As the US approaches its annual Thanksgiving holiday, travelers can expect a potentially stressful experience due to government shutdowns and staffing shortages in the air traffic control industry. With flight cancellations and extended waiting times expected, it's essential for travelers to employ effective coping strategies.
According to psychologist Cory Newman, director of the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Cognitive Therapy, cognitive reframing is an effective technique for dealing with travel stress and anxiety. By acknowledging one's negative thoughts and emotions, individuals can shift their perspective and recognize that there are larger issues at play beyond their personal circumstances.
For instance, when faced with cancelled flights, people might reframe their thinking by focusing on the hardships faced by others, such as those affected by Medicaid cuts or struggling to access basic necessities. This broader perspective helps individuals put their own frustrations into context, fostering a sense of gratitude and acknowledging that things could be worse.
Effective communication is also vital in times of stress. Newman recommends sharing feelings with family members or loved ones, who can offer support and understanding. By openly discussing concerns and emotions, travelers can alleviate anxiety and work together to find solutions.
Travelers should also make the most of downtime by planning ahead. With air travel expected to be disrupted, people can use this opportunity to catch up on work, read, or explore their surroundings. Even small acts of kindness, such as helping others in airports or volunteering with an outreach group, can provide a sense of purpose and boost morale.
By employing these strategies – cognitive reframing, communication, planning ahead, and committing acts of kindness – travelers can better cope with the stresses and uncertainties of Thanksgiving travel. While it's impossible to control external circumstances, individuals have the power to manage their own emotions and reactions, ultimately making the most of this critical holiday season.
According to psychologist Cory Newman, director of the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Cognitive Therapy, cognitive reframing is an effective technique for dealing with travel stress and anxiety. By acknowledging one's negative thoughts and emotions, individuals can shift their perspective and recognize that there are larger issues at play beyond their personal circumstances.
For instance, when faced with cancelled flights, people might reframe their thinking by focusing on the hardships faced by others, such as those affected by Medicaid cuts or struggling to access basic necessities. This broader perspective helps individuals put their own frustrations into context, fostering a sense of gratitude and acknowledging that things could be worse.
Effective communication is also vital in times of stress. Newman recommends sharing feelings with family members or loved ones, who can offer support and understanding. By openly discussing concerns and emotions, travelers can alleviate anxiety and work together to find solutions.
Travelers should also make the most of downtime by planning ahead. With air travel expected to be disrupted, people can use this opportunity to catch up on work, read, or explore their surroundings. Even small acts of kindness, such as helping others in airports or volunteering with an outreach group, can provide a sense of purpose and boost morale.
By employing these strategies – cognitive reframing, communication, planning ahead, and committing acts of kindness – travelers can better cope with the stresses and uncertainties of Thanksgiving travel. While it's impossible to control external circumstances, individuals have the power to manage their own emotions and reactions, ultimately making the most of this critical holiday season.
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, but then smiling with a kind gesture 
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, strangers helping each other]
, use downtime wisely]
, watch your favorite show]
, make someone's day]
. added stress from gov shutdowns is just a nice cherry on top. but honestly, the biggest problem isn't even the flights getting cancelled... it's how the forum is handling all these threads about travel stress lol. no thread organizer to keep things tidy, and every single post is just "same with me" 
Air travel is getting so crazy! I mean, I'm all for being grateful and stuff, but can't we just have one smooth flight without any cancellations? 
I was planning on visiting my family for Thanksgiving this year, but now I'm not sure if I'll make it. My grandma's been going through some tough times lately, so the thought of her having to deal with all this stress on top of her health issues is just heartbreaking 
. On a brighter note, I did volunteer at an airport last year and it was actually really fulfilling. Maybe I can do that again this time? 
The idea of using my downtime to catch up on work or read is also kinda appealing... who needs TV when you've got a whole plane ride ahead of you, right? 
but i guess reframing our thoughts and being kind to others is a good way to take our minds off it... 
maybe ill try to do some acts of kindness at airport or something, like hold the door for someone or stuff 
like how are we supposed to deal with flights getting cancelled and stuff?! 
anyway i was reading about this psychologist who said that our minds can be super tricked into thinking bad things when it's actually bigger problems going on in the world... like have you seen what's happening with medicaid cuts lately? 
anyway the point is to just try not to freak out so much and focus on the good stuff. like i'm gonna use my travel time to binge watch some shows or read a book instead of getting anxious about it 
also i wanna make a conscious effort to be kind to ppl in airports who might be going thru worse things than me, that sounds like a great way to make this stressful holiday a bit more bearable 
. So instead of getting worked up over it, I'm gonna take a deep breath and focus on finding ways to make the most of this travel experience, like catching up on work or exploring my surroundings 
.
. And if I can just muster up some kindness towards strangers in airports, that's a win in my book 
. At least it's a good excuse to catch up on work or read a book while waiting... or help others out in airports, might actually feel kinda productive for once 
. Just hope everyone has a relatively smooth trip and gets to enjoy some quality turkey time 
!
! But seriously, travel stress is real, and it's easy to get caught up in our own frustration. I mean, who hasn't been there, right? 
And hey, if we're feeling generous, maybe we can even pay it forward with a little kindness 
And don't even get me started on the mental toll of cancellations and delays... it's enough to drive anyone insane 
I mean, I get it, things happen, but can't we just get some basic functioning out of our airports?! 
Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that these tips about reframing your thoughts and being kind are super helpful... like, acknowledging someone's frustration isn't gonna solve their problem, but maybe it'll help 'em feel a little less alone 
But honestly, can we just have some decent air travel for once?! 
Stress Less This Turkey 
. But here's the thing - we can't control the airport chaos, but WE CAN control how we react to it 
Flights are gonna be cancelled left and right, and we're talkin' extended waiting times too 
If you can shift your perspective to think about others who are struggling more than you, it really puts things into context. According to the CDC, over 40 million people in the US struggle with food insecurity every month - that's some serious gratitude right there 
Sharing your feelings with loved ones can work wonders for stress relief. Did you know that a simple 'I'm feeling overwhelmed' text to a friend can boost oxytocin levels by 300%? 
. People say travel is stressful, but I think it can also be an opportunity to be present and help others out. So, instead of freakin' out, let's try to find the silver lining and make the most of this situation 
Share your stress with loved ones, they'll be like "Lowkey worried about you" 
[GIF: A person holding a "Kindness Matters" sign]
... anyway, what's crazy is how some people say it's good to focus on others when you're feeling stressed. Like, yeah, okay, we all have our own problems, but can't we just be a little more understanding towards each other? 
waiting for flights to get rescheduled... it's like, can't we just chill for one sec? 
. Like, instead of freakin' out when your flight gets cancelled, try to focus on the fact that others are dealing with way more stressors than you, ya know?