{"id":10028,"date":"2018-05-29T05:00:14","date_gmt":"2018-05-29T09:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nomadicmatt.com\/?p=10028"},"modified":"2024-09-10T15:20:31","modified_gmt":"2024-09-10T19:20:31","slug":"how-to-overcome-your-fears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nomadicmatt.com\/travel-blogs\/how-to-overcome-your-fears\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Overcome Your Travel Fears"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Person<\/p>\n

Fear. It keeps us from living our lives and achieving our dreams. <\/p>\n

It’s one of the most common reasons why people don\u2019t travel.<\/p>\n

Whenever I talk to people about long-term travel<\/a>, so many tell me they wish they could do what I do. They tell me all their travel dreams and grand plans then when asked why they don’t pursue them, they come up with a plethora of fears:<\/p>\n

They fear not being able to afford the trip.<\/a><\/p>\n

They fear they have too many responsibilities at home.<\/p>\n

They fear they won\u2019t be able to make friends on the road.<\/p>\n

They fear not having the ability to\u00a0handle it.<\/p>\n

They fear something will happen to them.<\/p>\n

With all that fear, it\u2019s much easier to stay at home in our comfort zones<\/a> than to break out and travel. <\/p>\n

It’s a big thing to step out your door, away from your safety net, and into the unknown. <\/p>\n

The devil you know is always better than the devil you don’t.<\/p>\n

Yes, travel is a privilege<\/a> and there are real money issues that keep people at home. <\/p>\n

But one of the most common emails I get is from people asking about “the mental issues” of travel. The mindset stuff<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Do they quit their job and go for it? <\/p>\n

Are they in the right stage of life? <\/p>\n

Will everything be OK if they leave? <\/p>\n

Will they get a job when they return? <\/p>\n

These emails are peppered with nervous excitement over travel’s endless possibilities, but there is also always one underlying tone to the emails: <\/p>\n

\u201cMatt, I want to go<\/a>, but I\u2019m also afraid and I\u2019m not sure what to do.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

I think fear of the unknown is really what holds people back the majority of people back. When you get rid of your fears and decide “Yes, I’m going to do this!”, you begin to find ways to scrape, save, find work, and do whatever it is that gets you on the road.<\/p>\n

You become a person on a mission. You become driven. Nothing will get in your way. <\/p>\n

But first, you need to get over any fear you might have. I was on a podcast recently discussing this subject and so it has come to the forefront of my mind again. Here is my advice on dealing with fear: <\/p>\n

1. You aren\u2019t the first person to travel abroad.<\/strong>
\nOne of the things that comforted me when I began traveling was knowing that lots of other people traveled the world before me and ended up just fine. If some 18-year-old from England<\/a> on a gap year came home in one piece, there was\u00a0no reason I wouldn\u2019t\u00a0too. You aren’t the first person to leave home and explore the jungles of Asia. Columbus and Magellan had a reason to be afraid. You don’t.<\/p>\n

There is a well-worn tourist trail out there. There are people to help you. There are people to travel with. You aren’t going to be alone. <\/p>\n

And you aren’t venturing into the true unknown. <\/p>\n

2. You made it this far. <\/strong>
\nIf you already have one foot out the door, why turn back now? What will you regret later in life: that you let your fears keep you home, or that you went traveling? Sometimes you just have to go for it. Everything works out in the end. Don’t turn back halfway.<\/a> You can do this! <\/p>\n

3. You are just as capable as everyone else. <\/strong>
\nI\u2019m smart, I\u2019m capable, and I have common sense. If other people can travel the world, why can\u2019t I? What makes me think I lack the skills?<\/a> I realized that there was\u00a0no reason I couldn’t do what these other people did. I was just as good as everyone else. <\/p>\n

Don\u2019t doubt yourself. You got by in your life just fine now. The same will be true when you travel. <\/p>\n

Moreover, now has never been an easier time to travel thanks to all the resources available online and all the sharing economy websites<\/a> that help connect you with other travelers. <\/p>\n

4. Responsibilities can vanish in a flash.<\/strong>
\nEveryone uses \u201cresponsibility\u201d as the main reason to\u00a0avoid travel.\u00a0But that is just your fear telling you that you have things at home that can’t be let go of. However, those responsibilities are simply chains that hold you down. <\/p>\n

When I quit my job<\/a>, I didn\u2019t have to work anymore. <\/p>\n

When I canceled my bills, they disappeared. <\/p>\n

When I sold my car, the payments were gone. <\/p>\n

When I sold my stuff, I didn\u2019t have any. <\/p>\n

We think this is all very complicated, but with a few phone calls, everything that held me back was gone, taken care of. Suddenly, my responsibilities disappeared. Vaporized. It is easier to cut the cord than you think.<\/p>\n

5. You will find a job when you get home.<\/strong>
\nAnother reason people get held back is the belief that when they go overseas, they will become unemployable. They worry that employers will see a gap in their r\u00e9sum\u00e9 and not want to hire them. <\/p>\n

But in this globalized world, having experience with foreign cultures and people is a real asset<\/a>. So is showing that you are independent, courageous, and capable. <\/p>\n

After all, no one makes it around the world without learning these skills. Employers realize this and now look at travel as a positive thing\u00a0that teaches intangible personal skills no business school ever could (especially if you work or volunteer overseas too<\/a>).<\/p>\n

6. You will make friends.<\/strong>
\nPeople always ask me how I make friends on the road. They tell me that they\u2019re not very social and that it\u2019s hard for them to meet strangers. The truth is that when you travel, you are never alone. There are many solo travelers out there in the same boat as you. You\u2019ll find people who will come up and talk to you, even if you are too scared to go up to them. <\/p>\n

I used to be nervous talking to strangers, but the fear subsides as you eventually realize that everyone wants to make new friends. And one of those friends is you.<\/p>\n

Here are some articles on making friends and socializing to help you feel more comfortable before you head out:<\/p>\n