Episode 66: How to Manage Expectations when Traveling

01Nov 2021 by EJtheTravelDiva

I don’t know if any of you have noticed, but we’re in the middle of a pandemic.

Destinations have restrictions on travel, and these restrictions are constantly changing.

If you’re expecting a smooth travel experience, now is not the time to look for it. You can, however, take whichever situation you’re in, lower your expectations, and find happiness in the parts that are going well.

Today, I have some tips on how to manage that expectation when you’re on a vacation.

Here are the tips:

[03:41] Change your mindset.

Covid has brought many changes to the way things happen.

Destinations are limiting travel, events, and certain activities.

Many people still have the expectation that the trave experience has to be what it was pre-Covid, and then get worked up because those expectations can’t be met.

[05:04] Refuse to panic.

When you panic, you start making irrational decisions.

Look at my client from episode 63. She panicked and almost threw away her entire paid-for vacation.

In a state of panic, the decisions you make will determine whether or not you find a suitable solution to the situation. Panicking and being rude will also result in people being less likely to help you.

If you’re going to cause a scene on an airplane because you don’t want to wear a mask, guess what? You’re going to be banned from any flying at all.

[07:56] Change your narrative.

So what if something goes wrong? You can find something in that moment that is going right, and then embrace that.

Turn your narrative from a negative to a positive.

All it takes is your decision to find the positive rather than the negative.

[12:09] Change the way you think.

If you’re having negative thoughts about an aspect of your vacation, it will take over and ruin your whole vacation.

Enjoy the parts of the vacation that are positive. Enjoy the part of the beach that doesn’t have seaweed on it instead of complaining about the seaweed.

[13:40] Seek happiness.

For every situation that doesn’t go your way, there is an alternative situation that provides happiness. Or you could decide to be upset and ruin the rest of your vacation.

The choice is yours. Things go wrong, but you can seek the happiness in every situation and decide to grab it with both hands.

It’s a pandemic. Travel is different, and it might be different for quite a while.

Manage your expectations, be understanding, handle each misstep with grace, and allow yourself to find the happiness that will drive the fun in your vacation and your life.

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