A recent article in the Washington Post spoke to the idea of wandering vs. vacation planning. The writer went on to say, he’d been a dedicated vacation planner, to the point he needed a “vacation from his vacation.” Does this resonate with you or do you think NO WAY, I gotta have a plan?
How to Ditch the Itinerary and Discover the City?
The title of the article kinda sums it all up, “How to Ditch the Itinerary and Discover the City?” To this traveler, it was about letting go of “the plan” and embracing the idea of wandering. The author also goes on to state even if you wander you still need a plan? I think a person with a perceiving trait may question this statement, as they love spontaneity. I know, I have a perceiving trait, and even if I do have a plan, I rarely stick to it.
There are also mentions of online searching, Google, and using Instagram. Social media can be a useful travel tool, AFTER, you’ve studied and tapped into your unique travel DNA. I don’t advise using these tools until you understand your innate travel personality functions ⏤ how they play out in the physical world. Without the knowledge of knowing your inner travel guide; your authentic travel self, the result may be vacation stress.
We all Share the Same Personality Functions
If you’ve been keeping up with me here, you’ve heard me say, we all share the same personality functions: eight in all:
- Extroverts and Introverts — How you gain energy. Do you draw energy from the physical world? If so you’re likely to have extrovert functions. Or do you gain energy through deep reflection, quietude, and solitary activities? Is so, this would indicate you’re an introvert?
- Sensors and Intuitives — Information gathering traits.
- Feelers and Thinkers — Decision-making traits.
- Judgers and Perceivers — How you naturally use information and decision-making functions as it relates to the outer world.
What makes us alike, also makes us different. It’s because we’ve experienced the world in a variety of ways; our childhood, peer conditioning, societal traditions, beliefs, and today, pop culture and social media influences.
Two functions that are applicable to the title of this article, judging and perceiving.
Vacation Planning: Judging or Perceiving
Judging and perceiving are two characteristics, of the four primary traits using the Myers-Briggs® Type Indicator in relation to personality typing. They can and may have a significant impact on travel and can create rifts in communication leading to arguments. The differences between:
Judging
In general people with a judgingfunction like to plan their work and work their plan. They order and anticipate what is going on in the outside world. Here are a few more traits related to a judging type:
- Resolved
- Decided
- Fixed
- Control
- Closure
- Planned
- Structured
- Deadline
Pack to the Washington Post article, can you see why a person with a judging trait may read this article and think, wow I’m not like this. Maybe I should be more of a wanderer, so they skip vacation planning, take a quick trip using the idea of wandering. They return home and ask themselves why they had a miserable vacation. It’s not in their travel DNA to wander so, of course, they won’t experience joy-filled getaways.
Perceiving
In general people with perceiving characteristics have a go-with-the-flow orientation, taking things as they come, keeping their options open, and adapting to whatever comes up. Pretty much the exact opposite of a person with a judging trait. Here are a few more characteristics of a perceiver:
- Flexible
- Adaptable
- Openness
- Open-ended
- Flow
- Pending
- Tentative
- Spontaneous
- Deadline, WHAT?
- Wait and see
The Washington Post article is probably most relatable to a person with a perceiving trait, as their natural tendencies are more open to wandering, spontaneity, and traveling without vacation planning.
The Hidden Functions
Are you thinking, the travel writer who wrote the article stated he used to be a big vacation planner, but he’s now advocating for wandering escapes, Nina this doesn’t make sense? Remember, everyone holds all eight traits. Often, the less dominant characteristics are more likely to show themselves when we start aging. It’s this stage of life we begin to question habitual ways of thinking which change how we function. I’m not saying a person with a judging trait is going to do a 360 turn around and become a perceiver. But what can happen is characteristics begin to shift, and we lose a bit of rigidity with our behaviors or beliefs. Note, this doesn’t reflect every human on the planet.
What’s Your Travel Personality
The idea behind What’s Your Travel Personality is too gently nudge the awakening process. Why not open yourself up and learn about your travel personality characteristics before you hit Insta, TripAdvisor, or Google to plan a vacation? What are you travel WHYS? Is it joyful, happy, and soul-feed? If it is, then stay tuned.
Go ahead, travel different, and be transformed by it all!
The intention of this blog is to help you look at travel in a revolutionary new way. Travel for me has always been about changing your life in some small way. It’s about growth, creativity, and the stimulation of new ideas. Or new ways to be in the world. I’ve been given a great gift, the gift of travel personality typing. I can’t wait for you to dive into personality typing. I believe it will revolutionize the way you travel forever.
What’s Your Travel Personality?
If you haven’t had a chance, you may want to listen to my radio interview What’s Your Travel Personality; Let Your Inner Guide Be Your Travel Guide, here’s a direct link to the podcast. The interview aired on Speaking of Travel archived on iHeart Radio with host Marilyn Ball.
Thank you, Marilyn, for believing in me, even when I didn’t
Please visit #WYTP page, which presents the premise of What’s Your Travel Personality: Let Your Inner Guide Be Your Travel Guide. Here you’ll discover the role travel personality typing plays when planning and taking vacations.
Happy Summer Sojourns to all! And if you’re called, sign-up to receive updates, travel tips and insights on What’s Your Travel Personality?
Cover Photo Credit: Pam Patterson Pixabay
