How many times have you watched an episode on
Travel channel and
said,”Wow, it would be great to visit this place.” How many times have
you watched a movie and seen some beautiful destination? Or how about
some exotic place you read about it, but never visited? Have you ever
wondered why that happen?
Eventually, you put your fist down, and decide to do something about
it. You start browsing for some travel deals and destinations, exploring
and researching several exciting places to visit. Then, after some
time, your energy fades again, and you have several bad scenarios which
might happen to make your trip a nightmare. You ditch the plans, and
return to your previous boring and lifeless surrounding, feeling
dissatisfaction, doubt, and disbelief.
This is not your fault.
Fear is the reason of your dissatisfaction. Fear is the reason of
your doubt and disbelief. You get depressed times when you lament
on your lack of satisfaction caused by not traveling anywhere. Today,
I’m going to show you why you’re letting fear stop you from reaching
your dream vacation, or exploration. I’ll also show you how to deal with
specific situations that fears create in your mind to stop you. It’s
not that hard.
Here are the 11 reasons fear stops you from travelling.
1. Getting out of the comfort zone
You lament over some destination, thinking about how lovely it would
be to go there. You have errands around the house, a 9-5 job, and kids
to take care of. You’re afraid what might happen when you’re away. It
sure would be nice to go to Cambodia right now, and explore the wonders
of the hundreds of temples, as well as other lovely attractions, but I’m
busy. You think that everything might fall apart while you’re gone.
This is the most common example of people who do not want to leave
their comfort zone, and to free themselves by visiting the place they
dream about. To put this fear behind you, just tell yourself what would
be the worst possible scenario that might happen when you’re away. Then
think of what you would do to restore the order. Write all the worst
scenarios and solutions on a piece of paper and read it several times.
You’ll feel the relief, like a weight being lifted from your shoulders.
Think of the positive aspects of travelling to your favorite
destination. You will find more than 10 reasons to do it. Go and forget
about the fear of leaving home. Everything will sort itself out — or you
will.
2. Fear of the unknown(Xenophobia)
Fear of the unknown comes as a supplement of the aforementioned.
Anxiety and doubt act as tension boosters. You can have many fearful
questions in your mind, usually in rapid fire succession.
When you’re preparing for the trip, it’s best to have smart and
thorough research about your desired location. There are over a million
travel related sites out there which can help. You can make your
itinerary, find about places of interest, what to avoid, and where to
try best food. Good preparation will get you hyped and anxious about
your trip, instead of being afraid.
3. The language barrier
When fear overwhelms your mind, rapid questions and problems start
emerging. A language barrier usually comes among the first, boosting
unpleasantness and tension. Not being understood in a foreign country,
where a small percentage of people speak your language, can lead to
unpleasant situations — even trouble.
The answer to this problem lies in preparation. When you’re going
abroad, get prepared. This includes learning a few basic sentences which
will help you in every situation. Things like, “Where is the toilet?”,
“I need a taxi”, “Where is the bus station?”, “I want a single/return
ticket” and so on, always come in handy. Of course, “please” and “thank
you” also go a long way when you’re seeking help from locals. When you
think about this, remember that a few basic sentences can save you and
help you avoid 85% of complications. Just stick to the itinerary — or
your guide.
4. Fear of having a bad experience
When you’re frightened and stressed out, your brain can make you
think of many circumstances that might occur. Yes, it’s true it’s great
in India, but you can get robbed. You would love to visit New York’s
Times Square, but what if it’s too crowded, and maybe you get pushed or
somebody attacks you?
This fear is based on stress and anxiety. When you feel this way, you
can’t see the good and fine things that might happen to you while
traveling; you are too focused only on the bad things that might happen.
Don’t run around every day like that chicken who yelled, “The sky is
falling!” You must calm down, and stop having these bad thoughts. You
must tell yourself that you’re being irrational. Relax. Stop making up
reasons that might turn you away from traveling and exploring new and
stunning locations. Don’t be the small and frightened chicken.
5. Fear of flying
The fear of flying is irrational. It has actually evolved into a
medically defined phobia among people. If you’re having problems with
the fear of flying, it can be dealt with by preparation and logical
thinking. First of all, in today’s world the chances of an airplane
falling from the sky are very, very small. Technology is advancing with
each passing day, and security measures are near perfection. When you
think about it you’ll realize there aren’t many chances for something to
go wrong. If this doesn’t help, you can take sleeping pills half an
hour before getting in the plane. When the plane starts taking off, you
won’t be anxious and hysterical. You’ll be sleeping like a baby.
Finally, if you can’t overcome the fear of flying, you can always
travel on land. There are many methods of transportation that will get
you to your dream destination slower, but safer.
6. The fear of traveling alone
This type of traveling can be exciting. People who have already
done this can tell only great things about solo traveling, especially
girls. Even though, some people are frightened to even think about it.
However, when you’re alone, you can’t rely on anyone. There is no help,
and you might need it.
This feeling is overrated and not logical. When you’re alone, it’s
not true that you can’t rely on anyone. To solve this problem, you can
try to persuade your best friend to come along with you if possible. If
not, today’s technology can help you a lot. With cameras and an internet
connection your best friend can keep you company via Skype or Snapchat.
Next, if you are in need of help, you can always ask somebody that
passes by. Chances are more than likely that somebody will help you. You
might even earn some friends along the way.
7. The fear of getting injured abroad
You might travel to some exotic destinations where you can ride an
elephant, or dance all night. However, what if you fall and get hurt?
What if that gets serious? Then you factor in the language barrier and
get even more stressed. If you need immediate help, you won’t have the
time or patience to translate.
Again, this fear is irrational because the chances you’ll hurt
yourself seriously are usually very slim. However, people can be afraid
of this and it might turn some away from having an amazing experience.
Remember, there are doctors and medical staff in every country in the
world. Furthermore, you can take the international medical insurance
that covers all the medical costs in the country where you’re about to
go. This will make you feel more secure.
Finally, don’t rush into possible dangerous situations, or
be reckless. You can twist your ankle in your doorstep if you’re not
careful. So imagine what can happen on a steep rocky road or slippery
dance floor?
8. The fear of getting robbed
Robberies and scams often happen to tourists, but you can’t do
anything about it. You can be the next victim, and end without your
belongings, your wallet, credit cards, and more. The nightmare scenario
only gets worse the longer you think about it.
There is a possibility to get scammed and robbed when you travel.
This fear is valid concern. However, if you’re alert and careful, you
can significantly lower the chances of getting robbed. Get informed
about the destination you’re visiting. Learn about the scams or problems
that you might encounter. A good solution to this problem might be to
leave your valuables at home. If you need them, keep them in sight at
all times, and don’t be reckless. You will be fine.
9. Not being able to afford it
This one is connected with inner disturbances and distress that may
come from something in the past, or insecurities. When you tell to
yourself, “I can’t afford that trip, that’s too expensive!” you condemn
yourself to never move from that couch.
Travel can definitely be expensive, but preparing and researching can
save you a lot of money by cutting costs, knowing what to choose,
including services and goods, accommodation and transportation.
There’s a simple way to deal with this problem. If you want to
travel, research thoroughly and find the best deal. Then, start saving
money for it, no matter how long it takes. Put away a small amount every
day. Eventually the sum will grow enough to support your dream vacation
trip.
10. Running out of money
This fear comes along with the #9 fear. Many people have a fear of
spending all of their money on a trip because of unexpected costs.
While you’re preparing for the trip and planning the budget, top the
amount with 25% more just to be sure nothing can surprise you. Another
variation of this solution is to leave some money with a friend at home
who can help by sending it over via Western Union. Now you can travel
with relief and not worry about money as much.
11. Getting lost
Some people love to “get lost” when they explore new, exciting
destinations. On the other hand, some people get the chills when they
even think about leaving their hotel room. This fear puts boundaries in
our heads and we freeze in place, not being able to move. That’s how
this fear can be dangerous. Too much modern movies of hijacking turned
us into scared skeptics.
Maps, a GPS system, and a good mood is all that you need for a
solution. Make sure your map is written in your own language first. Also
ensure your GPS device is set for the country you’re visiting. If both
of these methods fail, you can always ask some locals for help.
Sometimes getting lost enhances your holidays.
Fear of travel stops us, don’t let it grow inside you.
You’ve seen how many forms fear of travel can take. We gave you answers to every problem that might occur on your travels.
Now you notice that there is no need for your irrational fears. This
world is enormous, and a million wonders wait for you to discover them.
Don’t get paralyzed by fear. Travel and live your life to the fullest!
