6 reasons Why it is a good idea,
as a woman, to travel solo
Travelling alone can bring you a lot. As author Jelle Derckx of the book 'Longing for less' says: "Travelling alone is good for the soul. You may come up with insights that you and others never had. Travelling enriches your life, also because you get out of your comfort zone faster." And as a woman on a solo trip, that's perhaps the most noticeable thing.
1. Full independence
If you are travelling alone, you have to be able to find your way around on your own, communicate without understanding a language and save yourself in sometimes difficult situations. You depend entirely on yourself: no friend with an enviable navigation talent who happens to speak the language already. If you want to stand in your own power as a woman, a solo trip is the way to go.
On the other hand, there is no shoulder to cry on if you had a bad day. You will have to learn to deal with all the emotions that come with a big trip, and that builds character and spirit.
2. You get to know yourself so much better
On a solo journey, you will soon notice what you are good at. Perhaps you will even discover new talents, but you will also get to know your downsides. When you come across situations you normally don't experience, you will discover how you react to them and deal with them. All alone. And that can be incredibly instructive.
You can learn great lessons in life: if you don't feel comfortable somewhere, or if you don't want to do something, or you don't want to hang out with a certain person, you will have to stand up for yourself. You may have to say 'no' more often than you're used to. And that may be a challenge at first. But it is a life lesson learnt that you will take home too.
3. It puts things into perspective
Travelling in areas where things are very different from your country can put things in perspective. Travel connects you with the world around you and makes you feel more humble - in a positive way. Different cultures, ranging from foods, the way to eat it, when to eat it, to different toilets and traffic rules, may put you off at first. But at some point you will recognise that the things you took for granted at home, can be seen in a different light and you will marvel at different cultures and maybe also develop a new appreciation for things 'home'.
4. You get closer to your inner self
Precisely because you don't have to take anyone into account, you can get close to yourself and your feeling. A friend who doesn't like cities or a friend who just wants to hang out on the beach? You can be totally selfish, on a solo trip you make all the decisions. Now that you don't have to compromise, you also come into contact with your intuition: Which things feel good for you? What makes you happy?
5. Connecting with others
Connecting with others became one of the top benefits of solo travel for me. All those beautiful adventures when you travel alone help you to become more open to new connections and meet wonderful people. It's comforting to not be alone when traveling, but there are so many more connections to make when you dare to go solo. It can be other solo travellers, or just people living in the places that you visit.
5. All your life's baggage will be removed
In your daily life people close to you know who you are, and can probably describe you in a few words. And while it is wonderful to have that community, it can be liberating to be on the move without the visible life baggage you're carrying with you. No one knows your history, where you come from, and which 'box' you might fit into. Everyone you meet will get to know you for the first time. And the same goes for the other. Prejudices disappear as you learn to be more open-minded and get to know people you wouldn't otherwise have met. And if you have had enough, or feel there is no meeting of minds, without grudge, you wave goodbye and go your own way again. That's ok too. I also learnt that most people are really nice.
6. You discover your own path
Sometimes you are dragged along in the choice pattern of your environment - where people often take the same steps at the same time. Steps that are expected of you as well, while that's not what you want deep inside. By creating a little distance from your daily life, you will find space to think about what you really want. Do you want something because you think you should, or because you think it makes you happier? And will it?
Does all this sound appealing? Here are some practical tips to make your trip a success. I'm sure you will disover others. Please share your story!
* Sleep in hostels or choose home stays. That doesn't always mean you have to share a room, but there's a good chance that there will be shared meals, or areas where you'll meet people.
* My first big solo trip was the Camino de Santiago, and the statistics show that 50% of pilgrims on the Camino walk solo. There's a good start! :)
Inspired by Gabrielle Coster for Happinez
1. Full independence
If you are travelling alone, you have to be able to find your way around on your own, communicate without understanding a language and save yourself in sometimes difficult situations. You depend entirely on yourself: no friend with an enviable navigation talent who happens to speak the language already. If you want to stand in your own power as a woman, a solo trip is the way to go.
On the other hand, there is no shoulder to cry on if you had a bad day. You will have to learn to deal with all the emotions that come with a big trip, and that builds character and spirit.
2. You get to know yourself so much better
On a solo journey, you will soon notice what you are good at. Perhaps you will even discover new talents, but you will also get to know your downsides. When you come across situations you normally don't experience, you will discover how you react to them and deal with them. All alone. And that can be incredibly instructive.
You can learn great lessons in life: if you don't feel comfortable somewhere, or if you don't want to do something, or you don't want to hang out with a certain person, you will have to stand up for yourself. You may have to say 'no' more often than you're used to. And that may be a challenge at first. But it is a life lesson learnt that you will take home too.
3. It puts things into perspective
Travelling in areas where things are very different from your country can put things in perspective. Travel connects you with the world around you and makes you feel more humble - in a positive way. Different cultures, ranging from foods, the way to eat it, when to eat it, to different toilets and traffic rules, may put you off at first. But at some point you will recognise that the things you took for granted at home, can be seen in a different light and you will marvel at different cultures and maybe also develop a new appreciation for things 'home'.
4. You get closer to your inner self
Precisely because you don't have to take anyone into account, you can get close to yourself and your feeling. A friend who doesn't like cities or a friend who just wants to hang out on the beach? You can be totally selfish, on a solo trip you make all the decisions. Now that you don't have to compromise, you also come into contact with your intuition: Which things feel good for you? What makes you happy?
5. Connecting with others
Connecting with others became one of the top benefits of solo travel for me. All those beautiful adventures when you travel alone help you to become more open to new connections and meet wonderful people. It's comforting to not be alone when traveling, but there are so many more connections to make when you dare to go solo. It can be other solo travellers, or just people living in the places that you visit.
5. All your life's baggage will be removed
In your daily life people close to you know who you are, and can probably describe you in a few words. And while it is wonderful to have that community, it can be liberating to be on the move without the visible life baggage you're carrying with you. No one knows your history, where you come from, and which 'box' you might fit into. Everyone you meet will get to know you for the first time. And the same goes for the other. Prejudices disappear as you learn to be more open-minded and get to know people you wouldn't otherwise have met. And if you have had enough, or feel there is no meeting of minds, without grudge, you wave goodbye and go your own way again. That's ok too. I also learnt that most people are really nice.
6. You discover your own path
Sometimes you are dragged along in the choice pattern of your environment - where people often take the same steps at the same time. Steps that are expected of you as well, while that's not what you want deep inside. By creating a little distance from your daily life, you will find space to think about what you really want. Do you want something because you think you should, or because you think it makes you happier? And will it?
Does all this sound appealing? Here are some practical tips to make your trip a success. I'm sure you will disover others. Please share your story!
* Sleep in hostels or choose home stays. That doesn't always mean you have to share a room, but there's a good chance that there will be shared meals, or areas where you'll meet people.
* My first big solo trip was the Camino de Santiago, and the statistics show that 50% of pilgrims on the Camino walk solo. There's a good start! :)
Inspired by Gabrielle Coster for Happinez
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