What’s Your Wellness Travel Personality?

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Have you ever taken a moment to think about your wellness travel personality?  Of course, it makes sense to first define the term “wellness travel.” Since there are no lack of definitions out there, we subscribe to that of the Wellness Tourism Association. Here you go: What is Wellness Travel? 

And, when it comes to your own wellness travel personality:

Are you a Do-It-Yourselfer? The first question that will help you find the best fit for your next wellness retreat is to identify if you are a Do-It-Yourselfer.  Are you a “Type A” personality who just prefers to be in charge and run things your own way?  Whenever you are traveling, do you like to make your own choices whenever the mood strikes? You’re not crazy about following someone else’s set schedule. Even if you don’t identify yourself as a “Type A,” when it comes to travel, you may still be a Do-If-Yourselfer.  If yes, then when it comes to Wellness Travel you probably want plenty of wellness living options available to you during your trip so you can pick and choose along the way.

At the other end of the scale is the Non-Planner. If you are a Non-Planner, you most likely prefer to have someone else plan your trips and itinerary.  You may like to work with a travel agent, have a family member or friend do the planning, or pick a Wellness Retreat that is hosted and pre-planned. You just have to show up, join the group and follow a set itinerary. Easy, stress-free and usually, goal oriented.

Now that you’ve identified if you are a Do-It-Yourselfer or a Non-Planner, the next questions is: Are you a Pampered Prince/Princess or do you want to be on your upcoming retreat. Are you a “creature of comforts” and do you often find yourself becoming a little stressed or unnerved when your usual levels of comfort are not available. Your answer will be your determine is you want a more upscale venue for your upcoming retreat.

On the flip side, perhaps your Wellness Travel Personality is more Go With the Flow.  You’re an easy-going type, generally takes the little ups and downs of travel in stride and don’t let the “small stuff” interfere with your overall sense of well-being.

Next, which of the following five profiles best describes you? 

1. The Challenge Seeker – When it comes to fitness do you like to test your limits, step out of your comfort zone? Do you want fitness classes and activities that allow you to push yourself to the next level? If yes, then you’ll want a destination that offers options for all fitness levels.  For instance, New Life Hiking Spa will challenge you with some of the highest peaks in Vermont.

2. The Foodie Focused Having a Foodie Focused Wellness Travel Personality it not about checking out the top and trendy restaurants in the destination you are visiting. With Wellness Travel, the Foodie Focused may be vegan, vegetarian or gluten intolerant. They may be on a special diet or simply want to make certain most of the food choices being offered are fresh, local and seasonal. They want to make certain that the hotel/resort/retreat they are planning to visit, can accommodate their special nurishment needs and/or places as much importance on quality food as they do.  If you’re looking to totally revamp your eating habits, for example, check out this hosted retreat with Tosca Reno, author of the best-selling Clean Eating series.

3. The Spiritually-Minded – Are you a mindful, “in-the-moment” type who can’t let a day get away without at least a few moments of silent meditation. Are you ready and will to practise your asanas morning, noon and night?  You’ll want to make sure travels and retreats include yoga and meditation opportunity with the like-minded.   Both Shreyas Retreat in Bangalore, India and Art of Living Retreat Center in North Carolina are two of our top choices for the spirtually-minded.

4. The Nature Lover – Do you find inspiration and a greater sense of well-being when you are surrounded by a beautiful and natural setting?  The ocean, majestic mountains, calming forests trails and peaceful lakes, for instance? Plus, wellness living and wellness travel are also about wellness for the planet so if you are a Nature Lover you are probably also a eco-traveler who looks for destinations and resorts that put some emphasis on sustainability.

5. The Learning Enthusiast – Does the simply pleasure of learning feed your sense of wellbeing? A learning opportunity could take the form of traveling to a new country for the first time, taking a healthy cooking class, becoming educated about a new fitness routine that you can take home with you, learning about new ways to manage daily stress. The list of possibilities is endless.

You could also be a Combo of the above. For instance, you could best describe yourself as a Learning Enthusiast and Foodie Focused,  Spiritually-Minded and a Nature Lover or any other combination.  Knowing yourself is the first step to finding the right fit wellness retreat.

Now that you know – or at least have given some thought to – your Wellness Travel Personality, check out these questions to ask yourself before booking your next wellness retreat.