Is solo traveling is one of the things you’re dying to check off the list this year? It is perhaps one of your new year resolutions? Perhaps you just need that tiny little push to get you to moving and book that plane ticket already.
Solo traveling is not merely some romanticization
“Discovering yourself” is one of the most-used taglines following the solo travel sentiment. And while it does sound too much like romanticization, there is some truth to it. Of course, solo travel will not magically change you. Especially not one solo travel. What you experience will depend so much on how you spend your time solo traveling.
Do you get out of your way to meet new people during the time you decided to go solo traveling? Why do you need to meet new people when one of the purposes of solo travel is to travel alone?
Traveling by yourself does not mean that you isolate yourself.
Unless it is one of the purposes of your solo travel, then meeting new people—the locals and fellow travelers—is a huge part of the solo travel experience. And going by yourself opens up that window of a desire to connect. I don’t go out of my way to get to know people when I’m at home. Not even when I know I need some company.
But traveling to a new place certainly has a different effect on me.
Solo traveling is not for everyone?
If you’re someone who finds yourself craving the company of others most of the time, it may seem very difficult to get into the mindset of wanting a solo journey. And that is well understood.
But if you’re already researching solo traveling—and you’re reading this—chances are, you’re about to be ready to go down the road of solo traveling.
It all comes down to taking the first step
Starting is the hardest thing. A lot of people said that there is no way that they will do solo traveling. Unless you have special needs that make it very difficult for you to do pretty much everything on your own, then you should try it.
You don’t have to go to a whole new country altogether. If you’re super curious about solo traveling—spend the weekend wholly by yourself in the next town reachable by public transportation. Plan simple activities you know you’ll enjoy on your own.
Visit a park or a museum. Did you get to enjoy it? See if you’re ready to take the next step.
Solo traveling is a way to depend on yourself better
Even though you’re living on your own for a long time, there is still the comfort of home. Of familiarity. Of things you’ve already gotten used to for quite a long time. Much of it had faded into the background. Falling into the mundane backdrop of “everyday life”. But traveling, for most people, will bring them out of their comfort zone.
It puts the mind in a state of much-needed stress in receiving that feeling of novelty.
It is a way to get to know yourself better.
They did say that you don’t know someone until you travel with them. And I think that similar things can be said about our own selves.