While traveling alone can be challenging and daunting, personal growth often happens in solitude. It can be invigorating, inspiring and refreshing. Here are my top five reasons you should travel solo followed by some tips to get started:
- Meeting New People. Traveling alone gives you the opportunity to meet people you wouldn’t otherwise talk to if you were with friends. If you’re afraid of talking to new people, sit at the bar and talk to the bartender. More than likely they’ll be easy to talk to and may be able to introduce you to locals or other people vacationing.
- Doing you. You get to do exactly what you want, when you want, how you want. No negotiations or comprises. Sounds simple enough, right?
- Enjoying you. When traveling alone, you tend to be more in tune with who you are & what makes you tick. You may deal with problems differently than you would if you were traveling with a group.
- Refresh. Life can get hectic. If you need a break from your reality or you’ve found yourself in a rut, traveling solo might be the answer. You may find some inspiration when you’re able to tune the rest of the world out.
- Stepping out of your comfort zone. This is my personal favorite. You tend to do things you wouldn’t normally do when you’re alone rather than when you’re with a group.
If you’re afraid that you’ll be lonely while traveling, test the waters a bit. Start off by going to the movies or out to dinner alone. Then start off small. Weekend in Miami, perhaps? Once you’ve gotten that under your belt, you may feel more comfortable traveling out of the country for a longer trip. Get to planning!
Photo Credit: Shamera Wilkins