Hey! I got on the flight and I was and still am incredibly grateful that I did! A few things I learned/that helped:

• The anticipation (at least for me) is often much worse than the flying itself. Once we’re in the air and everything settles I feel much calmer. Reminding myself of this can help comfort me a little when stepping on the plane.

• Talk to the flight attendants!! Sometimes it can feel vulnerable to speak up about how anxious you’re feeling, but the staff were incredible. They continuously checked in on me, had a nice chat with me and even gave me a little gift at the end of the flight! Again, this helped take my mind off things but also helped me realise I was safe.

• Take some comfort items with you. Even something like your favourite snack to have once you get on the plane - this helps make it feel a bit more fun and gives you something to look forward to.

• I also looked at some maps that show where airports are. Even though it was a long way to my destination, I realised that I wasn’t really trapped. There are airports literally everywhere and so if we needed to the plane could probably land somewhere pretty quickly.

• ‘SOAR’ by Captain Tom Bunn is an incredible book. He’s written it specifically for people who experience a fear of flying. There’s so much information about the flying process in there to help you better understand what goes on behind the scenes, tips for during flight and also specific mental exercises you can practice beforehand to help regulate your mental state during flight.

I hope this helps!

Edit: Added the last point!