Happy New Year friends, family, customers, and those we haven’t met yet (but hope to)!
In the spirit of setting goals and intentions for 2025, I wanted to talk about something I never expected to share, but have been encouraged to bring up by multiple friends (thanks guys). Actually, after thinking about it a bit more, it’s kinda silly I haven’t talked about it, because it’s the whole reason The DeBode Way guided trips were created. Travel anxiety. Specifically, mine…and yours.
After years of research and various types of therapy, I have a fairly functional level of day-to-day anxiety. As long as I’m in a familiar environment and have a decent amount of control over and/or know how to deal with issues that arise, I can take on the world. Stepping outside those rules, things get tricky. I think most people suffer from some level of anxiety in their lives, but for some, like me, it’s a bit more extreme. Honestly, it’s why I quit an office job back in 2013 and have never returned. Since then, I’ve been working on myself and creating a litany of home businesses in the process. It’s a journey, friends. And then…there’s my travel anxiety.
So what is travel anxiety, specifically? The trouble with anxiety is that it looks different for each person. For example, you might experience it as a complete panic when you think of leaving the house. Someone else may have zero interest in exploring the world beyond what they know right now. Still others might be afraid of flying, driving a car, or navigating a train station or airport. It could manifest as two enormous checked bags for a weekend of casual travel because you never know or can’t imagine wearing something twice! You may be claustrophobic and not able to sit in a window seat on an airplane or be able to think about getting in a pressurized metal tube flying at hundreds of miles per hour high in the sky. Crowds are terrifying. What if you lose your ticket? Are you wearing the right clothes? What if your phone dies? Or perhaps a constant need to know EXACTLY where the nearest toilet is. Sound familiar? I feel ya.
To varying degrees, all of those examples of travel anxiety are things I deal with. But here’s the thing: those things that cause anxiety have also created something positive. I am an amazing map reader and memorizer of directions and landmarks because I can’t handle a GPS talking to me while I’m driving and trying to read road signs. I am the first to help a fellow passenger put a heavy bag in an overhead bin because you’ll always find me in the aisle seat. I am VERY aware of my surroundings in crowds and know where all the exits are (and bathrooms – haha). I’ve become an avid “reader” of audiobooks to keep my mind off flying, tight spaces, and not being allowed to leave your seat. And I have curated an AMAZING capsule travel wardrobe to help deal with overpacking. All that’s to say, we usually look at anxiety as a negative thing, and for sure it can cause challenges. But finding ways to help overcome those challenges is an important win.
So, what does any of this have to do with our guided trips? It means we’ve been there (literally!), we get it, and we’ve got you. Taking a trip with us helps put your mind at ease. You’re not paying a travel agent to only handle the arrangements, leaving you to muddle through them on your own in an unknown place. We are with you every step of the way – if you want. Or, if not, we give you the freedom to explore on your own. How much involvement you want from us is totally up to you! Either way, we’re with you if you change your mind.
In 2025 and beyond we’re taking a different approach to our trips. Instead of us picking dates, creating a trip, and relying on folks to sign up for it, we’re leaving the destination and timeline up to you. You can choose from a handful of destinations that we are intimately familiar with and a length of time that works for you, and we create a trip for you! This means you’ll get at least one of us (and sometimes both) guiding you along the way. Prices will vary depending on your destination, time of year, travel class, length of trip, etc, etc.
I’m excited (and super anxious, always). But! Let’s take 2025 by the horns and show it who is boss. Squash your travel anxiety (or…at least tell it to be quiet(er) for a while) and travel with someone who gets it. Over the next couple of months, I will be creating a calendar of our availability. Plus, we’re adding new destinations! Gasp! We still specialize in Scotland and the UK, but we’re adding Ireland, France, Spain, and yes, the United States. So gather your friends and family, coordinate your calendars, and get ready to create your out-of-office email automation. This year, we’re taking on the world.
See ya out there!
