On the road again
Coping with long roadies away from home
Oh the joys of this hockey life….Road Trips. I know what most of us are thinking when we find out our guys are on the road again and it's not just for one night. We think “ugh this sucks”, “I hate road trips”, “Being alone this long is miserable”, and my favorite “I just want to go home”. I Personally have thought all of these things multiple times and had been draining myself mentally with so much negativity, something had to change. So I figured it was time to find the good in road trips. I focused on what made me feel good, what brought me joy, finding something new, and of course connections. This all came together in what I like to call, The 4 keys to road trips.
KEY 1 EXERCISE:
I have noticed a tremendous difference in not only how my body feels but how my mind feels when I do some type of exercise. When my boyfriend is on the road I always try to make it an absolute requirement to get my butt in the gym. If for some reason that particular day lifting weights isn't for me then I get myself on a bike and get a sweat on. Not only does getting a sweat on do your body good and helps you sleep better at night, but you also crush time working out. Whether it's for 30 minutes or two hours, you just forgot about the time away from your significant other while also doing something good for your body. I also find that going for a walk wherever I might be living has done so many wonderful things for me mentally. You get fresh air, exercise, and again a perfect time crusher. If you hate walking alone, reach out to another girl in your same situation, odds are she wants to get out of the house and her mind off being alone as well.
KEY 2 ENJOYMENT:
I can't stress this one enough, find enjoyment in being by yourself for a few days. Do activities that actually make you feel good, make you happy, and make you want to dance around your place like no one is watching. Because quite literally no one is watching. I have found so much joy in cooking. I always try to make myself something great for dinner or bake that treat that I saved on Pinterest 4 months ago. This IS the moment I start dancing like nobody's watching. Another thing I really enjoy is crushing Netflix. When my boyfriend is on a roadie this is the time I can watch all of those stupid corny shows that boys hate. Make yourself a coffee or pour a glass of wine, cozy up on that couch and binge that show girl! If i'm not cooking or Netflix binging, you can totally find me in a coffee shop. I love doing this when I'm by myself for a few days. One it totally gives me something to look forward to if I'm like “okay Saturday afternoon i'm going to the coffee shop with my book for at least an hour” and I get myself out of the house for a little while, which is a must.
KEY 3 SOMETHING NEW:
Giving yourself a goal, or a plan for when your significant other is on a long roadie and you aren't close to home helps in more ways than you'll realize. So with that being said I love to try something new when my boyfriend is away. This can be anything you want. I like to find a cute new restaurant the girls and I can check out, or actually go to the little boutique I am always driving by for a shopping day. It can even be as simple as starting a new book. These little quests knock off time in a blink of an eye and also makes you happy to know you actually have something to do. So go out there try something new, read that book you've been wanting too, and buy yourself something nice.
KEY 4 CONNECTIONS:
Being alone is hard. Being away from your friends and family is even harder. What has made living away from home and being alone during roadies so much easier for me is Facetime. I will plan out time during my “roadie” time just to call friends and family. I love doing this, it keeps me connected to home life, makes the loneliness disappear, and I can get caught on the phone for hours if I'm chatting with my people. Not only should you stay connected to your friends and family but building connections with the women in your same boat is amazing. I love having “girls nights” when our guys are away. This eases the negativity of road trips and creates amazing friendships with other girls in your same shoes. Have the girls over for a glass of wine, watch the game together as a group, or like a said go on a walk together. Having someone understand the life is one thing, but making a connection because of it is even better.
At the end of the day I know living away from home is hard, and road trips suck. But I also know there is so much to life to make the most of it. Find the positives, do something for yourself, and totally try something new. You will start to appreciate where you are living, and this hockey life so much more.
