ArcaMax

Dear Annie: I travel fairly often from Miami to Europe and California, and lately I've been thinking I need to change the way I do it. I'm at the point where I'd honestly rather take fewer trips and enjoy them more than squeeze myself into economy for hours just to save money.

I'd love to fly business class about five times a year and maybe treat myself to first class once in a while when it really feels worth it. What matters most to me is being able to sleep, arrive rested, have a little flexibility if plans change, and actually enjoy the travel day instead of dreading it.

Some of my trips are planned months ahead, while others are more spontaneous. I'm willing to connect through another city for a much better experience, but I also don't want to make every trip feel like a complicated game of points, routes and upgrades.

If you were giving advice to a friend in my shoes, what would you prioritize? Are there certain airlines, routes or European hubs that are noticeably better for business class? When is first class truly worth the extra money? And how much should lounges, nonstop flights and flexibility factor into the decision?

I'm not trying to travel as cheaply as possible. I just want to travel smarter, more comfortably and in a way that feels worth the money. What would you do? -- Smart Traveler

Dear Smart Traveler: Spend where comfort matters most: lie-flat seats, good schedules and flexibility. Choose nonstop when you can, and save first class for special occasions. The smartest luxury is arriving rested and ready to enjoy the trip.

Dear Annie: I recently lost a significant amount of weight, and while I'm proud of myself, I've noticed that maintaining it has started to take up more mental space than I expected.

At home, I have a routine. I know what I'm eating, I exercise regularly, and I feel in control. But traveling is another story. Vacations used to mean trying wonderful restaurants, having dessert, ordering a glass of wine and enjoying whatever the local specialty happened to be. Now I find myself studying menus, worrying about calories and wondering how much weight I'll gain if I relax for a few days.

I'll be sitting at a beautiful restaurant with people I love, and instead of enjoying the moment, part of my brain is calculating what I ate earlier that day. Sometimes I even turn down foods I really want because I'm afraid one indulgent meal will lead me right back to where I started.

I worked hard to lose the weight and certainly don't want to regain it, but I also don't want maintaining my weight to keep me from enjoying my life. How do I find a healthy balance between taking care of myself and letting myself truly enjoy vacations again? -- Afraid to Let Go

Dear Afraid to Let Go: One of the biggest contributors to weight gain is stress. I say let yourself order dessert or a glass of wine so that you don't feel deprived. Allow yourself to enjoy your new body and continue to speak kindly to yourself. A good life has room for both healthy choices and pleasurable ones in small doses.

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"Out of Bounds: Estrangement, Boundaries and the Search for Forgiveness" is out now! Annie Lane's third anthology is for anyone who has lived with anger, estrangement or the deep ache of being wronged -- because forgiveness isn't for them. It's for you. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Follow Annie Lane on Instagram at @dearannieofficial. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.