Wee Wisdom
Bits and bobs I've picked up along the way and mantras I live by; I hope they help you!
On Anxiety & Life
Learn to be comfortable with the uncomfortable
If you have a tendency towards anxiety, you may be constantly trying to remain in familiar settings to limit your exposure to change. Push yourself to yourself into new situations and you will learn to be better at handling the dynamics of your day to day. At first its quite frightening but in the end it makes life all the more enjoyable.
"What's the worst that can happen"
The universe has a tendency towards chaos, so its best to learn how to go with the flow. If you ever get overwhelmed with worry about a plan, walk yourself through the specifics. For each thing you're worried about think 'What's the worst that can happen?'. For example, if you miss a train, can you take the next one or a cab? If you mess up at a public speaking event will the audience think about it for five minutes and then forget about it when they remember they have to pick up groceries later? Often times the worst case scenario is not so terrible. The more I consciously practiced this I found that I didn't need to anymore because I was less worried about potential unexpected changes.
On Anxiety & Travel
All airports are formatted the same way
As an anxious person you may want to know about every step in your journey before you leave the door. For airports, you just need to remember that they all work the same way. Check-in, security, gate.
Check-in: Signs will direct you to the right terminal or general airport entrance if you are getting dropped off or shuttling to the airport from a parking lot. It is based on your airline and you can google this beforehand. You walk up to the desk with your airline and hand them ID to check in. Bags can be checked too. They will give you your gate.
Question you can ask: Where do I go from here to get to my gate?
Security: There will be big signs indicated where to go for security. There may be specific security entrances for different gates because they are at different terminals, pay attention to signage or ask.
Question you can ask: Is this the right security to go through to get to Gate ##?
Gate: You will now go to the gate on your boarding pass, follow signs indicating where your gate number is. There may be a shuttle required to get to your gate or terminal, signage will indicate or you can ask. Once you're there, wait for boarding and board with your group.
Question you can ask: How do I get to Gate ##?
Done! And remember, if you're ever unsure just ask.
Research your transportation hubs
If you're nervous about using big transportation hubs like airports and train stations, google them! Most likely you will see terminal/platform maps, entrance locations, baggage, etc. This way you can map your basic route. For airports in particular, every airline will got to a specific terminal; this will give you an idea of your location and might be helpful if you need to transfer.
When in doubt, ask
When you are traveling and unsure of something, be it directions or how to buy a ticket from a machine, just ask! As an anxious person I used to get cold sweats thinking about asking a random person a question that they might think is dumb but always know that it is NOT a big deal. It'll save you from walking the wrong direction for 20 minutes or spending ages at the ticket machine and still buying the wrong one.