We define ourselves in a lot of different ways. When it comes to traveling, do you consider yourself to be a “bad” traveler? Have others said that you’re bad at traveling?
If so, what does that term “bad” mean for you? Inexperienced, unskilled, irresponsible, overly anxious, unsustainable, uninformed, or just plain unlucky in your travels? Be careful, as how you define yourself as a traveler can impact how much you travel and how enjoyable your traveling can be.
Some Questions to Ask Yourself
Am I always “bad” in this way, or only in certain situations or an isolated past experience? Try not to generalize one isolated experience to define yourself as a traveler.
What are my personal strengths as a traveler? Can these help me compensate for areas that I’m not so good at?
Would a loved one describe me in the same way I’m describing myself? Or am I being more critical on myself than others? Travel tends to positively influence self-esteem.
If I know what “bad” traveling looks like, does that mean I also have a sense of what “good” travel would be? You have something to work towards.
Do I expect myself to be a “perfect” traveler who never makes any mistakes? Consider that no one in the world is a perfect traveler.
Connection Between Travel and Self-Talk
The words you choose to define yourself go a long way in establishing how you feel emotionally. The same holds true for how you label yourself as a traveler. So, work on developing patterns of more helpful self-talk like “I’m learning” instead of “I’m stupid”. “I’ve had some rough travel experiences” rather than “I’m a bad traveler”.
Consider the boldly titled How to Be the World’s Smartest Traveler by Christopher Elliot for additional practical tips to build your traveling confidence.
With these adjustments to your self-talk, you just may talk yourself into enjoying more about traveling.
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Happy Travels,
Dr. L
Founder, Psychologyoftravel.com
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