Has your travel style affected your relationships while on vacation? The more I travel, the more I'm learning that you never truly know a person until you leave town with them. That's why it's important to have conversations about the kind(s) of experiences your companions plan to have before getting on the plane. This can prevent a lot of disagreements. We all work hard and shouldn't be caught off guard by another person's expectations of the trip, or made to feel guilty for ours.
While we're not doing a whole helluva lot of traveling at the moment, I'd like to break down some of the most common travel styles to help you to start a dialogue with your travel buddies of the past and future and come to a common ground that works.
The Adventurer
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This traveler is interested in all adventurous activities, from a simple hike in the woods to more extreme sports like BASE jumping and waterfall rappelling. They live by the seat of their pants most likely and probably won't do well with a vacation itinerary. The term "Y.O.L.O." comes to mind with these kinds of people. If you're more laid back or even a little fearful, the adventurous traveler is probably not your speed. They'll have you trapped in a haunted house screaming for help while they're having the time of their lives!
The Group Trip Traveler
This traveler is either gregarious and thrives off of meeting new people or just has a huge travel crew that they know and trust. They're the type that is always down for a party and loves to be around lots of people. This is usually an introvert's worst nightmare. So before venturing out with this kind of person, you might want to ask "who all gone be there" in an effort to prevent multiple personality clashes during the trip. If you prefer more intimate getaways, this isn't the person you want to vacation with.
The Luxury Traveler
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Money is no object for this traveler, but you can run into an issue if they expect you to "ball out" as well. They travel first class, take shopping sprees, stay at the best 5-star accommodations, and eat at the most expensive restaurants. If you're a person who likes to vacation on a budgetor you're just downright cheap, pick someone else to roll with. You'll only be cramping their style. Your Capital One card with the $1500 limit will never measure up to their Black Card.
The Solo Traveler
This is the kind of person who is totally and completely comfortable with being by themselves—no bells and whistles, no extras. Many times, they prefer to travel solo because not only do they get to be alone with their thoughts, but they can march to the beat of their own drum and come and go as they please without having to check in with anyone or compromise on plans. I recommend that we ALL take a crack at this particular travel style at least once. There's nothing more freeing than exploring the world solo.
The Partier
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The motto is "team no sleep" for this traveler. The moment they get off the plane, they're making a b-line to the shower (hopefully) so that they can head straight to the club and party till they drop! Expect lots of booze and blackouts with this travel type. They know how to have a good time wherever they go, but sometimes they can take things too far due to their excessive liquor consumption (which makes for interesting post-vacation stories). You're lucky if you get back to the room before sunrise! But if you love the nightlife and your liver is up for a wild ride, they could make for a memorable travel buddy.
The Family Traveler
This traveler has loaded up all of the "essentials", booked a kid-friendly hotel and prepared an itinerary full of activities to keep the whole family (especially the little ones) engaged. There won't be any visits to the strip club or wild drunken nights with this traveler. Expect a lot of good, "clean" fun and possibly a set bedtime. If you're someone who loves running around with children (even if you don't have any of your own), you may not mind tagging along with the family traveler. Keep in mind that a lot of patience and flexibility is needed.
Who did I miss?! What kind of travel style do you have? Let us know in the comments!
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In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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During the event, the socialite spoke to the outlet about the importance of “friendship and trust” in her three-year relationship that started in the midst of the pandemic.
“We were really good friends before we started dating, and COVID gave us that free time in our life to really get to know each other,” Jordyn said. “Because a lot of people don't really get to know each other and they go into this relationship.”
She continues, “So, we've been through a lot together. We've seen each other at all different ways, times, phases, so I think we have a very strong foundation.”
Jordyn also notes that “quality time” has been a means to bond and keep their relationship thriving. Despite the NBA star’s demanding schedule, she expressed her desire to attend as many of KAT's games as possible, including his upcoming birthday game with the Minnesota Timberwolves. “It's his birthday in a few days, so I'm going to go to that game,” she says.
Quality time isn’t the only love language that the couple speaks.“We love gift giving and... What is it? The love language? The love language is quality time. We love everything,” she says.
The couple was introduced by mutual friends many years ago, and in May 2020 decided to move forward from a close friendship to a romantic relationship. Jordyn and KAT went public with their relationship in September of that same year and have since become young Hollywood’s discreet “IT” couple.
“I'm excited. Every holiday, we like to really go large for each other,” she explained. “He does so much for me. I do what I can for him. I want to say it's a lot. So when it's time to show that appreciation, we like to go all out.”
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