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You are a fearful flyer I was, too. In 2001, I had a flight almost redirected because I was screaming my head off at 30,000 feet. I overcame it, and so will you. The most annoying sentence to hear when you're afraid of flying is that "statistically, it is the safest way to travel." This book won't tell you that. Instead, it will give you 30 practical tips to lower your fear before, during and after your flight. It will also suggest witty answers to the "very helpful people" who tell you not to be afraid. What this book won't do - Provide you with illuminating and very original knowledge such as "Statistically, you're more likely to be killed driving your car to the airport" - Attempt to reassure you with nonsense like "oh, if you die in a plane crash, you don't have time to feel a thing!" - Figure out which of your mother dropping you from your crib, or your terrifying swimming teacher forcing you to dive from a 10-meter platform is responsible for you not being able to step on a plane. You'll have to figure that one out on your own. - Give you a free pass to consume large amount of alcohol the night before your flight. Good try, though. What this book WILL do - Suggest 30 tips and many more small tricks to lower your fear before, during and after your flight. And maybe even get a hug from the Captain at the end of the flight. - Share real stories and real advice from people who went through it before you. - Propose witty answers to the eggheads who tell you that flying is safe. - If all fails, give you at least a laugh, and awesome origami patterns to try out at the airport (see at the end of the book!) How do I buy it? The book is available as an e-book on Amazon, Lulu, iTunes or your usual favorite e-book seller. If you can't find it, contact me and I'll fix that.
Citation preview
ISTHISYOU
ON A PLANE?
3 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR TRIP, YOU'RE ALREADY LOOSING SLEEP, WEIGHT (for the lucky ones), YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR AND POTENTIALLY YOUR WIFE, DUE TO YOUR CONSTANT WORRYING.
FOR YOU, PLANES ARE SCARIER THAN A HOODED MAN DRAWING A KNIFE IN A DARK ALLEY, OR WALKING IN FRONT OF A TRUCK GOING AT FULL SPEED.
BUT THE SCARIEST THING
ON EARTH REMAINS BEING
IN A PLANE, WAITING TO
TAKE OFF.
CONGRATULATIONS!YOU ARE AEROPHOBIC.
BUT DON'T DESPAIR, THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO
CURE YOUR PROBLEM.
30 THINGS, ACTUALLY.
8 BEFORE YOUR FLIGHT
14 THE DAY BEFORE AND DURING YOUR FLIGHT
8 AFTER YOUR FLIGHT
HERE'S A PREVIEW...
BEFOREYOUR TRIP
TIP #2: COME OUT OF THE CLOSET
TELL STRATEGIC PEOPLE ABOUT YOUR ISSUE: Your family, the people flying with you, a few good friends, the person who books your company flights...
ASK FOR THEIR HELP: to support you, to participate in your recovery, to watch over your kids when you're preparing, to be patient, to cover your rear at work...
TIP #3: PROTECT YOURSELF FROM PLANE NEWS
PLANE CRASHES ARE LIKE SHARK ATTACKS: RARE, BUT OVER-COVERED IN THE MEDIA AND LITERATURE.
Because they catch your attention and help sell more papers / movie tickets / books.
Avoid watching movies depicting crashes or reading about creashes on the Internet. Ask people around you to filter the news.
TIP #4: DEFUSE YOUR TRIGGERS
1. WRITE DOWN WHAT SCARES YOU ABOUT FLYING, from what scares you just a little (seeing a plane in the sky, picking up someone at the airport...) to what sends you hide under your bed (having to take a plane tomorrow, waiting for it to take off...)
TIP #4: DEFUSE YOUR TRIGGERS
2. “EXPOSE” YOURSELF GRADUALLY TO WHAT SCARES YOU. Learn to breathe to prevent panic attacks (breathing techniques described on page 27 and on page 62), then put yourself in the situation that scares you the least. Rate you fear on a 0-10 scale, every minute. Once your fear has decreased by half, stop. Repeat three times before moving on to the item that's next up on your fear list.
TIP #9: RECLAIM YOUR “NIGHT BEFORE THE FLIGHT”
DOES YOUR NIGHT BEFORE A FLIGHT LOOK LIKE THAT?
Learn how to pack, how to eat, what to tell your loved ones, and what activities to do so that you don't end up living the most traumatizing night (or don't wake up with the biggest hungover) of your life.
TIP #9: RECLAIM YOUR “NIGHT BEFORE THE FLIGHT”
Things like AVOIDING CAFFEINE at all cost...
… or GIVING YOURSELF PRIORITY over anyone else's desires or packing issues (so you don't turn into the Hulk and start yelling at everyone before crying uncontrollably).
THE DAY OFYOUR FLIGHT
TIP #11: WAIT, BREATH, FOCUS
Three tips in one.
#3: FOCUS TO THE POINT OF OBSESSION.On anything you want BUT the plane. Do you like sudoku, crossword puzzles or World of Warcraft? Are you able to immerse yourself totally in a crime novel or a car magazine? Pick an activity that can occupy your mind fully, bring it to the airport, and indulge in it every time you have a minute to yourself.- Make sure your tools will pass security.- No electronic gadgets, as they have to be turned off at take off.
THE TRICK IS NOT TO GIVE YOUR MIND A CHANCE TO COME UP WITH SCARY OR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS. EVER.
TIP #17: WHILE WAITING TO EMBARK...
One of the tips in this section is NOT TO LOOK AT YOUR PLANE.
The only people usually glued to the boarding gate's windows are kids and fearful flyers. You can tellthem apart by the look on their face – the former being excited and the latter about to pass out. Kids are also usually smaller in size.
Unless you're a plane mechanic yourself, looking at your plane won't give you a clue whether something's wrong or not. If you're a fearful plane mechanic, you might see things that don't exist. So just don't look.
TIP #18: INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO THE CREW
• They'll note where you're sitting and pass the word to the attendant closest to you.
• They might give you a better seat, where less turbulence is felt, or where you're more accessible to them.
• They'll check on you discreetly throughout the flight. More opportunities to ask for snacks!
• They'll answer your questions about the plane, the noises, the smells, the pilots, and why this wing is on fire.
• They may arrange for you to meet the pilot or co-pilot, depending on the airline.
• They'll give you a lollipop at the end, like at the dentist. That part's not true, but I keep hoping.
AFTERYOUR TRIP
TIP #23: RIDE YOUR HIGH
GOOD JOB!! YOU DID IT!
Before you CELEBRATE PROPERLY (whatever “properly” means to you – but don't do drugs, kids, drugs are bad!):
WRITE A LIST OF WHAT WENT WELL, WHAT YOU'RE PROUD OF, WHAT YOU'VE LEARN IN THE PLANE.
It'll come in handy later.
TIP #25: WE HOPE YOU'LL FLY AGAIN WITH US SOON
One of the keys to long-term healing is to repeat the experience.
So go on, make the airline happy and FLY AGAIN SOON.
You can't afford it? You don't have time? You've got responsibilities? You live too far from the airport?
The Excuse Buster® will sort this out for you. And if it's not in the book, email your excuse at
[email protected]. I'll bust it for you.
TIP #27: LOSING FEAR IS LIKE LOSING WEIGHT
IT TAKES TIME AND EFFORT.
Be patient and stick with it.One day, you'll stop eating chips and chocolate all day losing sleep over your next flight.
All those tips will become habits (like going to the gym, I'm told. I'm not quite there yet.)
GOOD LUCK!
DON'T TELL ME FLYING IS THE SAFEST WAY TO TRAVEL!
By Véronique Meunier, illustrated by Spencer Hill
Available on Amazon.com, .co.uk, .fr, .de, .it
Soon on iBookstore, Nook, and all ebook retailers.
Paperback copies available October 16, 2012.
© Copyrights Veronique Meunier and Spencer Hill, 2012.
www.flyingfear-thebook.com
Véronique Meunier wrote her first novel when she was 13 years old. It was called A Tout Jamais and told the terrible story of two junior-high lovers who keep being drawn apart by their parents and teachers. At the end, the boy dies (pushed through the high school window by the local bully! Rough!) and the girl decides not to take her own life – but rather to live happily ever after. Smart gal (not like that Juliet lady in Shakespeare's old tale).
Since then, Véro has written many short stories and has translated books by published authors. Don't Tell Me... is her first self-published work.
When she's not writing, Véro likes walking, eating chocolate, speaking about chocolate and dreaming about chocolate. She does not like running out of chocolate, incessant rain, and people who says “I can't” or “It's not my fault.”
www.flyingfear-thebook.com
Spencer Hill didn’t discover his crayons until he was into his third decade, but has been an avid scribbler ever since.
Amongst his varied cartooning jobs, Spencer has illustrated Need to Know Cartooning for Harper Collins, spent 18 months drawing the weekly cartoon strip for Fone! Magazine and drew a caricature for the comedian Daniel Sloss.
In addition to cartoons in any form, Spencer likes drumming, the challenge of people without a sense of humour*, the smell of freshly brewed tea and reading a good book at the waterside. Spencer does not like stepping on snails, people who spit in the street, the news in any form and flies (the type with wings not the ones which hold up your trousers).
You can see more of Spencer’s work at www.spencerhill.co.uk or www.cartoonstock.com
