“You are weird”. “You are rare”. If I could travel to a different country every time people labeled me as weird, I would have traveled the whole world. It took me almost 36 years, being in 30 countries, and living in 3, and recently surviving a full year of emotional turmoil, to realize that, indeed, I a m w e i r d, and there is nothing wrong with it. Finally, I am embracing and understanding my weirdness, my complexity, and layers and I am not selling myself out.
An INFJ personality is a very rare type one. There are 16 types of personality and this one comprises between 1-2% of the population. Yes, we are the unicorns, and we are real. INFJ stands for Introvert, iNtuitive, Feeling and Judgement. These are dimensions used to characterize people according to Briggs-Myers Type Indicator (MBTI) and Jung’s personality test. We are stereotyped often for being antisocial, loners, mysterious, or someone hard to decipher. I love to travel and because traveling has taught me beautiful and powerful lessons, I want to share what it’s like to be a INFJ traveler.
Quiet over noise- I love silence and I tell that to my students first day of class. I know that when I am traveling, I am not in class, but I still love silent and quiet places. My brain is ON for a huge amount of time. Most of the times overthinking or overanalyzing. I prefer to stay in quiet places to recharge energy, although there are a few exceptions I can make when I am thousands of miles away from home. When traveling, I prioritize the outdoors and nature. It gives me a sense of peace, comfort, harmony, and tranquility that lifts my spirit.
Sensitive and an energy sponge- Most of the time people mistake me as a tough woman. The truth is that toughness is a protective shell. I am a very sensitive person, especially to people’s moods or criticism. Being around open-minded, positive, and flexible people who do not complain or criticize different ways of living, belief systems, traditions, and cultures, is a great companionship.
Not a multitude fan- Crowds make me feel somehow lost, nervous, and disconnected. My brain feels overwhelmed receiving so many inputs.
Boost of energy- Sometimes, I shift from a very quiet or calm state to the opposite: feeling a burst of energy that can have me walking 12 hours in a city.
Close people- I care a lot about the people that I establish meaningful relationships with. They are few but they mean everything to me. Traveling with someone who is understanding, trustworthy, bright, steady, and not conflicting is wonderful.
Organized- Having an idea or planning about what I am going to see makes me feel less stressed or lost. Despite that, I like to leave some room for changes.
Daylight Explorer- Day overnight! It makes me feel safer and I can appreciate and observe things better.
Lifelong learner- Life is an adventure and I am always looking to go to places where I feel I can learn something new or where I can have an authentic and meaningful experience. Also, when I travel, I can’t read how I normally do. Listening to a podcast or audiobook brings me that sense of routine.
Storyteller- Yes, I love to write about traveling or things I have learned traveling.
Beauty wins- I am not a mainstream follower. I get excited about simple things. For example, listening to a violinist playing can lead me to tears of joy. The same thing happens if I get to a place, I’ve dreamed of being in.
Intuition- At the time of making decisions, I trust my gut feelings and my intuition. I say I have superpowers reading people or fishy things.