Why we freak out on vacation is not what you think, but I know it’s more than meets the eye. Have you seen it? A person goes a bit berserk on vacation. I have had a few breakdowns, and I think we all have. Traditional thinking on the topic goes something like this: you’re in a new place, not familiar with the surroundings, probably lost, trying novel cuisine … Yeah, that’s somewhat true, but isn’t this why many of us travel, to discover new places, cultures, food, people and more. This old-school logic isn’t holding water in my book. I’m calling #BS on these assumptions. If you didn’t want the stress of discovering something new, you could have stayed home, watched National Geographic, and saved money. I believe it’s all related to personality typing.
What’s Behind the Vacation Freak Out
So many things can contribute to a freakout while on vacation, but I think the number one cause is being out-of-touch with your personality type. You know those four pesky letters related to typology that many know about, but most of us are like, WHAT!
Why we sometimes freak out on vacation often stems from an uneasiness from within. I don’t believe, for a minute, it’s because we’ve lost the joy of experiencing life’s adventures. There’s an unexpressed knowing within us trying to grab our attention. These hidden knowings are often overlooked in our daily routines. It’s much easier to devise a socially accepted excuse: it’s the kids, I’m overworked, I hate my boss, I’m too busy… Yet, our daily routines are left in the dust while on vacation. There’s no place to hide these subconscious knowings. So the freakout shows up to tell us it’s time to rewrite our life stories.
Why Personality Typing on Vacation
Did you know we are all born with a distinct personality type? We, as human beings, tend to rely on what comes most naturally to us as it fills us with confidence and enthusiasm. At the same time, it’s natural, so what happens if we tend to stay on easy street. We’ll ignore the stop signs telling us this isn’t the right path, or we’ve missed the detour, and now we’re really lost. Ignoring our unveiled potential leads us to question ourselves, and for many of us, we become restless and bored – igniting a midlife crisis. “Is this all there is?” “What is my life purpose.” “Why do I keep on making the same mistakes.” Or we ask, “How did I get here, a question I asked myself and was shocked as the answers began to reveal themselves. I knew why I was too overwhelmed to deal with it. 😥
Additionally, our personalities get hijacked by our childhood experiences, life tsunamis, societal and peer pressures, and our country’s culture. Each of these factors plays a vital role in shaping our personality.
Every one of us experiences our personality according to our individual personal reality.
How You Interact & Experience the World
Carl Jung expressed this idea using four psychological functions indicating how we know and how we experience the world around us:
- Sensing
- Intuition
- Feeling
- Thinking
Travelers with well-developed sensing and intuition functions prefer direct experiences; it’s how they perceive the world. Yet, in very different ways. Intuition is related to the nonphysical, the unseen, theoretical, and metaphysics. At the same time, sensing is associated with the physical, the seen, observing, and hands-on experiences, Yet each function helps us gather information. (Understand this is how the letter P – perceiving influences a personality type.)
Another set of travelers will use feeling and thinking our judging function. It’s how we evaluate information, make decisions, and conclude, but a feeling function is vastly different from a thinking function. Did you know 75% of females have a feeling trait? FYI, I’m a female, and I have a thinking function. Please, understand nothing is 100% when it comes to personality typing; we are all different. In brief, thinkers tend to be logical and impersonal. In contrast, feelers observe the feeling of others and their own when making decisions (Understand this is how the letter J – judging influences a personality type.)
Often Misunderstood: Introvert & Extrovert Preferences
People often misunderstand the relationship between introverts and extroverts, as these preferences sit opposite the personality spectrum. The extrovert has an outward energy flow, while the introvert has an inward energy flow. Let’s further define the two. An introvert has more of a relationship with self and the world with depth and intensity. An extrovert has a relationship between the self and the collective outer world. They’ll happily share their time and energies with a broader range of people, places, and activities. On the other hand, introvert welcomes the inner world and connecting with individuals.
How Personality Functions Show Up on Vacation
Personality functions show up loud and clear This brings me back to the premise of this post, personality functions are often the reason behind the freakout. Let’s take a deeper look.
Introvert & Extroverts
- If you’re an introvert, the New Orleans Jazz Festival, which attracts well over 400,000 people, probably won’t be on your bucketlist, yet your extrovert friend or partner will be thrilled to have a ticket for the festival. For you, as an introvert, attending a festival will create anxiety overload. And if you’re an extrovert, a hike deep into the mountains probably won’t be on your bucketlist, yet your introvert travel mate will be thrilled with the serenity, stillness, and shared intimacy with friends or a partner. If you, as an extrovert, attend, I expect a freakout ⏤ it’s inner-world overload!
Intuitive & Sensing
- If you’re an intuitive traveler traveling with a sensing type, rest assured, you’ll be like; I don’t care about the facts, details, or particulars of a situation. And please, when I’m lost in thought, it doesn’t mean I’m ignoring you. It means I’m thinking about the connectivity of it all. Oh yeah, and forget to pack the sunscreen.
Feeling & Thinking
- If you have a feeling function and you’re traveling with a thinking type, you’ll probably feel the sting of the logical reasoning while on vacation. If you’re dying to go to the newly opened restaurant but the line is a mile long, your thinking travel companion will be like – let’s not waste two hours waiting to get seated. Yes, they say this, knowing you had your heart set on dining here. They’re not mean; they’re using a thinking function. Plus, they’re likely to be out of touch with your feelings. This may have to do with an undeveloped or unhealthy thinking trait. Please don’t take it personally, and whatever you do, if you are dead set on going to the restaurant, mount a logical discussion. Well, we won’t be here tomorrow, when do you suggest we go? You know I had my heart set on dining here. Why don’t I stay here and if you prefer, wander around and meet me back in an hour?
Why We Freak Out on Vacation?
Can you see how personality typing can have you freaking out on vacation? There are so many complexities to each personality type. If you consider layers of a personal life experiences and cultural conditioning, making understanding one another all the more difficult.
I half-agree with the idea the unknowns of travel create anxiety. But I genuinely believe these physical symptoms are just the tip of the iceberg. Deep below the surface are oodles of personality potentials screaming to have a say in your big beautiful life.
Why We Freakout on Vacation Is Not What You Think it is?
Are you now a believer? Do you believe why you freak out on vacation could be a result of being out of touch with your personality type? I hope this post brought you clarity on the topic of why we freak out on vacation. Believe me; I know this to be true as I’ve spoken with hundreds upon hundreds of travelers who let me know unhappy they were on holiday.
Let’s Get to Know One Other
I look forward to building a community of women who are looking to rediscover their true selves Truth seekers, if you will, want to grow and learn more about their Divinely Inspired personality type and how it influences you every day; in relationships, parenting, travel fashion, etc The idea is to fully understand your True Self, the self the Divine wants you to be It’s time to enjoy your gifts and genius, and most importantly, to bring your unique messages and mission to the world I’m up for whatever it takes to make this happen.
Join The Movement
Will, you join me on this journey I believe spiritual personality typing is Divinely timed It’s a relevant new tool to assist those who aspire to ascend during the great awakening we are all experiencing So let me ask, are you ready to learn more about who you really are To illuminate your TrueSelf?
Then please subscribe to Nina’s Newsletter You’ll get front-row seats to my upcoming book, my new membership portal, and monthly tips for positive mental health It’s shenanigans on steroids.
xoxo 🙋🏼♀️
It’s time to Unpack Your Personality – Nina Zapala, an Inquisitive traveler, ENTP
Photo: Arches National Park Entrance Station, Moab, United States/Unsplash Dino Reichmuth
