November 24, 2020
Traveling alone may seem extremely overwhelming and daunting until you decide to take a leap of faith and make it happen. If you decide to conquer your fear of solo travel, you will notice how much simpler it is to listen to yourself attentively. Solo traveling will help you reconnect with yourself and find your purpose.
1. Unrestricted Planning
It is more difficult to coordinate a trip with other people than it is to do it alone. When you choose to travel alone, you will not be impeded by other people’s schedules and timing. Planning the trip on your own may seem overwhelming but when you are traveling solo, everything is in your own hands. For instance, the amount of time and planning that is put into the trip is all up to the (solo) traveler. A solo traveler not only has the luxury of choosing their destination, but they can take advantage of flash deals or book an open-ended trip if they choose to.
2. Meeting New People
A solo traveler meets so many new people regardless of their destination because they are forced to move out of their comfort zone and make new friends. It is much easier to refrain from doing this when we travel with our friends or family because we are surrounded by the familiar. However, this is not the point of travel. Traveling is meant to challenge our perceptions and help us make connections with people from all around the world. Having a friend in a foreign country will often make you feel at home and it is easy to revert to these people when we need a shoulder to lean on. Not only will solo travel help you learn about a new country with open eyes and ears, but your new friends will help you learn about the customs of the people too.
3. Forces You to Grow
When traveling with other people, it can often be easy to fall back and look to them for support when things do not go according to plan. When you are traveling on your own, it is up to you to make difficult decisions pertaining to any faced challenges. This is ultimately and inevitably going to help you grow as a person. Facing challenges alone will allow you to have a heightened sense of presence because everything is up to you: the next destination, catching a particular flight, etc. This is why it is important for the solo traveler to tune in and be aware of what is happening around them.
It is always great to solo travel and explore new things outside of your comfort zone. These experiences will enrich your life and open your mind to new discoveries about yourself. Do not let the fear of “what if’s?” hold you back from exploring the “how about?” If you are still unsure about traveling solo, try taking a small weekend trip on your own and then consider working your way up to the bigger trips. You will not be disappointed by the amount of freedom and growth that awaits you.