I like to have a few big, fun things planned for the year
It could be a theatre trip, weekend getaway or lunch somewhere special.
This is a suspension bridge in Bristol that was on my bucket list to visit. I have anxiety in crowds and Bristol is a bustling city, so I brought my dogs (and a friend's dog!) for the long walk and set little goals on the way.
Having something to concentrate on, like photography, is really handy. Looking at buildings, flowers etc gives a little break from looking at crowds or things that are causing anxiety (and a bonus that we have photos for lasting memories!).
I could have avoided the crowds completely by driving to the bridge but that wouldn't have tested me and I would have missed some cool buildings that I ended up seeing on the walk to the bridge.
I listened to podcasts and a few chapters of an audiobook on the walk which kept my brain busy and a little bit distracted from the crowds.
Getting out of the 'comfort zone' can be beneficial to anxiety and using things that are comfortable (for me it's having my dogs and listening to podcasts) helps it be less overwhelming.
For more advice posts, Dieta talked about having a travel toolkit in her blog post, which is another helpful tip for anxiety and "being comfortable while getting out the comfort zone".
Give that post a read by clicking here
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