I wasn’t sure what to title this post, but what I did know, and have known for a long time, was that I had to write it. Here, I’ll try to explain, as best I can, the tricks to taking the plunge and how incredible it can be to trade fear for the full joy of traveling alone . Since I was little, I was afraid of sleeping in the dark, and until I was almost 12, I struggled to fall asleep without the help of a nightlight or the comfort of my parents. Today, at 26, some of that remains, in a very distant form, but I managed to eliminate the rest by fighting and struggling to change certain aspects of myself that, logically, didn’t suit me. And with each passing step, improvement translates into satisfaction and happiness . The first thing you need to understand is that self-improvement isn’t easy, nor can it be achieved in two days. I started traveling alone four years ago, and I still have many fears, insecurities, and “bad” moments when I get overwhelmed and want to leave the world. But it’s all worth it, and I’ll explain why below.
What prevents us from traveling alone?
Often, the main reason for not doing the things you dream of (like, in my case, traveling alone and finding happiness with myself without depending on anyone) is the excuse we all use: “I’ll just do it .” Fortunately or unfortunately, that never happened for me; I was always obsessed with self-improvement and wanted more. I’m ot saying that’s entirely a good thing, as there are many things I’ve experienced too quickly and that weren’t entirely necessary, but I’ll leave that for another post! In the end, I think it all comes down to the difficulty we have in leaving our comfort zone, from being warm and cozy at home to going out and taking risks and exploring the world, from swapping mom’s cooking for surviving in a country we don’t even know where it is. And like those examples, countless others reflect the fear we have of the new, the difficult, and the unknown . There’s also the part (or rather, the excuse) that many people impose as their main priority: money. My opinion will always be that money is never an issue and that you can travel in so many ways and on a very small budget. In the posts “Sleep for Free on Your Trips” and “10 Basic Tips for Saving Money While Traveling,” you can learn new tricks to spend less while traveling than on your daily routine.
How to start traveling alone?
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a university professor or a life guru, just someone who loves motivating people to change their lives for the better and discover endless new things. And when I succeed, few things make me happier. That’s why I wanted to write this section in which I’ll try to motivate you to make a 180° turn and encourage you to start enjoying the sensations that traveling alone gives you. some ways, I think the process I followed to start traveling alone was based on three key points :
1. Stop feeding fears and insecurities
Every time I told myself I should just “go away” and start enjoying my time and my life without needing anyone else, insecurity and fear would knock on the door: “What if something happens to me, what if I get robbed, what if I get bored, what if I regret it, what if I, what if I In the end, the excuses ended with the typical “I’ll do it later” that, most of the time, never comes alone . To combat this, simply flip the tables (or take my advice) and look at the positive aspects of taking the plunge and traveling alone: meeting incredible people, surpassing yourself, getting to know yourself, and a host of other things you can explore in depth in the post 7 Reasons to Take the Gut and Travel Alone.
2. Set short and long-term goals
My goal has always been to travel alone to Asia and be happy and at peace with myself. But before fulfilling what was once a dream, there was a process in which the miles and days grew exponentially. My first solo trip was born from the need to be alone during one of the most difficult times of my life. In those moments, sadness and anxiety (at least for me) make some fears go away, so I took advantage of it to dedicate a few days to myself and traveled for three days to Warsaw to disconnect, think, and find myself a little more. And it worked. My initial fears about traveling alone disappeared and gave way to new goals to overcome.
3. Fight against the comfort zone
I’d say this is the most difficult point, the one where I think most people get stuck. I often hear people say, “When I grow up, I want to be like you,” and the answer always comes to mind: “If you’re not, it’s because you don’t want to be.” The comfort zone has always been our best friend, but it is one that, deep down, is a potential bastard and deceives us with its manipulative arguments. It’s indeed easier to stay at home, it’s easier to do what they say, and it’s easier to keep things simple, but we often forget about the other side: the part where we’re missing out on unique moments and incomparable experiences . Everyone can lie on the couch watching a series, go out partying on a Saturday night, or upload photos to Instagram. But… few people discover the culture of ancient countries, enjoy idyllic beaches, and meet people they never thought they’d meet. So you decide Which group do you want to be in?
What do you get when you travel alone?
In this part, I will tell you that everything you may feel, experience, and enjoy depends 100% on you and is very difficult to explain. In my case, I can tell you that traveling alone has allowed me to reach the highest peaks of happiness in my entire life. I have come to see myself fully fulfilled and have managed to feel truly happ. Obviously, like everything, there are better and worse moments, but I assure you that in the worst-case scenario, even if everything went wrong, it would still be worth it just to learn and improve . In short, the aspects I value most and consider most incredible when traveling alone are these five:
1. Meet new people from all over the world
Definitely my favorite aspect and the one I enjoy the most. Meeting people like you, completely different people, religious people, people you can learn from, people you can teach… people who will make you, in one way or another, a better person and have an infinitely broader view of the world. If you want to know how easy it is to meet people, you can check out the post “How to meet more people traveling alone than with others . ”
2. Discover new ways of seeing life
Not everything imposed on us in our “modern society” is positive and utopian. There are a thousand ways of seeing and understanding life, and only by traveling will you be able to see them, experience them, and, if you’re interested, try them out. I’ve met people who travel alone their entire lives and at 50 remain young and happy without a family. I’ve met families who travel with little ones to remote places,h sharing dinner with natives. I’ve met people who completely ignore social norms and are completely happy. And I assure you, absorbing that energy is something you can’t buy.
But what I’ve seen most, and what I try to absorb the most, is undoubtedly the happiness that exudes from people who have the least. They have a huge advantage over us, and most still maintain the “sanity” to know what is truly necessary