Feel the fear and do it anyway!

April 6 2010 , Written by thediversetraveller Published on #Airport, #Fear, #feel the fear and do it anyway, #Flying, #Nadine Stewart, #susan jeffers, #travel, #Travel News, #traveling, #travelling

This might be hard to believe, especially as I'm addicted to travelling, but I'm scared of flying. When I was young my Mum bought me, Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway by Susan Jeffers, a book with a message that has stayed with me.

Picture: Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway

How corny right? Groan, a 'self-help' book, really? Usually I would say the same thing, but honestly, the book is superb! The exercises in the book are relevant for so many different areas of life, and it has helped me to break through barriers holding me back from achieving my goals.

At the time Mum bought it, it was more about helping me to speak up, to be more confident and assertive (I was a shy child), but as I've gotten older the idea of 'feeling' my fear and not letting it stop me from doing what I want to do is still very much imprinted in my mind.

Fear of flying

Picture: Not me, but, you get the idea. Source: Microsoft.com

It's hard to explain. While the airport experience is always exciting for me (I love arriving, checking in, the departure lounge - the whole nine yards), the physical action of getting on an aeroplane fills me with dread every single time.

I've even tried depriving myself of sleep a few nights before flying in the hope I would be so tired I would sleep through the flight. No such luck. My body will not let me rest on a plane. Of all the times I've travelled over the years I can honestly say, I've never fallen asleep. I'm too aware and way too tense for it to happen.

Problem is, I'm passionate about visiting other countries so this is what I have to do to get there - I have no choice but to like it or lump it! I close my eyes, grip the arm rests and pray for mercy whenever there is turbulence; but I'm not about to let my fear get in the way of my "travel-high". No way, no how!

Fear likes company

Tell me you understand, that I am not alone? If you are a fellow travel lover whose knees quiver at the thought of boarding a Boeing 747, please share your coping strategies. We are all in this together.

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Ola Fagbohun

04/28/2010 09:45

Hi Sophia, thanks for your comments which I have passed on Nadine, the guest author who wrote the post. I love your coping strategy - crash stats. I am the opposite I would rather live in ignorance. So how do you cope once in-flight? I have experience of having my hand help very tightly for five hours by a very nervous flyer. Also if flights were available during the great volcano debacle, would you have flown? Thanks again and I hope you will share your travel stories and tips for nervous fliers with other women via <a href="http://www.diversetraveller.com." rel="nofollow">http://www.diversetraveller.com.</a> Ola

sophia wilson

04/22/2010 16:36

Forgot to add that I think Feel The Fear and Do it Anyway, is a fantastic book. It is a legend among my circle friends. Def worth having a copy, it can help with all situations that life throws up!

Sophia Wilson

04/22/2010 16:32

Hi Ola, you are definitely not alone! Since I was 20 I've had a fear of flying. Before then I was fine and then out of no where I was struck with panic as I was about to get on plane to Turkey with some uni friends. Although I dislike flying and turbulence is my worst experience of being on plane, I've never let it stop me from travelling. To many great places to see and enjoy! I cope by checking out airline and plane make/model crash statistics. My family and friends think this is extreme but it helps me feel that little bit more relaxed knowing the plane and airline I'm flying with has a good safety record. That's why I would think twice about flying with Garuda, the national airline of Indonesia. It's known in the backpacker world as 'fly Garuda, die Garuda'. Happy and safe travels. Soph