I've always loved traveling, discovering new places, new cultures, and soaking in the beautiful landscapes of the world. During my travels, I became aware that I can utilize the power of my mind to bring myself into the right time zone to avoid the "jet lag" that can make your trip less enjoyable.

Over a decade later, and after completing a Self-Hypnosis Teacher Certification training, which allowed me to understand more deeply how the mind works, I realized that I had intuitively been using self-hypnosis techniques for most of my life. And below I will explain how you can do this too.

Once I board an airplane and I'm about to go through different time zones, as soon as I am sitting in my seat, buckled, and about to take off, I change the time on my phone (or any electronic device) and set it to the time zone of the place where the plane is going to be landing. You can also do the same thing if you are wearing a watch.

The first step is actually going to be brainwashing you (in a good way) to get your mind to subconsciously accept the time in the time zone of your destination. During the whole flight, as you are looking at how much time is left on the plane or how long it's been since they've walked down the aisle with the beverage trays, you are training your mind to adapt to the new time zone.

Now, if you're flying on a redeye, you are going to notice when looking at the time that it's already past your bedtime. In this case, it would be best to find a way to close your eyes and rest during that flight. It might not be the most comfortable of the most restorative sleep of your life, but you can actually convince your mind that you can wake up feeling fully rested and rejuvenated - the trick is to actually believe it. 

Think of it this way - how many times have you felt restless in your bed, tossed and turned throughout the night, woken up feeling like you'd only slept an hour, but yet still managed to go on with your day because you had to? During those times, you believed it was possible to get through the day, even without a full night's sleep. The belief is what fueled you to function as if you were fully rested. 

So, in this case, you are going to rest as much as you can, because remember you are already behaving like you are in your next time zone.

The second step can take 5 to 10 minutes in the beginning, but with practice, can be done in just a minute or two. Start by closing your eyes and bringing yourself into a meditative state (meaning that you slow down your brain waves). You can achieve that by taking deep breaths in, slowing your breathing down, grounding yourself, reconnecting to your physical body and bringing yourself back into the present moment. 

With your eyes closed, imagine yourself rising higher and higher in your consciousness to reach your higher self. If you have never done this before, just try to imagine what that would look like. As you do this, you are going to bring all your consciousness up into your higher self and all the parts of you. Imagine that you're picking up all these parts of yourself that you have left in the previous time zone, bringing them up to your higher self and placing them into the new time zone where your physical body is. This exercise is essentially meant to bring all of your consciousness into the new time zone. 

I usually do this while I'm still on the place during the period of time when the place has landed but has yet to reach the gate. However, since most people are anxious to get off the place at that point, I recommend doing it during a more calm time during the flight, such as the 45 minutes or so before landing. You could also do this as you get off the place, but usually I'm rushing around trying to get on with my day, which I would imagine most people are doing at that time as well. 

Although this exercise is quite simple to do, I can understand how it could feel daunting and intimidating for someone who has never done these kind of self hypnosis techniques or meditations before. Take time to master this step because I promise you it will be worth it. 

These techniques have worked wonders for me to avoid "jet lag" when traveling, and also for others with whom I've shared them. I hope that by implementing these techniques you, too, will be able to have a more enjoyable experience while traveling across time zones.

While jet lag can be a challenging aspect of travel, there are simple techniques you can use to help minimize its impact on your well-being. By incorporating visualization techniques to mentally prepare for time zone shifts, and embracing the potential benefits of St John's Wort tea, you can enhance your body's ability to adapt to new environments seamlessly. Above all else, remember to listen to your body! Stay hydrated and prioritize restorative activities whenever you feel the need. Equipped with the right tools and strategies to cope with jet lag, you can optimize your travel experience and arrive at your destination feeling refreshed and ready to explore. Safe travels!  

Your angel of change,

Joliane