Advice from a travel psychologist!
It’s terrifying to admit our weaknesses. According to Travel Psychology, it’s also one of the most liberating things we can do as the oddballs we all are and not just as travellers.
As a traveller, I believe I must present the image of being on a wonderful adventure. But 98 percent of the thoughts and feelings I’m having are about my shortcomings, which are gushing from every crevice. When can I feel confident in acknowledging my flaws?
We’re all terrified to own our faults. Concerned that our friends, family, coworkers, and pretty much everyone else will judge us negatively. They might not comprehend me, they might not agree with my ideas, or they might not develop empathy for my suffering.
If you are the CEO of your life, do you have flaws, wonders the travel psychologist?
Oh, dear, where do I start? Since I’ve been a person for almost three decades, I have many shortcomings. Having severe ADHD (I can’t even reread this sentence without becoming distracted), end-stage pain, debilitating anxiety, and the inability to dance for dear life.
I would have never thought of telling someone that for a very long time. But over time, I’ve seen, particularly while travelling with other people, that being vulnerable has evolved into one of the most authentic ways we can connect, especially in the age of constructed egos and Photoshopped virtual profiles.
Because it’s one of the few things in life no one really lies about, admitting our imperfections fosters trust. Additionally, it extends an honest invitation to dialogue, which is incredibly potent.
How can I admit my shortcomings without coming across as a total loser?
The goal is to discuss how we deal with our weaknesses.
I once wrote an article titled “How I Harness my Insane Anxiety” that described my weaknesses in detail and how I’m trying to judo move those problems into something I can use as a superpower.
Not all flaws will develop into superpowers. Some things, like sadness, are just a huge challenge that don’t always have a big payoff. However, if we show a willingness to accept and handle our shortcomings, even if doing so is costly and unproductive, it demonstrates real responsibility, which people will value and look for in someone seeking improvement in their life, whether or not it be through travel.
Whenever possible, should I keep my defects to myself?
Being open and honest doesn’t always make one acceptable, though. As life travellers, it is also our duty to consider the effects of our shortcomings before hurling them out in public or on social media. Ideally, we should also take steps to manage them. Travel Psychology can be guider for you to get rid of this problem.
We must realise that people will believe we have a strategy in place for dealing with our shortcomings, which are a problem in life just like any other. Perhaps we don’t. However, it’s typically best to discuss these shortcomings (or pretty much any other difficulty in our lives) when we also have a strong strategy in place.
People care about how we respond to that challenge, which is known as self-acceptance, not our defects.