🏞️😕🧠Why You Might Feel ‘Off’ While Traveling (And It’s Totally Okay)

Video and transcript below:

Hi there, Mark from Go Travel Mindfully.

If you’ve ever been on a trip—maybe even one you’ve dreamed about for years—and found yourself feeling off, kind of foggy, or anxious, or flat… you’re not broken. You’re not doing it wrong.

In fact, what you’re feeling might make a whole lot of sense.

Sometimes we assume travel should be pure joy—adventure, bliss, freedom. But what many people don’t talk about is that travel—especially mindful, intentional travel—can stir things up. It pulls us out of routine, out of familiarity, out of what our nervous system knows as “safe.” So even if the scenery is beautiful, inside we might feel dysregulated.

I just want to say—that is normal.

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So what’s going on here?

You see, your nervous system has one job: to keep you safe.

The autonomic nervous system—that fight, flight, or freeze response system—operates separately from our central nervous system, which is all about that rational, problem-solving, thinking brain and all of our senses.

That autonomic system has one job: keep us safe. It’s always on the lookout for the next saber-toothed tiger. And it doesn’t just respond to danger—it responds to change.

Yes, change.

This is called neuroception—the unconscious scanning of the environment for cues of safety or threat. So of course, it’s going on all the time, even without us realizing it.

So even though our rational brain says, “I should be happy, I’m on holiday, I’ve waited so long for this, and look at the beautiful scenery,” that autonomic system is still scanning, saying, “Whoa, this is different. This is strange. Is this safe?”

And all of this happens automatically. It’s our survival response.

So when you land in a new city, or a new bed, or a new culture, your body may be going, “Where are we? Is this safe? Should I brace for something?”

Add to that your mind’s brilliant ability to try and solve every possible problem in advance—and it’s no wonder you might feel off-kilter.

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So you’ve got two things happening:

One part of you says:
“Wow, we’re here. We’re on holiday. What a beautiful place. Let’s enjoy it.”

And meanwhile, your nervous system is saying:
“Hold on. Let’s scan for threats. Something could happen.”

It’s not going to happen every time. But if you do feel out of kilter, that is what’s happening. And it’s perfectly normal.

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Now here’s where mindfulness comes in—not as a fix, but as a companion.

Mindfulness helps you notice what’s going on without needing to push it away.

It’s not about: “Oh no, I shouldn’t feel this way. I should be feeling good.” That only adds to your stress.

Instead, it’s about recognizing:
“Okay, I’m feeling off. I’m feeling a bit anxious. That’s okay. It’s just my body doing what it’s designed to do.”

So I’m not going to fight it.
I’m going to say:
“Ah, there’s that tightness in my chest. My mind’s spinning. That’s part of the ride.”

Rather than fight it, we meet it.
We breathe with it.
We walk alongside it.

You’re not weird. You’re not abnormal. You are perfectly normal.

And the more you accept that odd feeling—that moment where you think you should be euphoric—the easier it becomes to manage.

Again, it’s just your beautiful body and mind doing their best to keep you safe.

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Let’s try something simple.

You can do this anywhere, anytime. You don’t even need to feel anxious—just use it as a check-in.

Feel your feet.
Yes, your feet.

Just notice them.
Maybe you’re wearing shoes—feel your feet inside them.
Maybe you’re barefoot—notice the ground beneath you.

Grass? Sand? Carpet?
Just feel your feet.

Now bring all your attention to your feet.
And remember—this isn’t a distraction strategy. This is presence. This is reality.

This moment—right here, right now—is all we ever truly have.

When we connect with the body, like this, we return to that moment.
We get out of the storm of thought and into the simplicity of now.

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Take a slow breath in…

And a slow breath out.
Another breath in…
And out.

That breathing tells your nervous system:
“Right now, we’re okay.”

If you were truly in danger, you’d be breathing fast—getting ready to run.
But slow breathing? That tells your body, “We’re safe. We don’t need to run.”

Place a hand on your heart if that feels okay.
That’s an act of kindness and compassion.

Say to yourself:
“It’s okay to feel off. I’m allowed to have moments like these.”

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Travel opens us up—but that opening can feel raw sometimes.

You’re not doing it wrong if you feel weird, or wobbly, or emotional.

You’re just human—navigating newness with an honest heart.

And that… that’s something to be proud of.

If this message speaks to you, I invite you to subscribe for more mindful travel reflections.
And maybe share this with a fellow traveler who might need this reminder too.

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Let’s revisit that grounding practice one more time:

• Feel your feet. Maybe wriggle your toes.
• Notice how your feet connect to your legs. Feel your body.
• Move your shoulders. Rotate your head. Flap your arms if you need to release tension.

You are in a body. You can move. You can feel. You are here.

A breath in…
A breath out…
Another breath in…
And a breath out…

Now check in with the world around you.

What do you see? What textures? What colors?
Even in a hotel room—look at how the light falls, how it bounces, how it shifts.

This moment—right now—is alive. And that is amazing.

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I hope that helped. Until next time… stay safe.