Hello Fellow SOARers--
Just wanted to give a report on a recent business trip I took to Portland, OR. To anxious flyers, of course, business travel dredges up nervous feelings of being on a "forced march," e.g. I can't get out of it, what if I cause a scene in front of my co-workers, etc. And since I was flying cross-country, there was a bit of added trepidation.
But I remembered how the SOAR downloads enabled me to travel to India and Europe, and felt good that I was armed and ready for this next round of air travel. I took Capt. Tom's advice to review the segments on the psychology of flight anxiety, and ran through the strengthening exercises much in the same way one would review a book on a foreign language just to re-familiarize one's self with it. This I did in during week before the flight. And I had an added extra bonus: I used images and photos of my newborn daughter to put some added "oomph" into my exercises for high anxiety and panic. Bliss.
On the day of the flight, I awoke to find myself with no anticipatory anxiety. None at all. Whereas in the past, I would start worrying at least five days before a flight. This worried me somewhat, but in thinking about it, I hit upon a realization I'd like to share with you all: anxiety about flying, before SOAR, was the only mindset I knew. After SOAR, everything changes. But since flying fear has been with me all my life, its disappearance triggers a confusing new paradigm. You feel a sense of loss with the exit of anxiety. But I turned the situation on its head: why would I want a friend (that is, anxiety) like that--a bothersome, annoying friend--to stick around. And so with this reasoning I finally said sayonara to anticipatory anxiety.
Back to the flights. My trip to Portland would be in two parts, with a stop in Chicago. I arrived at an empty DCA (it was Inauguration Day) and had ample time to look over the Airbus A320 sitting outside the window. And once I boarded and buckled in, let me tell you, folks, everything was copacetic. Not one iota of fear. We took off and fairly zoomed into the sky on a clear morning, and once we hit cruising altitude (flight level 380, which would have made me a nervous wreck pre-SOAR) I pulled out my journal, put some jazz on the iPod, and started scribbling away. I had the row to myself and was able to stretch out. It was the best 90 minutes of free time I've ever spent.
Got to ORD and found that there was a plane change--downgrade to an A319. Again, would have sent me all atwitter before SOAR, but I took the info in stride. Took my seat, we took off and ... nothing. I was completely relaxed. Back to writing in my journal. More jazz on the iPod. The flight attendant challenged me to finish the crossword in Hemispheres magazine (which I aced, to her surprise). Maybe a twinge of nerves here and there, but the SOAR training helped me to swat it away with a reminder: you own this one, baby. And as we flew over the snow-covered landscape at flight level 380, an amazing sight came into view: there, standing majestically below, were Mt. Rainier, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Adams, and Mt. St. Helens. Sights I never thought I'd see, and sights that, because of SOAR, I was enjoying immensely.
I had four days of non-stop meetings before the return flights, and only had the opportunity to do the strengthening exercises twice. I was tired, and perhaps a little anxious about getting back across the country to be reunited with my family. As such, I felt a bit squirrelly during takeoff from PDX in our B757. But at no time did my nerves get out of control. This is an important point: SOAR prevents the nervous thoughts from turning into all-out panic. I maintained control. Soon, I had my journal back out to record my observations of the meeting and my brief sightseeing in Portland. The UAL pilot on the flight was great. He updated us regularly on our progress, assured us we'd get to our destination quickly because of strong tailwinds, and overall had a very reassuring demeanor. I was completely relaxed halfway through the flight, sipping ginger ale, writing, and then watching a a bit of Indiana Jones on my DVD player. I opened the window covers to look out at the snowscape from flight level 390 and felt great. On final approach to ORD, we flew right over the Sears Tower -- now that was a sight to see.
Ditto for the ORD-IAD leg. Our B767 had some mechanical problems which caused a 90-minute delay, and things got so out of hand that the flight attendants (God bless 'em) were serving beer and hard liquor free of charge. In the past, the mechanical problem element would have had me fit to be tied, but I merely shrugged it off with a thought: if it was anything that threatened the safety of the plane, the captain would refuse to fly. The passengers on our nearly empty plane were in a great mood by the time we took off; again, since I was so tired I felt a little twinge, but nothing I couldn't handle. I had the routine down pat: writing, music, various and sundry other distractions. It felt great to be on such a big plane for such a short flight. and by the time I opened the first of a pile of magazines I had brought in my carry-on, we were making our descent.
Folks, I've said it here before, and I'll say it again: SOAR works. Trust me on this. I had four great flights. I didn't freak out. It wasn't like before. I WILL fly again and enjoy it -- if only to see those mountains again. The nervous twinges mentioned above were attributable more to being over-tired than anything else, but before my next flight I'll "code" them into my exercises. Remember, though, that the extent to which SOAR will help you depends upon your willingness to be helped.
Just a few tips before concluding: bring your own entertainment. Magazines, DVD, music ... whatever. Don't rely on the airlines, and err on the side of caution on what to bring, because, as the nuns said back in grade school, an idle mind is the devil's workshop. Secondly, writing is the most cathartic exercise to ward off any twinges during the flight. Pick up a journal at your local bookstore and bring it aboard ... even if you write "all work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy" for the duration of the flight, believe me, you'll feel better. Finally, invest in a pair of Bose sound-canceling headphones, because the 757 and 767 cabins can be noisy.
Signing off ... I hope this helps to anyone nervous about flying. Good luck and good flying!
-- Craig
Just wanted to give a report on a recent business trip I took to Portland, OR. To anxious flyers, of course, business travel dredges up nervous feelings of being on a "forced march," e.g. I can't get out of it, what if I cause a scene in front of my co-workers, etc. And since I was flying cross-country, there was a bit of added trepidation.
But I remembered how the SOAR downloads enabled me to travel to India and Europe, and felt good that I was armed and ready for this next round of air travel. I took Capt. Tom's advice to review the segments on the psychology of flight anxiety, and ran through the strengthening exercises much in the same way one would review a book on a foreign language just to re-familiarize one's self with it. This I did in during week before the flight. And I had an added extra bonus: I used images and photos of my newborn daughter to put some added "oomph" into my exercises for high anxiety and panic. Bliss.
On the day of the flight, I awoke to find myself with no anticipatory anxiety. None at all. Whereas in the past, I would start worrying at least five days before a flight. This worried me somewhat, but in thinking about it, I hit upon a realization I'd like to share with you all: anxiety about flying, before SOAR, was the only mindset I knew. After SOAR, everything changes. But since flying fear has been with me all my life, its disappearance triggers a confusing new paradigm. You feel a sense of loss with the exit of anxiety. But I turned the situation on its head: why would I want a friend (that is, anxiety) like that--a bothersome, annoying friend--to stick around. And so with this reasoning I finally said sayonara to anticipatory anxiety.
Back to the flights. My trip to Portland would be in two parts, with a stop in Chicago. I arrived at an empty DCA (it was Inauguration Day) and had ample time to look over the Airbus A320 sitting outside the window. And once I boarded and buckled in, let me tell you, folks, everything was copacetic. Not one iota of fear. We took off and fairly zoomed into the sky on a clear morning, and once we hit cruising altitude (flight level 380, which would have made me a nervous wreck pre-SOAR) I pulled out my journal, put some jazz on the iPod, and started scribbling away. I had the row to myself and was able to stretch out. It was the best 90 minutes of free time I've ever spent.
Got to ORD and found that there was a plane change--downgrade to an A319. Again, would have sent me all atwitter before SOAR, but I took the info in stride. Took my seat, we took off and ... nothing. I was completely relaxed. Back to writing in my journal. More jazz on the iPod. The flight attendant challenged me to finish the crossword in Hemispheres magazine (which I aced, to her surprise). Maybe a twinge of nerves here and there, but the SOAR training helped me to swat it away with a reminder: you own this one, baby. And as we flew over the snow-covered landscape at flight level 380, an amazing sight came into view: there, standing majestically below, were Mt. Rainier, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Adams, and Mt. St. Helens. Sights I never thought I'd see, and sights that, because of SOAR, I was enjoying immensely.
I had four days of non-stop meetings before the return flights, and only had the opportunity to do the strengthening exercises twice. I was tired, and perhaps a little anxious about getting back across the country to be reunited with my family. As such, I felt a bit squirrelly during takeoff from PDX in our B757. But at no time did my nerves get out of control. This is an important point: SOAR prevents the nervous thoughts from turning into all-out panic. I maintained control. Soon, I had my journal back out to record my observations of the meeting and my brief sightseeing in Portland. The UAL pilot on the flight was great. He updated us regularly on our progress, assured us we'd get to our destination quickly because of strong tailwinds, and overall had a very reassuring demeanor. I was completely relaxed halfway through the flight, sipping ginger ale, writing, and then watching a a bit of Indiana Jones on my DVD player. I opened the window covers to look out at the snowscape from flight level 390 and felt great. On final approach to ORD, we flew right over the Sears Tower -- now that was a sight to see.
Ditto for the ORD-IAD leg. Our B767 had some mechanical problems which caused a 90-minute delay, and things got so out of hand that the flight attendants (God bless 'em) were serving beer and hard liquor free of charge. In the past, the mechanical problem element would have had me fit to be tied, but I merely shrugged it off with a thought: if it was anything that threatened the safety of the plane, the captain would refuse to fly. The passengers on our nearly empty plane were in a great mood by the time we took off; again, since I was so tired I felt a little twinge, but nothing I couldn't handle. I had the routine down pat: writing, music, various and sundry other distractions. It felt great to be on such a big plane for such a short flight. and by the time I opened the first of a pile of magazines I had brought in my carry-on, we were making our descent.
Folks, I've said it here before, and I'll say it again: SOAR works. Trust me on this. I had four great flights. I didn't freak out. It wasn't like before. I WILL fly again and enjoy it -- if only to see those mountains again. The nervous twinges mentioned above were attributable more to being over-tired than anything else, but before my next flight I'll "code" them into my exercises. Remember, though, that the extent to which SOAR will help you depends upon your willingness to be helped.
Just a few tips before concluding: bring your own entertainment. Magazines, DVD, music ... whatever. Don't rely on the airlines, and err on the side of caution on what to bring, because, as the nuns said back in grade school, an idle mind is the devil's workshop. Secondly, writing is the most cathartic exercise to ward off any twinges during the flight. Pick up a journal at your local bookstore and bring it aboard ... even if you write "all work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy" for the duration of the flight, believe me, you'll feel better. Finally, invest in a pair of Bose sound-canceling headphones, because the 757 and 767 cabins can be noisy.
Signing off ... I hope this helps to anyone nervous about flying. Good luck and good flying!
-- Craig
