Are you in a travel rut? If you start making plans without thought to your soul-self and you’re using habits of yesteryear, I’d say you’re in a rut. Do you make decisions based more on what you’ve traditionally done in the past? Oh-oh, living on rut lane. 😏 Let me define traditional. I’m referring to; beliefs, societal norms, life stories, aka the unaware habits, the creep into your world unnoticed?
I’m suggesting we break out of these habits and become aware travelers. And no, I don’t mean the new age spirituality that believes that all things must be fabulous; if not, your spiritual practice must be wrong. UGH. Nor am I referring to many who say they’re enlightened; therefore, I’m better than you – OH NO YOU DID’NT.
Well, well, not sure if spirituality works like that, but I don’t want to stray too far off-topic, so back to travel.
Eight Signs Your Physical Traveler Triggers are Being Tripped, Keeping You in a Travel Rut
You’ll know when you’re not a fully awakened traveler because things will piss you off. You’ll get angry or frustrated at another person. Wanna know why? It’s because those acquired beliefs of yours are typically on pause during your daily life, but they’re out in full force when you travel. Travel triggers like:
- OMG, he/she is running from thing to thing, it’s so annoying,
- My spouse is such a control freak; do this, get in this line, did you pack this, hurry up we’re going to be late,
- I create a plan for the entire vacation, and nobody respects me enough to follow along; everyone wants to do their own thing,
- You say you need a few hours of alone time; your partner laughs and says, “come on now we going to miss the opening act,”
- You’ve been patient with your spouse, who thinks sitting by the pool day-in and day-out is a vacation. You, on the other hand, feel stifled, frustrated, and angry.
- For much of the vacation, your travel companion is living in an imaginary world trying to convince you that since we’re in Beverly Hills we’ll see a star. Really? When in reality, you’d rather be walking down the Hollywood Walk of Fame, then sitting in a café looking for a movie star; aka you want what’s real and tangible,
- Your patience is running thin as your partner keeps on taking the emotional pulse of the entire group without making a decision,
- When you feel like you’re being pushed into a situation without all of the information. OR you’re feeling trapped by a rigid schedule.
Eight Signs You’re Breaking Free of the Travel Rut
- You’ll have a better understanding of your travel mate’s — archetype has helped you behave in a manner that is supportive and nurturing, knowing travel companion has different needs and desires,
- You also understand yourself and your behaviors better, and the benefits as well as the challenges you bring to each situation,
- You’ve come to learn that slowing down and letting your past experiences (both good and bad) join you on vacation allowing for personal growth and heart-centered travel,
- Now when you travel, you begin the vacation planning process by tapping into a desired personal change. For example, you have an impulse control habit, so you book Las Vegas, with the idea of leaving behind: the impulse to gamble which, presents more time to enjoy a variety of celebrated Las Vegas shows.
- Opposite beliefs, morals, traditions now intrigue you. You don’t feel you are better than, instead you embrace the differences, knowing that everyone has something to teach you. These lessons aren’t easy, but they can provide valuable personal growth,
- You travel based on individual values and heart-centered beliefs, as opposed to I’m entitled to; run the waiter ragged, leave behind crap for someone else to clean-up, act or behave in a manner you’d never do in your local community. NOT COOL!
- When you do have a travel trigger, you don’t attack the other person, you take responsibility for your role in it all, seeing that a belief, tradition or personal value was at the core of this travel trigger,
- As you observe the surroundings, you vividly see how everything is interconnected. The supply truck that made the AM delivery so the baker could make homemade biscuits, and the tourists who enjoy these freshly made morsels of delight. One can’t happen without the other, and you look upon your vacation in the same way.
Awakened Travelers Typically Travel Happier
Ok, this is conjecture. Still, I can’t wait to start surveying travelers who have adopted the travel happier paradigm to travel ⏤ translation using personality typing based on the dichotomies of travel and personalities – life stories.
When you vacation using travel personalities, you begin with a deeper understanding of you, your travel mates, family, friends, and business associates ⏤ who you travel with. These people are important, and with an understanding of everyone’s travel personalities, it will never matter who you travel with or where you travel because you’ll be centered in your travel truth.
True Story
A friend called me to say, “Nina, I should have taken the travel personality quiz, as you suggested. I’ve spent a few thousand dollars, and I’m in Las Vegas with what I thought was my best friend. Well, she won’t leave the room. She says, why can’t I just be with you and hang out at the hotel.” OMG, how could I’ve not known that she didn’t like to be in the world?” I told her, “Mary, it sounds like your BFF is an introvert while you’re an extrovert. An introvert-extrovert dilemma. I gave her a few tips and wished her the best. She called two days later and said, “Nina, the tips helped a lot, but I won’t be making this mistake again. She is a dear friend. If I had known what I know now, I would have chosen a totally different vacation for us.”
What I Know for Sure
For the past twenty years, I’ve been observing travelers from around the world. I witnessed that while on vacation, we don’t always truly understand our companion’s authentic personality. I’ve also found we rarely recognize what brings genuine happiness, and heart-centered joy to vacations besides passing physical activities.
We are so wrapped up in our busy lives, that when it comes to travel, we rely on what we know; those mundane habits we’ve used to plan vacations, FOREVER. When we depend on habits, instead of looking at vacation planning with fresh eyes, things become dull and routine. Even the most glorious places in the world, yes, they’ll bring ah-ha moments, but those moments don’t linger or bring about positive change. It’s back to the same old you. The person who left home traveled across the world and arrived with a suitcase full of acquired habits. Nothing changed except for the environment; you’re still YOU!
Are You in a Trave Rut?
I want to shake up how we travel, helping us to steer clear of travel ruts. I believe our inner travel guide can lead us to soul-feed, happy travel experiences that provide a raw open vulnerability of the culture, community, and of course, the people we travel with and those we encounter.
What if you travel with your inner spirit fully engaged. Do you believe the joy you’ll feel will surpass what a physical experience may deliver? Let me know what you think.
Always Written With You In Mind
Please know I write for you. One of my dreams is to inspire a new travel paradigm, one that’s central to self discover, healthy for the planet, and purposeful. I’m on a mission to help you understand your unique travel personality, aka your unique travel guide.
A travel guide is informative guidebook that helps you familiarize yourself with a place. Your inner travel guide is also informative but it’s based on your personality. It’s about exploring aspects of your inner self for joy-filled, happier vacations ⏤ no matter where you travel or who you travel with!
– Nina Zapala
Tapping into your yummy travel guide is an ongoing journey. Every time you travel you can focus a little or a lot on revealing aspects of the undiscovered self. If you’re a seeker and on a spiritual path, travel can become a time of great soul awakening. I’ve posted a Thanksgiving article with examples of how your inner travel guide shows up while your away. If your interested click here to read.
Stay Tuned — There’s More
I am now working on a free quiz and developing 16 tiny ebooks. These e-books will take a deep dive into your exclusive inner travel guide. Do you desire a new vacation paradigm to gently transform, awaken, and spark something new in you? Then stay tuned because 16 ebooks are coming, soon.
My radio interview aired on Speaking of Travel part of the iHeart radio network with Marilyn Ball. Give it a listen here.
Do you want to be one of the first travelers to find out more about your unique inner travel guide? Then click here to sign up for new blog posts, a free quiz, and travel tips specific to your travel personality.
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#TravelHappier: Let Your Inner Guide Be Your Travel Guide!
