Just because everyone you know is traveling home for the holidays, it doesn’t mean you have to
Too often I see people do things they really don’t want to do or have the emotional or physical strength to do in order to please family members or to keep up appearances.
Today I want to tell you that it is okay to not be okay with traveling during the holiday season! And here are a few reasons why!
Don’t travel this holiday season if the pain you will experience afterward will disrupt your life.
If traveling triggers a flare, you should rethink packing your bags.
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Pleasing family members shouldn’t come at the expense of not being able to function when you return home.
Traveling during the holiday season exposes you to more people and germs than if you traveled in a less busy time of year.
Winter weather also increases your chance of becoming ill.
Having a chronic illness doesn’t mean that you can’t travel at all, but rather you should travel during seasons when you experience less pain and will be exposed to fewer germs.
Don’t travel this holiday season if family drama makes you anxious.
Those of you who suffer from anxiety, know how debilitating it can be. In fact, if not managed well, it can literally paralyze us.
If spending time with family during the holidays increases your level of anxiety or triggers attacks, do yourself a favor and stay home!
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Don’t look at it as letting your obnoxious or manipulative family members win, think of it as winning by valuing your mental health.
However, I do suggest that you find a therapist to help you work through your emotions and possibly prepare you for dealing with those family members in the future should you decide to visit.
Online-Therapy.com is the therapy that is available when you need it and there is no need to drive across town.
My readers save 20% when they register through my link. Click here to check them out.
Instead of putting yourself through an emotional battlefield, make plans to visit the relatives that you really want to spend time with during a time that wouldn’t warrant the whole family getting together.
Don’t travel this holiday season if you don’t want to…
Seriously, do NOT travel if you do not want to.
If the cost of travel, the wear, and tear on your body, and mental exhaustion have your stomach in knots and you haven’t even booked your ticket, stop!!
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Again, seek therapy to find out if your fears are rational or not! Do not make a bad situation worse by forcing yourself to do something that will have a negative impact on your finances or mental/physical health.
On the other hand, if traveling home for the holidays is really important to you, do it! But don’t act surprised or get upset about any additional pain you may experience or the time your body will need to recover after you return home. Unless you are newly diagnosed, you know by now that living with chronic illness changes everything.
You also know who a disrupted emotional state can increase and trigger flares as well. What you decide to put your body through during the holiday season is up to you and only you are can decide what it is best.
With that said, will you be traveling this holiday season? What steps will you be taking to reduce your odds of returning home in more pain? Not sure? Then check out my chronic travel trips!
Whether you choose to travel or not, I wish you a happy holiday season and a pain-free new year!
