Our road trip around Australia is less than 2 months away. Eeek!
This is the moment when I start to freak out.
Why I’m scared to go on our Aussie road trip
- We’ll run out of money
- I’ll go crazy being with Craig and the girls 24/7
- Kalyra and I will kill each other when it comes time for homeschooling
- I’ll get cabin fever
- It will rain for weeks at a time
- Savannah will break free from my vice-like grip and run towards the Northern Territory waterhole where crocs live (seriously wakes me up at night)
- Kalrya will be traumatized because we took her out of school
- Craig and I won’t ever be able to have sex again
- I’ll run out of things to say to Craig and the girls
- The girls will get upset leaving behind family
- We’ll lose internet connection
- We’ll run out of fuel and water driving across the Nullarbor (people have died there)
- We won’t get any time to do our blog work
- Our readers will get sick of seeing me in the same outfits in our photos
- Savannah will fall into the campfire
- I have no idea what equipment we’ll need or how to manage a camper trailer on the road
Many of our worries about travel are completely ridiculous.
The brain doesn’t know that, it just feels you freak out and goes into warrior mode to protect you. That protection usually comes in the form of you cannot do this, you’re going to fail, or worse, die.
Stay back in your comfort zone.
There’s a way to tame the wild beast: Be aware of your fears and then prepare for them just in case they happen.
The brain loves strategies, and solutions. If you nut out your plan before you leave, the brain will feel safe and stop harassing you with heart palpitations, sweaty palms and sleepless nights.
You’ll give in, remould yourself back on the couch, and watch the lives of others enjoying travel through the TV or computer screen instead.
My plan of action for each of the above travel fears.
1. We’ll run out of money
- We are not far from publishing our first eBook sharing our strategies for cheap and free travel + we have 2-3 more to work on.
- We really know how to reduce our expenses, which is one important part of having more money.
- I’m a highly skilled person who can easily find a way to create more money should the need arise.
- I know what my income goals for each month need to be and I can easily work towards that.
- Worst case scenario: It doesn’t work, we go home with tails between legs and start again. At least I’d have tried and would not spend my life wondering what if.
2. I’ll go crazy being with Craig and the girls 24/7
- Must schedule in own private time. Mine will involve early morning meditation, yoga on the beach, and monthly massages. Craig’s will most likely involve a newspaper and a toilet (the GREATEST mystery surrounding men.)
- We will look for opportunities to meet other people and socialize.
- Can always kick Craig out to sleep in a tent.
3. Kalyra and I will kill each other when it comes time to school work
- If she does not listen she’ll get detention.
- I’ll just quit as her teacher and she can learn the hard way.
- Maybe we need a few rules in place and I’ll let her help me create them.
- Distance education will help as I will be just the facilitator.
4. I’ll get cabin fever
- Long walks at sunrise a must.
- We’ll mix up accommodation styles to introduce more space in my life
5. It will rain for weeks at a time
- Do daily sun dances.
- Have a list of rainy day activities handy
- Learn to dance in the rain.
6. Savannah will break free from my vice-like grip and run towards the Northern Territory waterhole where crocs live
Hmm.
- Put Savannah in a straight jacket attached to my back at all times in the Northern Territory.
- Never go any closer than 50 metres to the river bank or watering holes.
- Maybe we should just skip the top end, I’m not feeling like I’ve got this one under control.
7. Kalrya will be traumatised because we took her out of school
- Umm. The odds are she’ll be more traumatised staying in school.
- Ensure lots of fun learning happens.
- Meet lots of other nomadic kids to play with.
- Recount horror teaching stories.
- Mother’s guilt says, I will traumatise her no matter what so we might as well have fun while I do it.
8. Craig and I won’t ever be able to have sex again
- Pretend I am horny young adult again and come up with creative plans.
- Rent apartments.
9. I’ll run out of things to say to Craig and the girls.
- Sometimes conversation is not needed.
- Read lots to find interesting discussion points.
- Go on private walkabouts so I return with new insights.
10. The girls will get upset leaving behind family
- Get them to meet with us on the trip.
- Use Skype often.
11. We’ll lose internet connection
- Run ducking and weaving through the fields shouting, “Chicken Little, the sky is falling down.”
- Enjoy the disconnection.
- Have posts scheduled to be published for those moments we head back to life as it was in the eighties. No ruffle skirts needed.
12. We’ll run out of fuel and water driving across the Nullarbor
- Ensure we have gallon drums full of both before we leave.
- Have an EPIRB (a device where you can be tracked if lost).
- Tell people our schedule.
13. We won’t get any time to do our work
- We’ll have a strict work and play schedule that incorporates 2 hours a day where Kalyra does her school work and Savannah naps (chuckles. Cause that always works).
- We’ll make use of Kid’s Clubs when we can to have a few solid work blocks.
- We’ll just do what we do now—work late.
- Outsource (I bloody hope we can reach this level. No more doing stuff we hate).
- Just do the best we can.
14. Our readers will get sick of seeing me in the same outfits in our photos.
- WTF?
- Stop being so vain.
- Mix and match and accessories (Is that what they style maestros say?)
15. Savannah will fall into the campfire
- I’ll build a fort around the fire.
- Throw buckets of water over her every 5 minutes.
- Wrap her in a fire proof blanket.
- I’ll straight-jacket her to my back again.
- I’ll lock her in the van.
- Ah. That’s right. Craig sucks at building campfires.
16. I have no idea what equipment we’ll need or how to manage a camper trailer on the road
- Learn from those who have done it.
- Talk to the experts for advice.
- You’ll learn along the way and soon write an ebook about it!
Um yeah, those fears are completely ridiculous. I’ve got this under control. Maybe not the campfire thing. I’m still worried about that one.
Acknowledge your fears, laugh at them, create a plan to deal with them, but don’t ever let them stop you from doing what your heart calls you to do.
You’re so much more powerful than those imaginary monsters.
(For the good stuff read What I’m most looking forward to)
Australia highlights
What are some of your most ridiculous fears? What are your plans for overcoming them?
