[NF] Wanderlust

[doodledee19]

Are there any people, especially INFJs, who can never imagine settling down in one town, city, or country?

I left to the other side of the country for college, and now I'm working and living abroad by myself.

The fact that I haven't been home in 5 years has created immense strain on my relationships with family and close friends. I miss them and I love them, and I get homesick occasionally, but I cannot imagine going back home for good. Some part of me wants to-- I crave the stability, support, and comfort that only home can provide. But at the same time, I want to explore.

Any advice? I'm starting to realize it's probably just fear of missing out...

Just for more background information, I'm female and in my early twenties.

 

[á´…eparted]

Can say I have wanderlust. Granted, I rather enjoy living far from home (I live 2500 miles from where I grew up), and will likely follow that pattern. What's more important that I enjoy where I live. If I desire to move it's not because of wanderlust of wanting to go elsewhere, but wanting to leave behind where I currently am.

 

[Flâneuse]

I used to feel this way often (and still do occasionally) - if I had my way, I would've been able to move to a completely different location every few years. As I've gotten older, though, I've accepted this is unrealistic for me and I'm sorta comfortable with settling down in one place, preferably a city. It might even be nice if I found somewhere I really loved, a place that had the right balance of peace and excitement and where I had many valued connections with people. I'll satisfy my wanderlust by traveling when I have the time and money. I see this as getting the best of both worlds; I would have the stability and community of having a permanent home, while still getting to explore the world.

I think it's fairly common to want to explore as much as possible when you're young, but maybe your wanderlust will cool down a bit as you get older and the appeal of settling down will start to outweigh the appeal of regular relocation. If you decide settling down permanently isn't for you, maybe you could find a job that allows frequent relocation. If that doesn't work out, you can still satisfy the need to explore by traveling on your own and/or getting a job that involves travel.

 

[Nico_D]

No Wanderlust here. I need to know and feel the place where I am and if that changes, it takes quite a long time for me to get orientated again. I'm in my 40's but I've always been like this, never cared for travelling or moving. I kind of envy people who are capable of that. I think my space is where I am, not where I would like to be.

 

[doodledee19]

[MENTION=20829]Hard[/MENTION]: yup, the idea of leaving where I am behind is pretty appealing. [MENTION=20761]lumi[/MENTION]: I do expect it to cool down. Hopefully, it will. I can't imagine feeling restless for the rest of my life. [MENTION=24410]Nico_D[/MENTION]: I think the idea of exploration for its own sake is pretty overrated. I plan to do it for just a while longer.

 

[cher46]

Yeah,so much of a drifter,

 

[LovelySweet]

Yes, I know how you feel exactly. I'm antsy if my passport hasn't been stamped in a while. If I'm home too long without travel I can be very crabby.