Fear is a natural reaction when trying something new. And using it as a tool can help you stay out of trouble. But when the fear of travel becomes overwhelming, it prevents us from having great experiences. If you’re feeling anxious and considering canceling your travel plans, this article is for you.
Everyone feels insecure the first time they try something. And when you imagine all the catastrophes you could face, the fear of traveling with a pet is completely understandable.
I’ve been to where you are Countless times. When I started planning my first long road trip with Ty and Buster. When Rod and I decided to sell our house and move into an RV with our dogs. I drove a camper for the first time. It happened when I replaced the small campervan with a large campervan and started driving. My first solo cross-country road trip with Miles.
At any of those points, I could have chosen a different route. And no one would blame me. In fact, most people in my life have probably insisted on sticking with what is comfortable and familiar.
But now when I look back at all the things I could have missed, tears come to my eyes!! How many friends have you made? how much time did you spend with your family? Is it fun to watch Ty and Buster explore so many places?
I am so grateful that fear did not stop me. And I wish the same for you.
read more ⇒ The Ultimate Pet-Friendly USA Road Trip
You are not alone
As we were traveling, it was fairly common to get together with people from the GoPetFriendly community. One week I met with two women who had a similar story.
The first person bought a small camper van and actually drove it to our meeting and showed it to me. It was a cute little RV that had everything a man and his furry travel companion needed to hit the road.
She had a meeting later that week and was planning a 160-mile drive in her RV. But when we sat down for coffee, she had finished speaking herself about 90%.
read more ⇒ Tips for enjoying an RV with your pet
A second woman dreamed of buying a travel trailer for herself and her two dogs. She already has a vehicle to tow and she did a lot of research to narrow it down to her preferred brand. Her brother-in-law then told her she would never learn how to steer a trailer, and she nearly gave up on the idea.
Fear often fades when shared
Why does fear give us such power? But they were both so scared that they almost gave up on the idea of making their dreams come true.
Sometimes sharing your worries with a supportive friend may seem enough. As we sipped our coffee, I just noticed these two women struggling to overcome their fears. But as we spoke, I told them my story.
Thanks to our blog, traveling with pets may seem easy now, but it hasn’t always been that way. I was scared too when I started. During his first 25,000 miles, I was so scared he couldn’t even drive the RV. That’s when we got a small campervan.
It took me some time to overcome my fear of travel. I had to learn, experience and build confidence that I could do this. But somewhere along the way, we came to know that no matter what happened, we would be okay.
Use your travel fears to prepare
If you’re still with me, chances are you’re somewhat terrified of traveling with your pet. The most important step is to acknowledge your fear and understand that it can help.
You’ll be better prepared if you use your fear and plan for the situations it creates in your imagination. And you will be able to make steady progress toward your goals with more confidence.
the end of the matter
So if you’re wondering what happened to the women who inspired this post…
The first woman drove her RV to the conference. She then contacted me to let me know how her trip went.
A second woman planned to rent a small U-Haul trailer and ask a neighbor to show her how to hook up, unplug, and tow the trailer.
They both took the next step. All I needed was a little encouragement.
In my case, Miles and I drove from Arizona to Pennsylvania to spend time with family. We were well prepared and all had a wonderful visit.
read more ⇒ Tips for traveling alone with pets
Things to remember to overcome the fear of traveling with pets
Traveling, like anything else, can be scary at first. But the only way to learn is to go out and practice.
So if you’re hesitating to take the next step towards what you really want, let me remind you of this.
- We all start out scared. You learn and your confidence grows as you do.
- Many people have already achieved what you dream of. And they aren’t smarter than you.
- Remember that humans seem hard-wired to imagine the worst. He imagines himself in the best possible situation. And realize that reality is likely to resemble a best-case scenario.
- Use fear as a tool. Think carefully about what you would do if the “catastrophe” you envisioned actually happened, and try not to dwell on it.
- Surround yourself with friends who support you. Find a group of people who can offer advice to help you get started and cheer you on as you move forward.
- Don’t waste your time worrying about what other people think. People who make negative comments probably don’t really care about your health. Perhaps they are trying to dampen your enthusiasm to make life easier.
- setbacks will happen. Consider this a learning experience and don’t give up just because the road is difficult.
- Start small and build momentum. Releasing the metaphorical parking brake is often the hardest part. Once you get started, you’ll find that overcoming your fear of traveling with your pet isn’t as difficult as you might think.
Looking back, I am so grateful that Rod and I didn’t stop our trip in fear. And nothing would make us happier than if our stories could help make your dreams come true.
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