A belief I will stand on ten toes down is that the single most important thing anyone and everyone should do in their 20’s is to get out of their comfort zone and embrace new experiences.
For me, one of the best ways to be uncomfortable was doing things on my own. I’ve always been fine doing the small solo stuff, like getting groceries or going for walks, but I could never fathom going to the movies alone or sitting at a restaurant by myself. So, deciding to solo-travel was a very real growth moment for me.
When I was planning a Europe trip with my friend this summer, we realized she would have to leave early for her exchange move-in and I didn’t want to come back to Waterloo so soon, so I asked myself, “Can I survive half a week alone in Europe?”. People solo travel all the time, so I convinced myself that this would be a trivial few days. But, looking back now, those four days held some of the of the most eye-opening moments of my life.
I chose to go to Edinburgh, which I heavily recommend to anyone who is even remotely considering it. To be honest, the show One Day inspired this venture, and it surpassed every expectation I had. I spent my days doing everything I told myself I’d be too scared to do alone:eating at restaurants by myself, hiking up Arthur’s Seat and Calton Hill, touring the Edinburgh Castle, wandering through museums, strolling the cobblestone streets, and walking through the botanical gardens. I saw every beautiful corner that the city had to offer, and I did it all alone.
Truthfully, my favourite moments weren’t the big, touristy sights. They were the times that I would be sitting in Princess Street Gardens with a pastry in hand, reading my book of the trip, Tuesdays with Morrie. Other times, I’d sit in that park and people-watch, sometimes with music and sometimes just in silence. And without fail, every evening, I found myself back on that bench to watch the sunset. And I’m really trying not to be cheesy, but those moments brought me so much inner peace and calmness.
And yes, the trip highs were amazing, but managing the lows, like my delayed flight and the chaos of hostel check-in at 2 A.M., is where I felt like I proved the most to myself. I was able to stay calm and problem-solve by myself without crashing out and panicking. That’s something I’m genuinely proud of. I was able to learn that I’m capable of more than I give myself credit for.
This trip reminded me of something I’d heard a million times before but never actually embodied. I am a huge YouTube watcher, and there is this channel I used to watch all the time, Yes Theory. Their content is based on the belief that the best experiences and things in life are waiting outside of your comfort zone, driving their motto “Seek Discomfort”. The purpose of life is to experience and discover, whether it’s new sights, new people, new emotions, new anything. There is so much to gain from the world, and so much self-actualization to gain from yourself.
Whether it’s as small as taking yourself out for coffee or as big as booking a solo trip, place some faith in yourself and know that discomfort is the best way to grow. Your biggest takeaway from this piece should be to say yes more, try new things, and experience as much life as you can.