by Leigh Goessl

Created on: February 23, 2008   Last Updated: March 22, 2009

Vacation is one of those activities you typically look forward to. Haven't there been times you've waited all year long with baited breath for your vacation? If you are like most people, you anxiously anticipate the day you can hit the road, leave all your cares behind and enjoy a nice vacation.

As the big departure day gets closer, instead of getting excited, have you ever found yourself stressed out instead? If so, you aren't alone. Traveling can be a very stressful event with all that is often involved with planning and packing up.

If you've run into previous difficulties either before or during your trip and the stress ended up dominating your vacation, you may be wondering how you can avoid this unwelcome stress.

The answer is humor!

No matter how much planning you've done and how "ready" you are to embark upon your trip, a good way to reduce any anxiety is to anticipate something will inevitably go wrong at some point.

The mishap or problem may be minor or significant, but chances are, something will happen. When it does, if you can manage to smile, laugh and take heart that whatever has gone wrong will pass, this will help get you through the rough moments.

Keep your chin up and focus on the journey, not the destination and the mishap will feel easier to bear.

Car Trips

When I was in my early twenties, my boyfriend, my two younger brothers and I drove from New York to Wisconsin for a wedding. What an adventure. It started off full of excitement, but quickly went downhill from there. My brothers spent the hours bickering and poking at each other in the back seat.

The stress in driving with all of the fighting drove us to the point of taking out a roll of masking tape. Why was this done? To tape a line down the middle of the seat of course!

After a few threats of whoever crossed the line would end walking home via I-80, the bickering stopped and everyone burst out laughing. The reactions we all had towards one another ended up being quite funny because once we realized the ridiculous things that were said and done, all involved realized how ridiculous the issues being fought over actually were. Masking tape? What was I thinking!

Once Chicago loomed on the horizon, the trip improved and the made the wedding on time despite everyone wanting to throttle one another. The trip back was interesting because about three hours into the ride, we stopped at a rural country store for drinks. I opened my juice bottle, heard the pop, and discovered we had a hitchhiker.

Turns out

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