Vacation Struggles, Planning, and Preparation for a Trip

I generally struggle with trips or vacations a lot. I have come to the conclusion that I need to be incredibly cautious when deciding if I should forego my usual routine and even leave home and go away. I do much better with structure and routine like a lot of other people.

I’m happier if I know what to expect ahead of time. I can usually manage to plan ahead in my home environment. On the other hand, I have family members all over the country that I would like to visit.

I need to focus on what works and does not work for me regarding trips/vacations. Planning ahead and knowing my options ahead of time is important to my well-being, that way I don’t feel rushed and stressed. This may seem odd to some people, but having even a basic plan allows me to be more understanding and flexible regarding possible changes that often come up when traveling.

I’ve come to realize that traveling by myself or traveling with just one trusted companion that I know well is best for me. If traveling solo, I need to role play ahead of time, again with someone I trust. I role play and review things like whom and how to ask for help if for example, my flight changes. I also review where I’m going to keep my important documents. I make sure to have phone numbers in my charged cellphone for a few people I trust who can help me problem solve via text or phone call as well. I also keep a short-written list of these names and numbers in my wallet. (These are just a few of the tasks I do and review before traveling of course.) I have recently come to terms with the fact that I do not do well traveling in a group as it’s harder for me to get my needs met because there’s many ideas that often conflict in a group setting.

Expectations should be discussed before traveling regarding what people want to accomplish or have happen during this time. My most recent trip didn’t go well because we didn’t talk about what we wanted to accomplish during our trip. I mostly wanted to do a little hiking but mostly spend time with people catching up about our lives in a relaxed setting. However, it was a very “on the go” type of trip with very little down time which would allow me the necessary time to decompress. I really overdid it and I got really sick during this trip.

I find that having a budget for time, energy and money that is agreed on ahead of time works best for me. I only have so much energy every day to get the through the day. If I overdo it over a long enough period of time, I don’t just get cranky or crabby, my ability to function falls apart. I also get incredibly depressed during and after the trip and it can take weeks to get back to my “old normal” self. During this past trip, I overextended myself and I didn’t even realize how bad things were until I had used my last bit of energy. I had a huge meltdown and the people with me didn’t know how to handle it. I haven’t had a meltdown in many years. I was stuck with very few options that I could think of at the time.

The good news is that I got home safe and sound. I learned more from what did not go well during that time. I know that I don’t want to repeat those experiences that I had during this trip. There were some high points, but it wasn’t worth it to me.

As in most things in life, for me, proper preparation and planning is important, including going on vacations. Learning how to change your life, even temporarily, takes work and practice. As I encountered recently, even with lots of experience, I’m not always successful but I will continue to learn and try my best.