How little screws are the key to flying above the clouds!
I love traveling! I love the excitement and anticipation of getting on a plane, walking aimlessly through the airport to that smell of fresh air when the plane door opens and you walk out to your gate. My love for seeing new places and flying has been a gradual development over the past 10 years.
Previously, I hated flying. I hated having to pack. I hated even more being somewhere different. I felt vulnerable. I felt out of my comfort zone. I hated not having control. Not being in control of the plane (which thankfully for all of us a pilot is infinitely more qualified than me). I hated flying so much, that I started my career as consultant. Spoiler alert, consultant for one of the big 5 firms meant TRAVEL, which meant FLYING, which meant FLYING EVERY WEEK!!! I had overlooked this big part of the job requirement when I signed my job offer. Fortunately for me, I needed the money and the virtual ink had already dried on my job offer acceptance letter. I had to figure out a way to make the whole flying thing work for me. Many mini booze bottles and sleep deprivation later, I had found a way to wake up at my final destination and make the weekly trip from NYC to Houston. It wasn’t ideal, nor do I recommend this combo, since I’m convinced I was never sober on a Monday or Thursday evening, plus they have much better options out there these days (hello anti-anxiety medicines and Headspace (mediation)!)
When I was younger, I would get direly ill every time I flew. From takeoff to landing, I would be hurling out my insides into one those tiny small blue paper bags. It didn’t matter what I ate, or if I even ate at all, there was something about that G-force that would send my body into a frenzy. The worst part was that I couldn’t even make it to the bathroom, since you weren’t allowed out of your seat. It was the absolute worst. I was always mortified when I felt it coming up and would try my hardest to hold it in, but if you’ve ever drank one to many Four Locos’ you know there is no stopping the rampage that is about to erupt inside.
I once decided to try Four Loco after they were banning them in New York due to the high alcohol content (or maybe it was too much caffeine or both). I never cared about trying a Four Loco before, until it was all over the news. If the government was going to ban something, I knew I needed to give it a try. Heck, they were selling these bright colorful cans of evil juice in all the bodegas, CVS’s and anywhere you could buy beer or bread. So, one night, when my girlfriends came over, I decided it would be a grand idea to pre-game with these soon to be outlawed drinks. I cracked my first can and took a sip. It was sweet, a little tangy, and hella tasty. How could this be so bad for you?! Well, a few hours later and couple more drinks, I became BFF with our porcelain throne in all its glory. I spent the entire night and probably half of the next day camping out in our tiny non-ventilated NYC bathroom. After that day, I swore off Four Loco and any beverage that came in a bright can. To this day, I legit gag every time I walk past those cans in the supermarket… So, unless you’re looking to spend the next 24 hours contemplating all your life decisions while your husband is holding your hair back then go for it. Otherwise, do the Jesus as you walk past a Four Loco can just in case temptation ensues.
Back to flying. I knew flying was a necessary evil in order to see new places, but every time I dreaded it. I had become so paranoid, that I would look up the airplane and the airplane model of my flight. I became partial to Boeing vs Airbus (like I could tell the difference). I would check the “manufactured on date” of the plane when I would board (there used to be a metal plate at the top of the plane door which had its manufactured date, but I think they may have since removed them, probably because of crazies like me). I don’t know why I bothered looking for the date, since even when I saw “1983” etched in the metal I still boarded the plane. It just upped my anxiety and prayer level. Every little bump. Every movement would make my stomach turn and my thoughts would go into some very dark places. Did I call my mom? Have I been a good person? Is there a heaven? You get the gist. This was the anxiety summersault I would subject myself to. Then, I watched a documentary on planes.
At first, the documentary wasn’t very comforting. It was the exact opposite. For instance, did you know that a plane is held together by tiny little rivets that are hand welded?! Hand welded, as in someone literally “screws” each tiny screw with their hands (and some tools)!!! These tiny little screw-like things are what keeps the entire plane together. For someone who is already insane about flying, this was just making things worse, but then I stopped and thought about this more globally, more logically.
Everything in the world is held together by tiny screws. Cars, trains, all my IKEA furniture! In many ways, even us humans, are held together by fragments, screws (skin, bones and muscles), assembled somewhere between sperm, egg and uterus.
The logical person in me decided to continue watching the documentary. If control was what I sought, then having more knowledge about aviation might help me better control my irrational fears of flying. I decided to stay the course and watch the entirety of the documentary. Then, one segment, changed my life!
Turbulence. My anxiety’s bestie! I had no idea what turbulence was? I never bothered to even look it up. I just knew it was something that happened sometimes and it was petrifying. There, on the TV, someone plainly explained what was turbulence.
Think of the sky like a road and the plane like a car. Typically, we expect the road to be paved and that you’ll have a smooth ride, but sometimes there are some bumps along the way. Maybe you hit a rough patch of pavement, or maybe a pot hole formed on your route. Some potholes are tiny, while others are much larger. Very rarely will your car break down by hitting a pot hole. It’s just unpleasant and scary. Turbulence are just sky pot holes (or air bubbles).
If you’re like me and scared of flying, try to think more logically about why. Is it because you feel helpless? Is it because you get motion sickness? Is it because you hate sitting in the tiny knee cap crushing seats? Is it the height? Is it the fear of the unknown? Whatever your fears(s) are, know that you can conquer them! I still don’t love flying, but I’m coping. I try to keep myself entertained for the entire flight (writing, watching a movie, playing a game, sleeping…anything that will keep my mind occupied). I’ve also invested in a good pair of noise cancelling headphones, which allow me to be in my own little bubble. Lastly, I always say a little prayer in Portuguese right before takeoff and landing. It’s become a mini ritual and it helps. It helps me feel in control. It goes a little something like this: “Com o senhor eu me vou, e com o senhor voltamos.”
So, next time you’re contemplating not going somewhere because of your fear of flying, don’t give into it! Don’t let it win! Don’t let it keep you grounded (literally!). Instead, try and find something that can keep your mind busy, even if it means taking NyQuil or some anti-anxiety meds before the flight, but don’t let your fear win out. Don’t miss out on all the amazing places you can see and all of the beautiful experiences, because of fear.
I promise you, when you land, it’ll have all been worth the few hours in the flying bus! Now, fasten your seat belts, push your tray tables up and prepare for takeoff!
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