Leaving in 1,5 weeks... nervous!

[Gwaihir]

After a few crazy weeks of constant planning, I´m more or less set... not 100% prepared, but as prepared as I can be.

I´m looking forward to it, but the nerves are more intense. Leaving home for 4 months to travel across 4 countries... *scary*
How did you deal with the nervous jitters?

Specially interested in the multi-month experiences...

Cheers,
Gwaihir

 

[LesR]

My two bobs' worth...

Do your homework on training, equipmetn and accommodation options before you leave home... (there is stil time)

Abandon yourself to the Camino..

Take it one day at a time...

Enjoy each day as it unfolds and let tomorrow take care of itself ...

 

[Deleted member 3000]

How did you deal with the nervous jitters?

Taking the first step is the best cure. Until then, identify the cause of your nervousness, and mentally determine what you would do if your worst worry comes to reality. You will find that you have an answer to all your worries. Buen camino.

 

[Gwaihir]

Thanks LesR!

I have a plethora of addresses and accomodation phone numbers, so I think I´m good in that department.
Falcon: good advice!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

All your troubles should melt away after your first day!

 

[freescot]

I always find that I start having reasons for postponing or not starting. Always. They become more persuasive the closer my starting date is. In the end I just go. Yes the others are right: a few steps on the Camino and you know that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
Buen Camino.

 

[David]

Nervousness is totally normal .. you may even get to "why am I doing this?" in a silent howl ... this too is normal.

Your frontal chattering mind wants and needs certainty (will try and make you make lots of plans and timetables - ignore that) but you are going into what is more or less the unknown so there is no certainty so there is nervousness - is cool, is normal. As said above, will disappear once you get walking.

Best thing you can do, with such an open timetable, is to wing it - don't plan it, just walk, stop, walk (see where this is going?) - chat to people.
If you do find yourself a little lonely it is because you are focussing on yourself and the cure for that is to help others, see to the needs of others, then you will unexpectedly find that your needs will also be satisfied - and you will have a wonderful time too!!

Enjoy - Buen Camino!!

 

[Michael-FL]

After a few crazy weeks of constant planning, I´m more or less set... not 100% prepared, but as prepared as I can be.

I´m looking forward to it, but the nerves are more intense. Leaving home for 4 months to travel across 4 countries... *scary*
How did you deal with the nervous jitters?

Specially interested in the multi-month experiences...

Cheers,
Gwaihir

Gwaihir, Sounds like you’ve done your homework and now you’re possibly “what if-ing” yourself. Sounds familiar. Perhaps it’s the initial performance anxiety many of us get, which spurs us onward. As long as you’ve done the grunt work and planned your contingencies, got you contact list and packed/repacked and thrown out unnecessary stuff, you’re ready, man, and all I can say is take the first step and enjoy. Let the Spirit guide you. Buen Camino!

 

[Telboyo]

Don't panic you are 2/3 of the way there already. You need 3 things to do a Camino, a bed, food and a yellow arrow. I am sure you are familiar with the first 2, so go to your start point eat some food and go to bed. When you wake in the morning all you have to do is look for a yellow arrow and follow it until you get to the next one. When you are tired look for an arrow with word Albergue. Eat and sleep. Repeat until you get to where you are going.

 

[Gwaihir]

I always find that I start having reasons for postponing or not starting. Always. They become more persuasive the closer my starting date is. In the end I just go.

I will sublet my apartment, so no choice there

Nervousness is totally normal .. you may even get to "why am I doing this?" in a silent howl ... this too is normal.

I´m in the stage between "why am I doing this" and "holy cow this is awesome". Thanks for the helpful thoughts!

Gwaihir, Sounds like you’ve done your homework and now you’re possibly “what if-ing” yourself.

I´m a huge control freak. Which is part of the reason I´m walking the camino, haha... to maybe not want to control everything. Which is what scares me.

 

[nycwalking]

Letting go and letting the Universe control is step one.

Vaya con Dios.

 

[carryoncouple]

One way to calm the nerves: Just do it! Works every time!

 

[FourSeasons]

After a few crazy weeks of constant planning, I´m more or less set... not 100% prepared, but as prepared as I can be.

I´m looking forward to it, but the nerves are more intense. Leaving home for 4 months to travel across 4 countries... *scary*
How did you deal with the nervous jitters?

Specially interested in the multi-month experiences...

Cheers,
Gwaihir

I feel your nerves and anxiety, I am just two weeks out myself. However, I am still packing and repacking as I am going from a 38L to a 26L. I've done some training hikes and will be able to get a few more in as we are heading into a cool down, this will help me with last minute nerves, I hope. This will be my third Camino and the nerves are just like the first but more then my second. I hate to tell you but first steps on the Camino are the only cure.

Wow! Four Countries, I wish you a very Buen Camino.

 

[David Tallan]

After a few crazy weeks of constant planning, I´m more or less set... not 100% prepared, but as prepared as I can be.

I´m looking forward to it, but the nerves are more intense. Leaving home for 4 months to travel across 4 countries... *scary*
How did you deal with the nervous jitters?

Specially interested in the multi-month experiences...

Cheers,
Gwaihir

No one is ever 100% prepared.

The way I deal with the nervous jitters is to put one foot in front of the other. For a task of its magnitude, the Camino is actually fairly simple. That is one of the attractions. There aren't huge demands on you. You just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other until you get from one place to the next and then, the next day, do it again. Or the day after the next, if you are pausing for a rest day. Repeat until you have arrived at your destination.

That's not so hard, is it?

 

[lt56ny]

As I have said many times everybody is nervous a little even after a bunch of
caminos. Remember you’re one of the luckiest people in the world because you’re getting to walk. Take your first step and it’ll all start to fade away. TRANQUILO AMIGO!!!

 

[Sho]

Buen camino! I'm in transit to take trains around Europe for a couple of weeks, then walking the Frances. My pack is still heavier than I'd like. I'm starting to list what I can send home or donate. I try to treat this as an interesting challenge. After reading, listening to pilgrims, testing equipment, and walking, when I'm nervous I ask, "Is there anything I can't replace or take care of, if necessary, with only a passport and some money?" So far, these have been sufficient in previous travel emergencies. That's reassuring and relaxing.

All the best!

 

[LesR]

I´m a huge control freak.

Maybe this is the problem...

Walking the Camino often means giving up a degree of control over your day - all the planning and strategizing can come undone simply because you see something interesting and want to know/see more, or fall into a conversation with an interesting person and decide to walk with them instead of your planned distance...

My experience in two Caminos is that the most memorable experiences were the unscripted ones...

Relax, go with the flow, and abandon yourself to the Camino.

 

[domigee]

After a few crazy weeks of constant planning, I´m more or less set... not 100% prepared, but as prepared as I can be.

I´m looking forward to it, but the nerves are more intense. Leaving home for 4 months to travel across 4 countries... *scary*
How did you deal with the nervous jitters?

Specially interested in the multi-month experiences...

Cheers,
Gwaihir

My longest walk was six months. I prepared the best I could ie by trying to walk long distances in my training and booking the first week or so (it was in France so needed booking ahead).
I was nervous before starting, of course, very much so, I don’t think there’s anything you can do about this, it is in human nature! Once you’re on the way, everything changes.... You live from day to day.
Don’t worry about worrying You’ll be fine, it’ll be a tremendous experience that’ll stay with you for years and years, maybe for ever .
And if it isn’t, just use plan B (in my case it was calling it a day and going back home or you could just play the tourist for a while?)
The world is your oyster, you can do this or just put it back a while if things go wrong. What’s to lose?
Buen Camino

 

[domigee]

I´m a huge control freak. Which is part of the reason I´m walking the camino, haha... to maybe not want to control everything. Which is what scares me.

Ah, I’d missed that bit!
Don’t know what to say as no.... you won’t be in control....
But you can control the way you feel about it? One step at a time, a day at a time....
You’ll be fine

 

[Roland49]

11 days to wait until my Camino and I am not nervous nor anxious in anyway.

I did a lot of traveling the last 10 years and one thing I've learned: everything will be ok, if you take the first step, leaving your home

There are no problems that can't be solved!

Buen Camino!
Roland

 

[Viv28ny]

11 days to wait until my Camino and I am not nervous nor anxious in anyway.

I did a lot of traveling the last 10 years and one thing I've learned: everything will be ok, if you take the first step, leaving your home

There are no problems that can't be solved!

Buen Camino!
Roland

Hi m a I'm leaving in a week and a half as well and feeling nervous about what I need or dont need. I was given last minute approval for 5 weeks vacation so here we go! I woke up today with saying maybe I should postpone, delay, etc. Some people are great planners and I'm not necessarily when it comes to booking accommodations and stuff like that. But guess the Camino will teach me a thing or two.

Buen Camino!

 

[Aidan21]

I´m a huge control freak. Which is part of the reason I´m walking the camino, haha... to maybe not want to control everything. Which is what scares me.

Yeah we all like to Control things. I sure did especially when I was younger. But there is no point getting older if you cannot get a little wiser along the way. One of the things I have learned is that we are not really in control of anything, except perhaps our initial reaction to the events that we are caught up in. I still have to tell myself this from time to time, but the older I get the more true it feels. So I suggest you cut yourself some slack and just forget all about trying to control anything (at least fro the time you are on the Camino). Just let things happen and react appropriately. See how you feel. Maybe a life lesson for you along the way.

Buen Camino
Aidan

 

[Roland49]

Some people are great planners and I'm not necessarily when it comes to booking accommodations and stuff like that. But guess the Camino will teach me a thing or two.

I am, in fact, a good planner, also. Not a control-freak, but a good plannner.

Why book ahead? The only thing booked by me so far is the air-transport from Germany to Biarritz via Paris.
All other decisions to be made will be intuitive and on spot. Let you get the flow of the Camino francès and you can live on a day by day basis. No need to worry. Northern Spain is Europe, not the central amazonian jungle.

Prepare a bit, get used to your shoes and your pack. And then: enjoy!
I am 3 days ahead of you.

Buen Camino!
Roland

 

[domigee]

Why book ahead? The only thing booked by me so far is the air-transport from Germany to Biarritz via Paris.
All other decisions to be made will be intuitive and on spot. Let you get the flow of the Camino francès and you can live on a day by day basis. No need to worry. Northern Spain is Europe, not the central amazonian jungle.

Unless I’m mistaken, the OP is travelling from the Netherlands to Santiago.
In France there are plenty of places where you should phone ahead, if only so they know to expect you and prepare a meal....

 

[Derrybiketours]

Specially interested in the multi-month experiences...

I set off in September last year and when I got to Finisterre I was a better version of myself. I returned home eventually after 5 months via walking Portuguese and another Camino in Brazil. My pack 22 litre and weighed 6kg and the contents was everything that I ever needed. The route was from SJ and because it's a well trodden trail with plenty of advice and support in this forum I wasn't nervous as insight was foresight. I'm currently planning returning to Santiago in September but this time from home in Northern Ireland. I wonder if your nerves relate to the journey from Netherlands to the beginning of the Camino network as there is less support or others who have walked from home. I'm planning to walk from Cape to Cape in my own country and the bit that I'm more apprehensive about is from Northern Francè to St.Jean. This is the part of the journey that is unknown because It's less familiar territory but the Camino has taught me and as you may have or will discover that the journey has already begun and all your feelings are simply false experiences appearing real. It sounds like your ready so embrace those nerve's and walk with purpose, share your story with others and give out love on your way, in its many forms and believe me, saviour every minute because before you know it the months will pass so quickly and you won't have time to worry. Strive to be happy

 

[Roland49]

Unless I’m mistaken, the OP is travelling from the Netherlands to Santiago.
In France there are plenty of places where you should phone ahead, if only so they know to expect you and prepare a meal....

That answer was not for the OP. Sorry.

Buen Camino!
Roland

 

[Gwaihir]

Gracias peregrinos!

I´m not so nervous anymore.

I was under the pressure of working while at the same time preparing my camino, and I guess it was just too much at the same time, was adding stress. I have time now to calm down & take it all in, which is really helping.

Maybe this is the problem...

I don´t think it´s a ´problem´ so much as it is a part of who I used to be, and walking the camino is recognizing that I can be different. Why else would I leave comfort and safety?