A reader asked me to do a follow up post on my trip to Miami. I have gotten this request in the past so here I go: I am really glad that I went even though it wasn't the easiest thing in the world.
To be honest, the worst my anxiety got was before we even went on the trip. The anticipatory anxiety, or dreading what was to come, had me so nervous about all the "what ifs" that could happen. For about a week I could tell my anxiety was heightened and I did some extra things to try to keep things in perspective. I did some yoga and I prepared for the trip in my last post to help me work all those "what ifs" out. I also made sure I had plenty of medication just in case.
I was really worried about the 4+ hour plane ride. We read up on the airline's website what to expect when traveling with a baby so the extra security to check her bottles wasn't a suprise and the security was extremely quick and smooth. We still went in expecting the worst to happen, which comes second nature to a habitual worrier. However, we were pleasantly surprised at how well the whole airport and flight experience went. And any rocky parts that occured were manageable. It could have been much worse. I would much rather be pleasantly surprised then constantly disappointed from high expectations.
During the week we made a point to keep things low key. My husband's brother was showing us around and he wanted to jam pack every day with lots of stuff. But I knew that overscheduling the days wasn't a good idea for me. We made sure that we had plenty of time to just hang out at the pool and beach and relax with a few fun activities each day.
My anniversary gift was to swim with dolphins at the Aquarium
My husband went on some scuba dives with his brother, we went to the Aquarium, we toured the Everglades
and walked around the South Beach area shops. But we didn't overplan it because the more I am expected to do on a trip, the more nervous I get about ruining the trip.
It helped that we had to go back to our hotel anyway so the Little could take a nap. When she napped I went and lounged at the pool and beach area. It was really nice and relaxing.
I am learning that just because I have had really bad anxiety on trips in the past, that doesn't mean that I am bound to have it on all trips. But I know that preparing anyways is important.
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6 comments:
Those pictures are amazing! The gator is so wee! and that last pic with your daughter is fantastic. That blanket makes it look like she has a long flowing skirt. Wonderful. I'm glad you did good.
-Laney
Thank you so much for the follow-up...I was so interested in knowing how it went! What awesome pics too, looked like a lot of fun.
I agree, of course, that the anticipatory anxiety is always the worst! Remembering all those great tips you give really helps.
For me, it's not thinking "Ok, if I go here or there, this horrible catastrophe (sp?) is going to happen"...I'm fearful that I, personally, will freak out. I tend to focus on my breathing a lot, I get slightly dizzy, very tense and just can't enjoy a dinner out, for example. Anxiety is like a cloud in your mind which creates a fog that inhibits clarity, enjoyment, being carefree, reality, in the moment...does that make sense? That's my definition anyways :)
Ok, sorry for the long comment, just rambling! Since I seem to be getting my way with requests (LOL), if you ever feel inclined...I would love to hear about anxiety related to pregnancy and/or parenting. I asked another of your followers (Anxiety Girl) to elaborate too, and she was helpful. My husband and I are just beginning to try and start a family, and of course this has me pretty anxious with all the "what ifs"!
So glad you enjoyed your trip, and look forward to reading more :)
Blessings,
Amy
Hi Laney,
Thank you for the compliments on the pictures! I actually am wearing a skirt- no blanket- on the beach. Its just ruffled funny. LOL
Hi Amy,
I was really nervous about starting a family with the anxiety but I came to the conclusion that this was something I would most likely struggle with my whole life so it didn't make sense to wait to be "cured". When I was pregnant and then nursing I was really lucky. My anxiety went away almost completely. Pregnancy put my mind in a really really good place. I know its not like that for everyone, so you'll just have to see what works for you. I'm really worried about passing this onto my daughter so I found a really cool article about teaching your children to think positively. You can read it here:
http://anxiousnomore.blogspot.com/2009/05/teaching-our-children-to-think.html
As long as you have a good support system to help you along the rocky times, I say go for it because you'll never feel like you are ready. Having a baby is really hard and life changing, but its so sweet and totally worth it too! Best of luck!
Well, thank you so much for that! I'm glad to hear something positive.
I have always been overjoyed at the thought of having a baby, but now with this lovely "new found" anxiety, I am having a lot of apprehension. That's definitely not gonna stop me, I'll just have to manage. I do have high hopes that the joy of having a baby will overshadow any anxiety! We shall see!
Once again, thank you for the feedback :)
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James Smith,NY
Very nice blog. I know you had a great trip. The photo's are excellent. All the best.
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