!!  Give yourself an extra day here and there…really you will need it and thank me for it!

Packing for you!

Do not over pack…as a matter of fact pack as light as you can…why you ask?

The lighter you pack the less you have to lug around. I got ‘stuck’ in some bad situations and wrong places to book.  By packing light I didn’t have to worry about switching places, or rooms or anything with lots of luggage to carry around.

Also while traveling having EVERYTHING I wanted or needed at my arms length made the whole idea of packing light worthwhile. How many times do you worry about if your luggage gets there?  How many times have you not been sure about your hotel, or even the city you are in?  Let alone the do I have my meds with me, or those comfort items you need at your fingertips!

Packing light is the best way to go for those of us with #socialambiguities.  Even on a budget you can find clothes or anything you really need. The most important things can be packed into a travel case and you are good to go.

Calm your spins

I call it a ‘spin’ when you cant stop your mind from thinking about one or maybe a few things over and over and over again.  You can’t see anything else as the spin takes over all around you. Personally, If I can’t solve it or speak to the person it is about it drives me batty.

There really is no need to have that same worry over and over again.  Calm your mind and the rest will come. Deep breaths are key with this, and finding your focus.  Find what calms you, or at least alleviates the continual thought process.  Not  all things can be solved.  Try to find the lesser evil and stop the spin…at least for now…remember you are traveling!!!! And supposed to be having fun!

I have found this in myself with #socialabmiguities many, many times and truly wish I had taken this advice…don’t let one thing that is bugging you take over your entire trip.  As said, find the lesser evil and let it calm that upper level ‘spin’…worse come to worse you can (and prob will) come back to it or face it again…either way for right now in the moment you are on vacation…or at least traveling.

Moments in time

‘The moments you don’t miss’ I guess is the best way to describe this idea. By calming your spins you can see, do, and feel so much more. Finding that one moment…that breathe of fresh air…that one time you feel completely free….is that …
Moment in time

Seems to be always when I least expected it…it wasn’t that flower I smelled, it wasn’t that picturesque sky…it was that “hey I’m sitting here in the middle of somewhere and…I’m okay…I’m here ….i am now…i am
…A moment in time”

Check your peripherals

Best way to sum this one up is to always keep an eye on your surroundings.

Everything that surrounds you can create and ‘episode’ or make you feel uncomfortable. By knowing what is around you at all times it gives you a sense of safety, and of all things ‘knowing is half the battle’.

From that look over your shoulder, to the slight glance left and right…you see what others don’t, keeping yourself safe…and safety for those around you.

Trust yourself and ….

Trust your intuition!

Seriously, your self and being are the most important. Trusting your own intuition in all situations is key in traveling….’trusting your gut’ so to speak.

So many times during my travels I wish I had trusted my gut, yet I kept on pushing to see where the limits were,  so you don’t have too….Please learn from my mistakes!

Knowing you surroundings is a good thing, as is checking your peripherals.  But sometimes you just ‘feel’ that you are about to be in a situation you have no want or need to be…trust in yourself…believe in you #socialambiguities as sometimes they are there for you.

If you gut says don’t go down that alley, or even today is not the best day to go out…trust it…do not push yourself to do something you don’t feel right about.

Know your triggers

You know who you are.  You know what you have been through.  Learn and know your triggers.  What makes you scared, what makes you manic, what makes you panic, what creates anxiety, what makes you feel better?  What creates your #socialambiguities?

Utilize this knowledge to make your trip that much better.  Focus on the good things and what works for you.  Plan your trip based on your comfort.  Make these travels work best for you to make all that you want happen.

No need to stress!  you have already have  stopped most of the option of triggers.  Yes, more will come, but at least you have the big problems out of the way.

Let the rhythm flow

Music heals the soul!  Anywhere and everywhere I went I had my headphones with me and on most of the time.  This got me through so many things.  I cant even begin to explain the importance of this to you all.

Creating your mood can change any outcome.  Feeling comfortable in your own skin is the best way to be able to travel, even if this is hard as all heck.  Especially with #socialambiguities! 

Create a playlist that you love.  Add in some you don’t (trust me it rearranges your peripheral sight sometimes and reminds you where you are at).  Each rhythm will pick you up and give you the opportunity to embrace the moment in time you have right in front of you.  Music keeps you from worrying about all things at once.  It drowns out some of the noise, and gives you the feeling you need to get through.  I truly cannot emphasize the importance of this enough…truly a life saver for me and hopefully for you as well.

Lost in translation

Yep, wherever you may go there will be a difference in languages.  Even in your own country.  Be patient with yourself and whomever you are speaking with.  Utilize all option of translators such as Google translate. Get in some understanding before you go to wherever.

Seriously, I am USA based and from California.  There are completely different English dialects between states and even counties at times.  Try to understand where you are going, and once again…be patient!  It will come out right in the end.

Safe zones

This is another one of extreme importance.  At least it was for me with my #socialambiguities.

The key to all, finding the right safe zone for you.  I have found that everywhere I went I really needed a place to call safe.  Be it a random bar or even a park bench…these were my safe zones. 

Kinda like when you play tag…the ‘safe base.’  For you to feel secure and have a place to get back to if you need.

Yes, you are traveling all over.  Sometimes you can find that circular route to know your safe.  I really liked the ‘hop on hop off’ tour buses for this as I could see all I wanted to then just hop on wherever and feel safe.

Feel free to contact me regarding all of these and especially safe zones. Everywhere I have traveled I have found many a place and many people that are willing to help those of us with #socialambiguities.

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