The solo travelling community has been getting bigger and bigger over the past few years and as someone who has been to over 14 countries solo, here are some reasons why I’m happy that I went for it and ways in which solo travelling changed me
1. It boosts your independence and self reliance
Unlike travelling with friends, when you are alone you have no one there to help you out, hold your hand or guide you. Therefore are left to navigate challenges on your own and will quickly learn how to rely on yourself which will make you grow as a person.
Doing things like talking to people, asking for direction, figuring out completely new transport systems in every new country I went to boosted my confidence.
This is also going to boost your confidence to do everyday things on your own once you’re back home like going to the cinema on your own or eating out on your own, you’ll no longer have to wait for people to do things with.
2. You are more likely to meet new people
If you are planning to sty in hostels like I did and are on your own, you will be more likely to push yourself to approach and get to know people who you could perhaps spend your time in that place with. Being alone also makes you more approachable compared to if you are surrounded by a group and by having conversations with strangers you improve your social skills
3. You can do whatever you want
Solo travelling means that you can wake up everyday and decide what you want to do, what and where you want to eat, what budget to have and how long you are going to spend in each place.
You can also decide what activities you want to do depending on how you are feeling that day (have a night out or have an early night) without having to take anyone else into consideration.
Solo travelling means that you can take each day as it comes and always be on your own schedule
4. Allows you to learn about yourself
Being constantly on my own whilst travelling meant that I had a lot of time for self reflection, which then lead to personal growth.
Solo travel also allowed me to be more in touch with myself , allowing me to understand what kind of traveler I am, what type of people I want and I do not want around me and the kind of person I wanted to become.
5. You become your true authentic self
If like me you have spent your whole life around the same people, these people will start to have an expectation on who you are and you will subconsciously live up to this expectation.
However when you step out of this bubble and you go solo travelling, no one knows you which means that instead of acting how everyone has always expects you to, you start acting how you feel and you start being yourself.
It’s an opportunity to discover who you truly are without the expectation of family and friends who define you on a daily basis
6.Increases cultural awareness
Instead of focusing on the friends you came with, being alone allows you to focus on your surroundings
Wether you are learning about the culture of the country that you are visiting or about the culture of the individuals that you meet in these countries, the possibilities for you to learn are endless.
7.You gain a new perspective on life
When I came back from my first ever solo trip which was only 5 days long, I remember how being away allowed me to evaluate what truly mattered.
I started seeing the small moments in life in a different light and started to appreciate simple things like sunsets and sunrises more.
Then during my 3 month long solo trip around the Balkans which is a poorer area in Europe, I saw people who were so happy and grateful, yet had less than me which made me have a more grateful mindset
8.You meet like minded people
The people you will meet on your travels will be eye opening and life changing, and as mentioned earlier you are more likely to meet people when you are on your own.
Almost everyone else who solo travels will have a similar mindset as you and you will also meet a lot of people with similar interests.
This will make you feel less alone, especially if you don’t have anyone in your hometown who shares the same mindset as you.
9. You become more spontaneous
Being alone and meeting new people all the time means that you make more time for unexpected experiences and you learn to say YES more.
Often, these unexpected, spontaneous and last minute experiences end up being the highlight of your trip compared to the bucket list activities.
Being faced with spontaneous choices to make also allowed you to learn how to listen to your gut feelings.
10.You change completely as a person
As soon as I came back from my 3 month backpacking trip, I felt a complete shift in my personality: my mindset changed, my clothing style changed and even my music taste changed.
I realized that I was no longer the person I was before I left and this because I went outside of my comfort zone and had so many experiences and I met so many amazing people who inspired me to want something different from life.
I learned to love myself for giving myself the opportunity to be so happy and realized that I didn’t need to wait for anyone to start living my best life, all I needed was myself.
