Why Your Anxiety Gets WORSE on Vacation

Picture this: You're halfway though a month-long vacation through the American Southwest. The sun is currently setting over the Rio Grande, Mexico to your left, the U.S. to your right. It's one of the most beautiful sights you've ever seen. Life is good--really, really good.

And yet, you cannot relax. In fact, it's almost the opposite. It's as though your anxiety is at an all-time high.

You're supposed to be care-free, taking it easy. But your mind will not stop trying to convince you that surely it can't be so good. Something is bound to go wrong, very wrong...and soon.

Can you relate?

I can. Because this was my actual experience just a couple weeks ago.

Despite having planned this trip months ago and working my ass off to make it happen, despite all the mindfulness work I practice to be present, despite having made friends with my depression years ago and learned to control it, despite being a thought coach with all the tools under my belt, anxiety was still getting the better of me.

I was talking about this with one of my dearest friends, and he shared that this same thing often happens to him whenever he's on vacation.

"It's like all the space normally taken up by working and household chores and mindless entertainment gets vacated and your brain freaks out," he said.

This quantum truth bomb he'd just dropped reminded me of one of the most important lessons of human psychology I've ever learned:

The human brain is designed to solve problems. And when it doesn't have a problem to solve, it will create one.

Truly, our brains are hardwired to solve problems. It's why we have evolved as a species. In fact, we get a hit of dopamine when we solve a problem, thus why we are always going from task to task, goal to goal, puzzle to puzzle. Basically, we're addicted to accomplishment.

When we go on vacation, we're often taking a break from this reward cycle. And our brains do not like it.

If you've ever experienced this, first of all, remember you are not alone. For me, just hearing my friend talk about his struggles with the same thing was incredibly comforting.

More importantly, though, know you CAN do something about it--and then do.

Here's what I leaned on to get me through:

What To Do When Anxiety Kicks In (on Vacation or Any Other Time)

• Get out of your head and into your body. Identify where in your body you feel the anxiety. Put your hands over that spot, and then breathe into it. Talk to yourself like you're calming a child who's just woken up from a nightmare: "It's okay. You're safe. You're protected. You are loved."

• Visualize yourself after the anxiety-producing period. Imagine you're 15 minutes, 3 hours, or even a day on the other side of whatever is giving you anxiety. How will you feel then? Tap into that and bring the feeling into the present. If you know you're going to feel better in the future, why not start feeling that way now?

• As much as possible, maintain a sense of routine. Especially on vacation, so many things are "out of the ordinary" that it overwhelms your nervous system. In whatever ways you can, stick to what works for you at home/during non-anxiety-filled times. All the little things, from waking up around the same time to drinking plenty of water, add up to make a big difference. We thrive on rhythm and habit. Lean on that.

• Speaking of water, make sure you're hydrated. It's so simple, and yet, it's one of the first things to go out the window. But a dehydrated mind will not function optimally.

• Earth yourself by walking barefoot or sitting/lying on grass, sand, rocks, or any other natural surface. Science has demonstrated that the technique of earthing has benefits for stress relief. For me, this was one of the biggest factors that was different on my trip, as at home I sleep nightly on an earthing mat that connects me with the beneficial natural ions of the earth.

• Create a worthwhile "problem" for your brain to work on. Read that 600-page biography you've been meaning to get around to. Practice the local language as much as possible. Learn about the area's history. Go take an immersive class--yoga, art, cooking...the possibilities are endless.

• Meditate. Is there any surprise here? Again, so simple, but perhaps that's what makes it so easy to abandon. Even if it's only 5 minutes a day, sit in silence and focus on your breath.

• Exercise like normal and move your body as much as possible throughout your days. Most people think of vacation as a time to lounge around the pool with their feet up, but the more active you are normally, the more important this is to maintain (see above on routines). Science has proven that exercise is at least as effective as antidepressants. If your brain is used to this, it won't be helpful to stop it.

• When all else fails, eat some (dark) chocolate. I know there's science out there to support the health benefits of chocolate, but I'm not even gonna bother to share it. You know it's good. I know it's good. Just embrace it.

Which of these tips was most beneficial for you? I wanna know. Hit reply and share with me.

With Fierce Love,

Chazz

P.S.

I helped many of my last group coaching program participants through struggles with anxiety. Here's what one of them had to say about her experience:

"I became less negative and less stressed. I stopped freaking out about the future and saving my joy for when I accomplish xyz. I experience joy everyday and appreciate the present. I make adventure and joy a priority, not just something that happens from time to time. I only have this life and I'm making the most of it. I could not say that before."

I help my clients to these transformations because I've lived them myself. Because I'm still living them, moving through them better equipped because of the tools and experiences I have and continue to gather. If you want to be supported in this way, click here.