Overcoming Travel Anxiety With Logic: Talking Yourself Through an Anxiety Attack

Travel is supposed to be exciting, right? The anticipation of new experiences, new cultures, and, of course, a temporary escape from the daily grind. But sometimes, despite all the planning and preparation, anxiety sneaks in at the worst possible moment. Not the nervous butterflies in your stomach kind of anxiety—the full-blown, heart-racing, can’t-breathe, panic-tears-loading kind.

I know because I’ve been there (recently).

On my flight to Bangkok, I was sleep-deprived, visa-less, hotel-less, and damn near penniless thanks to an unexpected flight change that drained my funds. I had no Plan B, no Plan C, and barely a Plan A. I couldn’t even hear my playlist over my spiraling thoughts. The idea of food made me want to barf. And I couldn’t relax enough to sleep, despite knowing that exhaustion was probably fueling half my anxiety.

Spoiler Alert, I was happy and back to my morning walks after sleeping for 2 days.

Then, as the plane started to take off, I felt it coming. The dreaded emotional dam was about to break. To make matters worse, I was in the middle seat—absolutely terrified of making a scene in front of two strangers who, I assumed, would not appreciate a crying mess next to them for the next 5 hours.

But instead of completely unraveling, I did what I’ve trained myself to do over the years: I talked myself down.

I am no therapist, and this is not medical advice. However, after years of therapy, I have learned to talk myself through anxiety using logic and deductive reasoning—and it works. (I’m sure there is a medical term for this, but it escapes me.)

So if you ever find yourself spiraling mid-travel (or in any overwhelming situation), here’s a method you can use to get control of your anxiety before it gets control of you.

Why Logical Reasoning Helps Anxiety

Anxiety thrives in uncertainty. It feeds off of worst-case scenarios, spiraling thoughts, and that gnawing feeling that everything is about to go horribly wrong. But when you engage in logical, step-by-step thinking, you force your brain to slow down and process things realistically.

This method works best when you write it down—whether in a journal, a notes app, or even on the back of a napkin. Seeing your responses written out adds another layer of grounding to the process.

I am using my very real scenario and very real notes as an example. I hope that you find comfort in knowing that even an avid traveler still gets anxious. And if this helps at least one person, it will be worth sharing.

Step-By-Step: Talking Yourself Through Anxiety

1. Identify the Source of Anxiety

Start with the most basic question:
👉🏾 Why are you [anxious/ most present feeling]?

Just before take off, my answer was:
"My trip is not going as planned."

Okay. But let’s dig deeper.

2. Challenge the Thought

Not all thoughts are facts, and anxiety loves to convince us that minor setbacks are disasters. So let’s poke some holes in the argument.

👉🏾 Do trips always go as planned?
No. They rarely do.

👉🏾 Have I handled unpredictable travel situations before?
Yes. And I survived them.

Suddenly, the "everything is ruined" narrative starts to lose its power.

3. Ask Yourself: What Is Anxiety Doing for Me Right Now?

This is a game-changer.

👉🏾 What will anxiety do for you at this moment?
Nothing.

Will it get me a visa? No.
Will it book me a hotel? No.
Will it fix my exhaustion? Definitely not.

Anxiety does not solve problems—it just makes them feel bigger than they are.

4. Assess the Reality: Have You Exhausted All Resources?

👉🏾 Have I tried everything I can to fix the situation?
No.

👉🏾 Are there still things I can do to improve my situation?
Yes.

I could try withdrawing money from an ATM, contacting a friend for help, or simply waiting until I landed to figure things out instead of panicking on a plane where I had no control over anything anyway.

If there’s something I can do, I’ll focus on that instead.

If there’s nothing I can do at the moment, then panicking serves zero purpose.

5. Shift Focus to What You Can Control

Anxiety thrives in a lack of control. So, take it back.

👉🏾 What is one thing I can do right now?

• Put on calming music.

• Box breathing (inhale 4 seconds, hold 4 seconds, exhale 4 seconds, hold 4 seconds)

• Create a plan for when I land.

Once I shifted my focus to what I could control, I immediately started to feel less powerless.

I was asleep within 10 minutes of finishing this exercise. Sometimes you have to bring yourself back to the present instead of freaking out over the future.

6. Have a Backup Plan for Worst-Case Scenarios

Sometimes, the only way to calm your mind is to reassure it that you have a plan—even if things go wrong.

👉🏾 Do I have a plan in action?
Yes.

👉🏾 Do I have a backup plan if that doesn’t work?
Yes.

In my case, my main plan was to find an ATM when I landed. If that failed, I had a friend I could call for help. Knowing that I wasn’t completely out of options helped keep me grounded.

7. Give Yourself Reassurance

Finally, the most important step: self-compassion.

I literally told myself:
"Calm down, babes. It’s not over. We’re just getting started."

Because it wasn’t over. I was still on the flight. The journey hadn’t even begun yet.

And that’s something to keep in mind: Anxiety is a liar. It will tell you that the worst is happening when, in reality, things are just beginning.

Other Tools to Prevent an Anxiety Spiral

Sometimes, logical reasoning alone isn’t enough—and that’s okay. Here are some extra tools that help prevent anxiety attacks while traveling:

🛑 The “54321” Grounding Method: Name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.

🎧 Noise-Canceling Headphones: If music makes you more anxious, try white noise, nature sounds, or binaural beats (which have been scientifically proven to lower stress).

📝 Write Out the Worst-Case Scenario: What is the absolute worst thing that could happen? What would you do if it did? Seeing it written down usually makes it feel less scary.

📞 Phone a Friend: If possible, talk it out with someone who can ground you in reality.

🥤 Water & Small Snacks: Dehydration and low blood sugar can make anxiety worse. Keep something simple like nuts, fruit, or crackers nearby.

😴 Prioritize Rest Before Travel: Sleep deprivation amplifies stress. Do your best to rest before travel day.

I’m just getting started!

Recalibrated and ready to take on the heat of Bangkok.

Final Thoughts: Trust Yourself, You’ve Got This

If you take one thing away from this post, let it be this:

👉🏾 You’ve done the work. You’ve planned, prepared, and handled setbacks before.
👉🏾 You are capable. Travel challenges are normal—but you can navigate them.
👉🏾 You are in control. Anxiety doesn’t get to dictate your experience.

Trust the process. Trust yourself. And let everything else be a lesson for the next trip.

Safe travels, and if anxiety ever shows up again, talk yourself down like the boss you are. 💜✨