Ever since I was young, I have been an incredibly anxious person. I was that kid fussing around the house before bedtime, making sure all doors were locked and faucets weren’t running. I would get so worked up over a New York Giants football game I would have to excuse myself from the room. I was always so concerned with what everyone else was thinking.
My official diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder came when I was sixteen and in the throes of a difficult breakup. Now I am 27 years old and have made it through some truly dark days since, and in turn have become a lot wiser. I might still be a little scatter-brained and generally chaotic good, but I take my past experiences and coping mechanisms and make an active effort to learn from them to be better today.
One thing that has always been a source of comfort to me is connecting to the world, history, and global cultures. I remember being fourteen years old and developing nothing short of an obsession with Europe in specific. I was so fascinated by their centuries of history, living in a country that isn’t even 300 years old yet. I learned all the capitals and flags and knew I had to see it all for myself.
The summer before high school, I was part of a student ambassador program that finally introduced me to the continent for the first time – we went to Greece, Italy, and France for three weeks, and that was it for me. My goal in life from that point forward was to visit every country in Europe (The continent, not the union).
In 2018, 7 years after my maiden voyage to Europe, I returned. It’s funny – I remember freaking out in the waiting area at Newark airport, having a full panic attack about crossing the Atlantic again and potential turbulence. Now, having since traveled to 23 European countries and counting, I can sleep through a bumpy ride and only cry when the plane lands back on American soil.
I’ve always felt like I didn’t belong in the United States. It’s constant stress, and the American work standard leaves much to be desired. Living in Rome and working as an Au Pair in 2021 made me realize what a bubble my home country is and how many people aren’t even up for escaping it. It showed me a slower way of living and the tiny nuances of Italian life. It was easily one of the greatest experiences of my life.
When I spend time out of the country, I often note how much of an impact it leaves on me. There have been times I’ve started trips feeling incredibly anxious about situations back at home, and by the end I could care less. Traveling has taught me to get out of my own head and live mindfully in the present moment.
Though I struggle from generalized anxiety, being in social settings tends to invigorate me. I love to travel to meet new people and connect to other cultures. I enjoy staying in hostels and making friends worldwide that I can stay connected with. I like to take in as much knowledge as I can about the world, making me a pretty good choice for your trivia team.
This isn’t to say I don’t struggle with travel anxiety still – I’ve done my fair share of crying in airports and in idyllic seaside settings, but I know how to handle it better than I did. But overall every trip opens up new perspectives and leaves me at peace. I want to take others along on my journey and help them discover how healing to mental health traveling can be. I want to teach others how to curb their stress while traveling so they can truly travel like they mean it – traveling is not just a physical movement from one place to another but also a chance to better yourself with lessons and immersion.
Welcome to the journey – this is an Anxious Girl’s Guide to Travel!