Leftovers from last night’s dinner made lunch a breeze today.
I reheated a bowl of my simple summer chili which I enjoyed with a cup of creamy strawberry banana Greek yogurt on the side.
Nice and easy!
Freaked Out Flier
When Ryan and I began discussing our upcoming trip to Hawaii, one of the very first things that came up was the long flight to Honolulu. You know that guy who laughs in the face of ridiculously high box jumps? Well, he has a fear of flying. And not a small one.
Ryan gets serious anxiety when it comes to hopping on a plane. Getting him on a plane for my friend Leah’s wedding in Chicago last year was a really big deal.
He made it, but it was quite the adventure! I don’t think he took his head off the tray table one time during the entire flight.
I am convinced that Ryan sharing his fear of flying with others has only perpetuated his problem. Once people know that Ryan has a phobia about airplane travel, they instantly share scary stories about their travel experiences or will retell the freaky stories they’ve heard from others.
Ever since Ryan developed this fear (it actually started during college!), he met a guy that survived a plane crash and talked to a pilot who had to land a small plane due to engine failure a couple of months ago. So many scary stories!
Ryan said he doesn’t want to let his fear of flying impact our desire to travel in the future or his ability to travel for business purposes and said that he thinks this trip will be a good thing for him in the end. He’s hoping the flight will prove that he can handle long plane trips. I’ve always felt awful for Ryan about his fear because I relate his anxious feelings to the anxiety I get when I think about enclosed spaces since I am rather claustrophobic.
While enclosed, small or pitch-black spaces have always made me uncomfortable, I realized just how claustrophobic I am when I completely freaked out during the Mission Space ride at Epcot a few years ago. Ever since that experience, I cannot shake the anxiety I feel when I think about small spaces. I hate riding in elevators and avoid doing so whenever possible. When an elevator is crowded, I have to get out otherwise I freak out. (My fear was only further solidified when I rode in a small, overcrowded elevator in a hotel last year that we couldn’t get to open on the bottom floor. I was hyperventilating and practically shot out of the elevator when the doors finally opened.)
I have faith that this flight to Hawaii will be a turning point for Ryan! I know his fear of flying is one shared by many and if any of you out there have tips for how he can make the long flight to Hawaii a bit more comfortable, please feel free to share!
Question of the Afternoon
- Do you or anyone you know have a fear of flying? How you you handle it?
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I hate plane rides, too. I’m so sorry Ryan has to go through that! It’s awful. 🙁 I actually live in Hawaiʻi and I’ve always wanted to travel but my fear keeps me from doing so. Let me know how it goes! My hubs thinks I’ll overcome my fear if we go to Las Vegas! LOL
I’m super claustrophobic too. Elevators, crowded lines like for space mountain, and being the window seat on an airplane! I don’t enjoy flying either. I suggests drinking. Haha. That always helps me!!
I’m absolutely petrified of flying, the whole sensation of being 5+ miles off the ground terrifies me. It’s a shame because I would love to travel more, but my fear of flying keeps me from doing so. I’ve only flown once but I glued myself to the Sky Mall to try to take my mind off of it, it didn’t work that well.
I have had a history of MAJOR fear of flying. So much so that before I got on a plane I would write a letter to my family in case i died (how’s that for optimistic?) It started when I was in a small village and actually saw a small plane go down. I would feed this fear reading books all about airplane crashes. Did not help. BUT, after all my fear, I have finally decided that me worrying about it will not help the plane or my flight at all. I have had to let go and know that millions of flights take off and land each year and I have the odds more than in my favor for a safe flight. So, now I just relax thru the bumps, and everything and realize that I should just enjoy my flight because me worrying will not make a bit of difference. Hope he can just enjoy the view & marvel at what a beautiful world God has made! Good luck
Hey Julie, I’m a certified flight instructor and I assure you and Ryan that you have nothing to be afraid of! Pilots are trained for the worst (but hope for the best!) and regularly practice simulated emergency scenarios. They have thousands of hours of flight time by the time they fly with the airlines and have built up an extraordinary amount of experience.Also, the mechanics that work on the planes are heavily regulated by the FAA and there are many redundant systems aboard in the event that something fails. I hope you guys get to fly through the clouds and pop out on top to crystal clear blue skies above and fluffy white clouds below… there’s nothing like it! Try to enjoy the views- you won’t find them anywhere else 🙂 Have a great trip! Try not get too worked up about the flight. As they say, fear is only as deep as the mind allows.
Something that really helped me overcome my fear of flying was actually getting up in a small plane and being able to co-pilot on a short trip. It kind of gives you control over the situation, which is my issue with flying. My stepdad has his pilot’s license, and after a super-scary cross-country flight in a hurricane, I had a big problem flying anywhere. He took me up on a short trip from Chino, Ca to Santa Barbara and I got to sit in the cockpit and really see what was going on. After a nice lunch, it was unbelieveably easy to get right back in the plane. So maybe you two could find some flying lessons somewhere? They have them everywhere where we live. Like I said, it kind of gives you control of the situation and allows you to face your fear head-on.
I too have a huge fear of flying because my stomach is so sensitive- I easily get sick! One time, I flew to New York and got suuper motion sick. During the break between connecting flights, my friend suggested I take a Benadryll so I could fall asleep. While I am SUPER against taking sleeping pills, I knew taking on wouldt hurt. I slept the entire flight and it made traveling much easier! Now- I only take a Benadryll when I fly, which is about once per year and it helps me calm down my nerves/ stomach.
Julie! You’re coming to Hawaii??? I’m SO excited! Come by our boutique Eden In Love (www.edeninlove.com) if you have time! I’d LOVE to feature some shots of you shopping at our store. You’ll love it here, promise! The long flight won’t be TOO bad (I’ve flown all over from here) just make sure to stand up and stretch often and dress comfortably because when you get here, it’ll be warm. 🙂
My boyfriend is a pilot, and he has said the best way to cure a phobia of flying is to go up in a small plane and take control of the plane for a bit. He is taking a very nervous friend of mine up soon so I’ll let you know how it goes!!
i’m not really afraid of flying, but totally understand. good luck to you guys!
I have a fear of flying also, especially small “puddle jumper” type planes; I always got nervous flying and then in college I was on a plane that slid on black ice and almost crashed while landing. I am not a fan of medical intervention but I spoke to my Dr a few years ago when I was nervous about flying alone to Europe to meet my parents; she said it’s actually very common and also I didn’t want medication she wrote be a perscription for a very low does of zanax. It made flying 100% better. I was really hesitant to take it, I don’t like to take medication but it helped a lot. I also purchased head phones that really cancelled out noise, the combination of being able to listen to some good tones and the meds helped a lot.
Good luck Ryan, I know how bad it can be!
My hubby is also afraid of flying, but we have been to Hawaii twice, and it’s well worth the flight. WE come from PA so I think we have a bit further to go than you.
My husband took a xanax or other light sedative prescribed by our doctor, that morning and he was fine. Both times we first flew into Phoenix and then connected to Hawaii. Our layovers were short, 1 & 1/2 hours. Once you get on that flight to paradise it’s a whole new experience. The flight attendants are nicer, they cater to you a little more and usually the planes are not as full, so they try to spread people out so everyone has some room.
Husband is a big guy, so I think the first time we went he may have taken another sedative in phoenix. You and Ryan are so outdoorsy that you will LOVE Hawaii. There is so much for you to do. And once you step pff the plane, it’s all worth it.
We love it so much that we plan to move there in 5 years or so. Sooner if we can swing it. Tell Ryan not to worry. He will be fine.
Which island are going to?
Hey Julie,
I’ve never actually commented on your blog but been a reader for a year or so now and you’re gorgeous, thanks for inspiring me so much with your recipes, workouts and basically everything! 🙂
Poor Ryan, I’m like super afraid of flying myself and therefore nows how awful that feels 🙁 Best you can do is trying not to think too much about the flight beforehand and to stay busy on plane. I like to take a bunch of books and magazines with me and listen to my favourite music during the flight – which is brilliant b/c you won’t hear the “scary” noises the plane makes 😉
I’ve been doing yoga for couple of years now and it also helps to really focus on your breathing while flying to calm yourself down. Not shure if this will work for men though 😉
Sorry if there’re mistakes in here, but I’m from Germany actually, so please excuse!
Hope the wo of you have a blast in Hawaii! 🙂
*the two of you I meant of course, sorry 😉
Can’t help you Julie with the whole fear of flying thing, but as for what to do in Hawaii, I’ve got a few suggestions. I’ve been a few times, most recently with my husband and 2 girls. Here are our favorites: Hike Diamond Head early one morning before it gets hot. Views are worth it but there is a place toward the end that you have to crawl through – may not be the best for your claustrophobia but still quite awesome! Get surfing lessons on the North Shore with the North Shore Surf Girls. They are AWESOME and the owner Carol was in the movie Blue Crush! Super awesome ladies and great teachers (can book online)! Had a blast! Go to Pearl Harbor (go early in the am – better atmosphere) – every American needs to do that at some point or another! Besides the North Shore for peace and tranquility, we loved the Lagoons at Ko’ Olina. It was quiet and there were always weddings to watch (but Disney just opened up a new resort there so that tranquility may be gone). Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay and Sharks Cove (North Shore) is awesome. We were there a week and crammed a ton of things in so if you want more ideas, I’d be happy to share! It will be well worth the flight!!!
gravol and a large glass of wine – he’ll be feeling no pain lol
I share Ryan’s fear! I am SO terrified of flying. Every time I actually land safety, it is like the biggest relief in the world. How do I cope with my fears? WINE. It actually helps me SO much. I’m such a better flying partner when I have some wine in me hahah. It just makes me feel so relaxed and I don’t notice the little bumps as much
I used to love flying…but as I’ve gotten older, I like it less and less. I think a lot of it is related to all the stories you hear in the media, even though they are isolated incidents and there are probably thousands of flights a day that go off without a hitch.
I’m pretty sure my first stop when flying now is the airport bar. A few drinks is definitely a must. If the plane has tv or wi-fi I can usually keep myself pre-occupied.
Oh my lanta. I, too completely freaked out on that exact same Epcot ride!! I went there for my birthday 2 years ago, and the guy I was dating at the time convinced me to go on it. AS SOON as I sat down and the doors closed, I completely panicked. I had to stare down at my feet the entire time. Did I mention, I get motion sickness easily, too? BAD experience. BADBADBAD.
Ever since Sept 11, I’ve been a little weary of flying and will make sure of my surroundings. Usually I try to sleep the entire flight with my headphones in, and it helps a lot. Maybe Ryan can try that??
Good luck! 🙂
I have a severe fear of flying as well. I am working on being able to take an hour flight from here (Biloxi) to Atlanta. It is bad I shake, I cry, and I can’t breath. However, last time I flew I had to concentrate on a a magazine or book and only look at the seat in front of me. I did not look anywhere else and forced myself to think I was simply riding a bus. It worked but I wasn’t completely at ease.
The problem for me is an extreme fear of heights and lack of control. When I have anxiety the only way to soothe it is to get out and get away, as with most people. This inevitably means that it is mind over matter.
If he does not normally take medications that will only cause more anxiety. Other than trying to be strong mentally and focusing on one thing (as in yoga) I feel as though the only other way for him to deal with this is to seek therapy.
Yes, they have therapy sessions for flight anxiety. You could also seek a behavior modification specialist to address the issue.
Hope that helps….
I’m not a big fan of flying either, especially by myself. The whole process stresses me out and I am alays glad when we land. What helps me get through it is headphones, a good book, or someone to talk to. Also, holding hands during the flight with my friend is always comforting, and I’m sure Ryan would love the comfort 🙂
I can totally empathize with Ryan. I HATE to fly. I have flown about 7 times and each time it got worse, with the last time me having to take a muscle relaxer before getting on the plane. I slept most of the way. I had my doctor give me a pill for the next time I need to fly, but so far, I haven’t been able to get ON a plane. I hyperventilate just thinking about making reservations. Then hearing all the scary news reports about plane crashes doesn’t help. I would suggest he have the doctor give him an anxiety pill. The doctor told me it is a very common practice and it supposedly helps really well. They will prescribe him about 6 pills and he can take one going out and one coming back. They only last a very short time and aren’t addictive.
I would recommend getting to the airport a little early and going to a restaurant that serves alcoholic drinks for lunch or dinner. I always have a couple glasses of wine before I get on a plane or while I’m in the air. I find it calms me down tremendously and helps me focus on things I brought to entertain me and not whats going on around me. If Ryans not big into wine then maybe a vodka or rum mixed drink would do the trick. I think having a few drinks before or during the flight would be the best way to calm him down because its a feeling he’s probably familiar with and its safe because you’re not the one flying the plane! lol
Just remind him that flying is the safest form of transportation and the best way to get over your fears is to tackle them head on! I also used to be extremely scared of elevators. Getting stuck in one and being trapped in an enclosed space is a huge fear of mine. I once had a job interview on the 10th floor of a building and took the stairs the entire way up instead of riding the elevator (so silly). I very recently got over this fear by forcing myself to go on them by myself and so far I’ve been fine!
I hope you and Ryan have safe travels and tons of fun in Hawaii!
I get a prescription of Xanax from my doctor for flying. The key is to take it before I get to the airport (so I don’t drive obviously). If I wait until I get to the airport, I am already hyped up and anxious and it doesn’t seem to work as well. It won’t take away the fear of flying, but it takes the edge off. My doctor says the best way to overcome the fear is to fly more often with good flying experiences. Easier said than done… 🙂
I totally understand how Ryan feels! I used to be a very nervous flier – I’m not sure how it started, but I used to get horrible anxiety any time we’d take off and if there was even a tiny bump. I once had a panic attack on a flight from LA to Phoenix, it was that bad.
BUT, the more I flew, and the more I read about flying and airplane mechanics, and the statistics behind flying, the better I felt. I also read an analogy about turbulence, that the air is like jello – you put something in it, it can’t fall out. It may shake a little, but that’s it. An airplane is “cushioned” by the air the way a piece of fruit can be “cushioned” inside jello. That weird analogy actually helps me! And now I want some jello. 😛
The airport offers classes for people with a fear of flying. I had a huge fear, but found looking out the window comforts me. Then I know when we are flying though clouds and around storms. I just flew through my first lightening storm and practically had a heart attack, but my spouse helped me thought it. What a man! Hawaii sounds like soo much fun. You two deserve it!
Super last to commenting on this (ironically, it’s because I’m traveling)…but I HATE flying. HATE.
The worst part for me is take off (and sometimes landing). Because of my job, I (unfortunately/fortunately?) know a lot about airplanes/flying and I can say there are only 2 situations that I am deathly afraid of – and both rarely happen. So, that is what I tell myself – over and over again.
I do like to try to fly early in the morning (before storms) or later at night (because then I can drink something to calm my nerves without feeling bad!). I also try to fly direct, or as long as possibly without having to land/take off. As for turbulence, I remind myself that it’s like going over bumps in the road. The plane “likes” it and it was built for it. Also, flying is SO, SO safe. It’s just a control issue that makes us nutty. I hate giving up the control, not knowing what’s going on and since I’ve accepted that’s just how I am, it’s been easier. But really – when in doubt — Xanax. It makes flying dreams comes true. 🙂
I don’t mind flying and actually find airports somewhat comforting. I’ve had some pretty nasty, turbulent flights, which I think may have snapped me out of any fear I may have had. I always think that if I’m going down in a plane, so be it– I’m going to end up dead one day anyway, if it’s going down in a fiery plane crash, it’ll all be a wash in the end anyway. Morbid, perhaps but it’s rational.
Um, yes.
I thought I was the only person in the world who went through so much anxiety on planes.
My body goes into sweaty-mode the entire time – from the moment I’m approaching the gate to the moment where we pull up to the gate at our destination. It’s sickening. I hate it. Nothing else makes me feel like that.
I went through a terrible experience – I was coming back from India and the plane plummeted a couple hundred feet and oxygen masks fell from above. I really thought I wasn’t gonna make it home alive. Ever since that experience, I’ve hated planes even more.
Terrible advice I’m about to give Ryan, but its gotten me through the last couple of flights –
Take Xanax or Dramamine. And drink a teeny tiny $5 bottle of red wine right when you get on the plane. Perfect solution to knock you out. Please don’t judge me. I’m not a druggy or an alcoholic. I just think planes are unnatural 😉
AND the worst part is…..even when the planes NOT going through turbulence, my mind just runs the entire time. With these terrible thoughts like, “at any moment, this plane is going to explode. And that’ll be the end of me.” OR “I bet the traffic control people down on the ground fell asleep and a plane is actually going to come hit us from the side and I will die on the nose of the other plane as it rams through our plane.”
Wow, I’m crazy.
If you don’t take the elevator just tell people you’re taking the stairs for exercise 😉 They will be impressed. I hope Ryan’s flying anxiety eases- I’m sure you’ll look after him well. I hate when people tell bad stories- just remember how many GOOD stories there are out there.
I used to be terrified of flying too. Then, I had a chance I had been waiting 13 years for, to go on a mission trip to Uganda and Ethiopia. I got a prescription for Ativan for the over 24 combined flights. It was a godsend. I was able to enjoy the trip without the fear, and even rest on the flights. I hope you find what works.
One of my good friends and sorority sisters was terrified of flying as well! It was so bad for her, that she ended up being prescribed anxiety medication just for flying in airplaines!
Like so many other stories here, I too, am scared of flying but refuse to let it take over and keep me grounded. I went to NYC a couple months ago and I will admit some tears were shed during take off however, I find taking 2 Benadryl on long flights REALLY helps to just chill me out a bit. Also, I put my ear buds in and turn my ipod up as high as I can stand it during take off’s and landings as they are really the only times I get truly freaked out. I do the same if the flight gets really bumpy or does the whole “drop down” thing where you feel like you’re falling out of the sky lol I also have claustrophobia that’s never been an issue while flying until this last time. For some reason, my anxiety really got me because I kept thinking about the fact that I couldn’t get out. But, again, the loud music, watching movies and tv shows on my Nook and the Benadryl got me through.
You’ll have a blast!!
Oh, also, try crossword puzzles, word searches or my absolute favorite, sudoku!! These things, especially sudoku, helps distract you because you really have to think about what you’re doing. Magazines, reading etc don’t seem to engage me enough to really relax me but having to figure out what number goes where really helps me focus on something other than my fear.
(I use that when I’m getting my weekly blood draws because after 6 years of serious medical problems, literally thousands of needles and 40+ medical procedures and more serious surgeries, I’ve somehow managed to develop a weird anxiety of some sort and have a tendancy to pass out whenever a needle comes near me now lol Apparently it’s Post Traumatic Stress Disorder but working on a Sudoku puzzle seems to work really well)
I stumbled upon this older blog post and was wondering how the plane ride went for Ryan? My husband and I are hoping to travel to Hawaii in the fall and I’m as terrified of flying as Ryan is. (Longest plane ride thus far was 4 hrs). Any advice from him to make this journey possible as far as flying is concerned?