Time To Put On My Big Girl Panties...

I leave tomorrow for New York (I know, life is tough)...

This will be my fourth trip this year.  On my prior trips I was accompanied by either my boss and his wife or hottie husband. 

Tomorrow will be different...

Tomorrow I will board a plane alone.  No one will be there to hold my hand.  No one will be there to calm my fears of flying.

Earlier this evening I decided to use the intranet as a source of comfort...searching for ways to help me cope with my fear.  Here are a few things I found...

"Experts believe the deeper root of aerophobia–a fear of passively surrendering control (or handing over the reins of your life to an unknown pilot)–is to blame. We’ll show you ways to work through this anxiety, so that during your next flight, you’ll have much more than peanuts to enjoy." -Really??  You think that I have a problem with surrendering control??  And thanks for reminding me that it is completely up to another human being that I have never even seen on whether or not I will safely make it to New York City.  P.S. I don't even like peanuts. 

"Try to remember when your fear of flying began, and, if possible, what triggered it. Maybe you had a bad experience on a previous flight, or heard a frightening news account involving an airplane." -Gee, I wonder if it IS the fact that I've heard MANY "frightening news accounts involving an airplane" in less than six months, THREE of which were IN NEW YORK!  Or maybe it's the movie "Airplane" that gets me all worked up.

"Pilots. Don’t be shy about asking to speak to the pilot of your flight before you take your seat. Keep in mind that you may have only limited time to do this, so have two or three questions prepared beforehand." -two or three questions??  Limited time??  Excuse me, but I'm going to ask if I can sit in the cockpit because I have two or three pages of questions and I don't like to be limited on time.  And can I get a cherry flavored lollipop and a sticker that says, "I sat with the pilot"?

"Breathing.  Shut your eyes, breathe in deeply through your nose, and let your lungs fill with air. Hold the breath for 2 seconds and let it out slowly through your mouth. Remember to keep the breath steady, flowing in and out gently and easily." -This is difficult to do when you are holding a barf bag to your face.

"Visualize yourself on an airplane, and imagine the various noises and activities that can occur, such as turbulence, the engine during takeoff and landing, or the pilot announcing some trouble ahead. Practice your breathing routine, and let your mind get used to these situations." -Hello?!??!?? I don't need to practice breathing routines to visualize the plane going down and I certainly don't need to get "used to" these situations.  Is this supposed to make me feel better?  Who came up with this technique?

"Sedating yourself with pills, drinking alcohol to calm your nerves, or sitting in your seat thinking about nothing but your anxiety are all passive approaches to calming air travel anxiety–and can sometimes cause your fears to deepen." I happen to know that doing all three of the above things at one time DOES work.  :)

"So, what are you waiting for? There’s a big world out there to explore. Book a short flight on a reputable airline, flying between larger airports in cities experiencing good weather. Once you’ve had a few “practice” flights like these, and you’ve built up your confidence, the world will be at your fingertips." -Ummm...who has the money and the time to take "practice" flights???  And whoever you are, will you marry me?  ;)

For now I'm just going to put on my big girl panties and board the plane all by myself...