I like to consider myself a centered person, but I know that I have it easy.  Just like a personal trainer is paid to stay fit, my career makes it easier for me to stay in certain states of contemplation and reflection.  My office is regularly adorned with candles lit and lavender oils burning.  I often have soft music playing to help me maintain my center before seeing a client.  Traveling however, is when I’m confronted with the reality of staying centered in the real world.

David and I will soon embark on a big family trip to Israel.  And in a nutshell, I tend to be a nervous traveler.  It’s not the flying that amps me up, it’s being on time.  I grew up in a family that got to the airport a minimum of 3 hours early.  I have arrived to the airport so early for a flight that I’ve been able to hop on the earlier flight!  It’s a touch compulsive.  David knows that if I say we are leaving for the airport at 3:00pm, that really means that we are ready to go at 2:15 and might as well leave because we are r-e-a-d-y!

Anyway, back to our Israel trip.  Our flight itinerary includes a 12 hour layover in Paris, and my natural inclination is to stay in the airport all day.  Various travel websites state that 12 hours is plenty of time to visit Paris, but my travel anxiety was peaked.  I started researching what to do in the terminal, as though it were a tourist destination.  There’s a spa, ooh la la!  There’s a French McDonald’s, that’s way better than sitting at a café in Paris!  But alas, the more I researched my safe travel day at the airport, the more my (pesky) higher self would start chiming in.
Do you really want to visit Paris for the first time, and just stay at the airport all day?

Would a spiritual warrior let their anxiety keep them from a positive life experience?

You counsel people all over the world about taking bold action steps. What kind of
example is it setting to stay at the airport?

In 20 years, what will make for a more passionate memory?  
In reality, I realized that I was rationalizing my travel anxiety.  I can justify it by saying it’s better to be relaxed than rushed, or you never know about traffic — but it’s also important for me to be aware of why I am doing something.   This is fairly common for human beings.  We adjust our lives to compensate for certain emotional reactions.  Planning can be helpful, but overdoing it can also limit an experience.

learly, the answer to my conundrum is, a day in Paris!  So after literally hours or research (and the busting of every excuse my mind could comprehend) I am choosing my own adventure.  Our goal is to land in Paris, check our carry-on luggage in a locker, and hop on the metro and have a day of fun.  I plan on writing part two – or deux – to let you know how it goes, but in the meantime ask yourself this:  Where has your routine possibly stifled you from adventure and new experiences?  It can be as simple as trying a new restaurant, traveling to an unknown place or even initiating a conversation with a kind stranger.  As for me, I’ll be in Paris enjoying a croissant and coffee at a sidewalk cafe.  And who am I kidding, I’ll be checking my watch every three seconds – I don’t want to miss our next flight!