Spontaneous Trips: Will You Be Happier By Taking Them?
What Type Of Traveller Are You?
Travelling the world is such a thrilling experience, and there’s nothing that brings it altogether like the preparation that ensues beforehand. Planning every aspect of a trip. Creating meticulously detailed itineraries that are carefully illustrated and planned. The act of pre-packing and then repacking weeks in advance to ensure that you haven’t forgotten a single thing, like your favorite pair of sunglasses or those earrings that you can’t live without. Printing out plane, train and automobile tickets and confirmations that you carry confidently in your fanny pack, that are also accessible at a moments notice.
Does that sound like you? If the answer is “yes,” then you definitely fit into the traveller category that is more organized and methodical when it comes to taking vacations. On the other hand, I definitely do not fit into that group. As a matter of fact I’m pretty far from it. Sigh.
The Attention-to-Detail Traveller vs. The Spontaneous Traveller
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being the ATDT (Attention to Detail Traveller) who is determined to plan out every aspect of a vacation from A-Z. Actually I admire those who are so organized and thoughtful in their pursuit of adventures at home and abroad. However, that is just not the reality of my situation almost ever, and I’m here to tell you that acceptance is the second step; I’ve already moved past the first stage of denial so we’re good. Personally, I tend to be more of the “fly by the seat of my pants gal, you know moment to moment” when I’m headed just about anywhere on vacation. Kudos to anyone who caught that Julia Roberts Pretty Woman reference, but I digress.
The more appropriate category that I would place myself into is the ST (Spontaneous Traveller) group. The term spontaneous is defined as “performed or occurring as a result of a sudden inner impulse or inclination and without premeditation or external stimulus; a person who has an open, natural, and uninhibited manner.” Some characteristics of such travellers are deciding on a destination in a short period of time and making plans later. Deviating off the course or getting lost in a new place. They embrace the unknown in the absence of fear or they are great at not allowing any fear that they do have to inhibit them from exploring the unknown. Does that sound like you? Well, sister (and brother) you are not alone out there.
The trips that I spontaneously find myself on are typically planned moment to moment as Julia Robert’s character Vivian in Pretty Woman so openly expressed. In other words, it is highly unlikely that I’ve spent much time thinking about how I’m even going to get to a destination, let alone what my itinerary will be once I arrive. I am the woman that is searching for a hotel via the airplane Wi-fi 2 hours before she lands in Japan. Did I mention that in this scenario the woman has actually never been to Japan or Asia before and doesn’t speak a lick of Japanese? Yep, that’s me and the story of my life because that really did happen. I can literally hear all of my ATDT’s cringing at the mere thought of living this dangerously on the edge and in an unfamiliar country at that. Just breathe, everything’s gonna be alright!
Personality Traits: Why You Travel How You Travel?
In Psychology many researchers have examined personality characteristics, and spontaneity is one of those traits that one innately possesses. For example, the Big Five Inventory (BFI) is a test that measures certain dimensions of the human personality. The factors that it assesses include extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness (John & Srivastava, 1999). The latter for instance, openness evaluates your willingness to try new experiences. Individuals who are on the high end of this spectrum tend to be more adventurous, spontaneous and creative while others on the low end of the spectrum tend to stay within their comfort zone and stick to a set routine or schedule.
Another example to describe the difference in travel groups and styles is the personality characteristic conscientiousness. This describes ones tendency to be organized, responsible, and hard-working; to be goal-directed; and to adhere to norms and rules. People who are highly conscientious are usually very disciplined and organized, while people on the other end of the spectrum are more spontaneous and careless. You can insert ATDT and ST into these descriptions respectively.
The African American Civil War Museum is a must-see when visiting D.C.!
What’s Spontaneity Got to do With It? How Your Ability to Live Freely Impacts Your Overall Happiness
When it comes to spontaneity though, it extends far beyond your travel traits and whether you’re booking a flight months before a trip or the day of; I’m guilty again and quite the repeat offender. Moreover, spontaneity has actually been linked to your overall achievement of happiness (Seltzer, 1986). We all want to be happy, right? If you answered “No” to that question please email me so that I can send help right away.
But if you answered “Yes” as I did too, then you are open to ways that will have you living a more fulfilled joyful life. It seems that happiness experts suggest that in order to achieve this idealistic state, we should practice mindfulness while also “being in the zone” and liberating ourselves from self-consciousness. Beyond the surface of these suggestions to live a happier life is the “notion of living life more spontaneously to foster a greater state of well-being.”
Because I’m Happy: Clap Along If You Feel Like Happiness Is The Truth!
Of course there are many other suggestions on the cultivation of happiness and not just the ones that Pharrell notes in his song of the same title. But for all those who are already living spontaneously, we aren’t just non-committal beings wandering through life, but we’re actually on to something. For those who may desire to evoke more spontaneity in their own life and travels, to ultimately promote better health and happiness, here are a few tips for you to think about getting started.
1. Work on your self-image. A great woman once said, “Work, work, work, work, work, work…” That woman was Rihanna and I can’t make out what she says after that part, but you get the point.
Did you know that there is a direct correlation between your own personal self-image and spontaneity? This may not have been something that you’ve considered before, but researchers actually postulate that the higher your self-esteem is, the more self-assured you feel (Seltzer, 1986). This allows you to be less rigid and more spontaneous. It seems that the ability to positively increase your self-image and self-esteem unlocks the potential for you to do away with irrational self-constraints, place more trust in your intuition, and express yourself more freely. “Greater self-acceptance permits greater spontaneity.”
2. Find a therapist. You may be asking yourself if you read that right? Yes, you did. I wouldn’t have ever thought to add that in here when discussing spontaneity, but research has shown that people who undergo therapy feel happier afterwards. Therapy assists them not only with the coping skills necessary to muddle through life’s ups and downs, but it also leads people to feel better about themselves. Combine this with tip number one and you’ve basically killed two birds with one stone.
3. Book a trip. The photos in this blog post are from a very random trip to D.C. One of my good girlfriends T-Ray sent me a text message on a Saturday evening that she had just (in the spur of the moment) booked a trip to the nation’s capitol, and that I should meet her there in 5 days. My response: “Done!” Literally 5 days later I was landing on a plane with no plans, but to explore and get lost in the city. There wasn’t much thought put into going there.
No, you aren’t going to be crowned the spontaneous traveller of the year after taking a single trip where you relinquished your innate desire to plan every minute detail. But what you will do is begin to step out of your comfort zone one trip and adventure at a time. Things take time so be patient, find balance in it all and enjoy the ride.
Boxed In: Can I Have It All?
Can you be both an ATDT and a ST? Both a planner and spontaneous traveller at the same time? Well the answer is YES! You may not score on the high end of each spectrum, but you may fall somewhere in the middle. This means that while you may plan certain aspects of your trip, you’re also comfortable deviating away from set itineraries and your normal routine. I actually believe that is a perfect combination for the travellers of this day and age.
However, regardless of what personality traits you possess, always focus on the positive and lean into your strengths. I believe that we are divinely designed. Our personalities and characteristics are what make us unique. No matter what, enjoy the journey because the ultimate goal is to lead happier more fulfilled lives!
What are your preferences when you travel? Are you the planner or are you more spontaneous when you go? Leave a comment to let me know.
Thank you for reading!
-Dr. Dom
References:
John, O. P., & Srivastava, S. (1999). The Big-Five trait taxonomy: History, measurement, and theoretical perspectives. In L. A. Pervin & O. P. John (Eds.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research (Vol. 2, pp. 102–138). New York: Guilford Press.
Seltzer, L. F. (1986). Paradoxical strategies in psychotherapy: a comprehensive overview and guidebook. New York: Wiley.