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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]What about trying to figure out what you don't like and fix it?  I used to hate airports and lines but having the lounges helps, so I pay for that.

Are you stressed about not getting stuff done before you leave? Make a list?

Carry photos of your pets?

What are some concrete things you can do to fix the things that don't work?[/quote]

I make sure we don't make complicated plans if it can be helped though that's not aways possible: a direct flight and then rental car is my preferred way and I am less anxious when that's what we do. I'm "ok" about airports. I'm just stressed about leaving my home which feels really safe and being "in the world", the entire journey, potential plane delays and aggravations, other passengers... I realize it's not rational because I do leave my house most days, but I just don't like being out of my comfort zone anymore or being in a crowd. Public transportation feels hard and I dread it (not trains so much but subways, buses rarely come up), I can't stand Ubers or cabs. When possible I'd rather walk for many miles than do any of this. I feel like I've sort of banked decades of negative experiences of all kinds in my head and they've created a knot of worry and anticipation.[/quote]

You can zero in on what is triggering the anxiety - for you it sounds like it is mostly transit-related discomforts and the general insecurity of leaving your home base. You could choose to focus on those things, but you can also identify why you ARE going where you're going and connect that to a value or priority in a way that works for you.

It is also perfectly fine for you to travel only in ways that you are comfortable with or skip the trip. I am a more flexible traveler than you, but I am also 44 years old and don't want to couch surf, take redeyes/Chinatown bus/etc., eat cheap anymore either. Sometimes you can't avoid things like connections, and some destinations make renting a car very unpleasant vs. using public transportation. If you don't want those things, you can just choose not to go to those places. Other people in your life will judge and then accommodate. It is fine.[/quote]

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