Considering solo travel? Study abroad? A summer backpacking trip? Keep reading to get inspired and see all the benefits available. Start thinking ahead and planning what works best for you. Go out there and explore.
1. You build independence and confidence
Solo traveling can feel overwhelming, confusing, and lonely at times when first arriving, or contemplating the idea of going on the trip. These feelings are something every solo traveler experiences before realizing the actual blessings behind them all. Spending time with yourself only forces you to grow more comfortable in who you are as a person. Realizing that you can be independent on your own, in another part of the world, makes you realize where your true friends and family are. Is it your friends from back home that call you to check up? Your mom and dad wanting to come visit you? The people you meet at the hostel upon arriving who stick with you throughout the trip? Solo traveling offers the chance for a chosen family and lifelong friendship. Being alone is only part of the process. Giving yourself a chance to embrace the solitude of it, rather than rejecting it, allows you to dig deeper into what you want out of your trip. A chance to reflect on what you haven’t learned about yourself and welcome in a season of peace before you meet people who ultimately make your journey worth the long trip there. When you grow comfortable with who you are and what you bring to the table, you build confidence. After all, you came all this way, settled somewhere foreign, and maybe even tried to learn a new language! This allows for connections with others that are more meaningful, you know what you want out of your experience, and you have finally mastered the art of doing it solo. Don’t wait for everyone to join in on the decisions you make about your life, sometimes doing it alone is the best way to achieve your goals. Celebrate yourself for being able to do it independently, and for building your own community somewhere completely new.
2. You step outside your comfort zone
Going on your first trip alone adds a level of uncertainty that forces you to be OK with the unknown. Instead of fearing it, embrace it. The possibilities of new friendships, seeing new areas of the world, and trying new foods can be activities that end up making you feel more capable of real-world experiences. As someone who went into college anxious and worried about where the world and my education would take me, traveling alone made me realize that all the answers were already within me, and I just had to give myself the patience and time to think about what I wanted to do. Now that you’re able to step out of your comfort zone, come to terms with the idea that you’re more adaptable than you think and that you just opened the doors to many more opportunities for yourself. You are now able to do things that your younger self might have thought were unthinkable. Acknowledge your progress and the idea that taking risks sometimes leads to some of the most positive outcomes. Although it’s easier said than done, solo traveling is the best way to get a headstart on this, and it forces you to find gratitude in the places and activities that used to daunt you.
3. you learn about your personal strengths
Solo traveling allows you to combine the art of being solitary and the concept of stepping outside of your comfort zone to find the most important thing of all: your personal strengths. What did the trip make you learn about who you are as a person? Are you more adaptable? A risk taker? Extroverted or introverted? A good planner? A million strengths can come about on these trips, creating a newfound sense of confidence when you get back home. You might learn about what you’re able to offer more in the career world, at school, or on future trips you might have planned. Additionally, you may discover a hobby or two you didn’t realize you were good at or reconnect with one you lost. Life is a learning experience that always continues and knowing what you’re best at is the way to keep yourself successful. It also lets you be ready for whatever gets thrown your way. Remember that part of this adventure is to also gain knowledge about yourself that you can carry on far past this trip and even implement into your daily life.
Has this article convinced you to get out there and explore? Book a trip and keep these solo benefits in mind for success. Safe travels.