Have you ever considered taking a vacation by yourself, but the idea of traveling solo is a little too daunting? You’re far from alone.
Until last year, I was that person who envied those who had the gall to explore the world on their own. I have always loved to travel—it’s actually one of the main things that makes me feel truly alive. The mere thought of traveling solo, however, practically gave me hives.
In October 2021, I finally took the plunge and booked a solo trip. It may have only been for two days, and roughly 3.5 hours from my house, but hey—I did it.
What Made Me Finally Take The Plunge?
By the end of 2021, I felt suffocated, stressed, and anxious. This was primarily due to my tranquil, wooded backyard being torn down and replaced with a million new homes—the sound of a nail gun had become enough to send me over the edge. With all sense of peace and privacy gone, I desperately needed to escape. I was in the middle of a career change, however, so I didn’t have a ton of extra cash laying around to bolt to the beach or mountains.
While laying in bed one evening, autopilot kicked in, and I opened up the Airbnb app. I started looking up places to rent within a 3 to 4 hour drive from my house, and I found a place that was EXACTLY what I was looking for. It was a cute, affordable cabin away from civilization. Before I even know what I was doing, I was confirming my reservation.
Immediately afterward, my good friend anxiety kicked in and sent me into panic mode. What had I just done? WHY had I just done that? I can’t travel alone… what if something happens? Like I get lost or I get a flat tire? Or worse… what if I get nabbed by the Mothman?! Did I mention the cabin was in Point Pleasant, West Virginia? I definitely didn’t think the urban legends through when booking this one.
When the big day came, my worries dissolved. I didn’t get lost. I didn’t get a flat tire. And since the Mothman didn’t come for me, I lived to tell this story. I’ll be honest though, the first night was a little tough. Being alone in an unfamiliar location with a horde of wildlife raging outside kept me on edge most of the night. The second day was much easier. I started to get comfortable and was on my way to developing a routine–had I stayed longer. Before leaving on the third day, I made sure to get my sightseeing in by checking out the local TNT bunkers (highly recommend!). Though I did experience some uncomfiness, my overall experience was amazing. The trip left me feeling invigorated, free, and de-stressed.
Is Traveling Solo Right For You?
Now you know why traveling solo was a great choice for me, but there are so many other reasons why people choose to do so. Whether you’re trying to gather enough confidence to travel by yourself, or you’re seeking validation that the choice to go somewhere alone isn’t selfish, check out these reasons why taking a solo vacay might be the right choice for you.
1. You’re Feeling Burnt Out Or Overwhelmed
Sometimes when we’re stuck in the same environment and managing the same responsibilities for too long, we get burnt out. Burn out can happen easily, and it typically requires us to break away from our monotonous routine. So if you’re feeling burnt out or overwhelmed, try stepping away from your everyday life. Get away from your environment, and leave the responsibilities you have to other people behind–go somewhere alone to unwind and refresh. This time away will give you a chance to reset, and your overstimulated nerves will get a much needed break. By the time your trip is over, I’m willing to bet that you’ll be more relaxed and ready–if not eager–to get back to the life that you know.
2. Needing Time To Self-Reflect
I’ll admit, one of the things that my solo trip taught me was that being alone with your thoughts, and only your thoughts, can be terrifying. We often spend a lot of our time avoiding getting too wrapped up in our own heads, and confronting our feelings and emotions can be extremely uncomfortable. Going to an unknown place alone means you won’t have anyone else to distract you or to focus your attention on. Once you get over the discomfort of being alone, however, you’ll be able to start looking inward and get to know who you are and what you need. Maybe that means analyzing what’s important to your physical and mental wellbeing, what isn’t working in your life anymore, or acknowledging your true, raw feelings without fear of judgment.
3. You Need A Boost Of Self-Confidence
It’s okay to feel anxious about traveling alone—in fact, I’d say it’s normal. But one way to get past fear and anxiety is to face it head on. If you conquer what makes you nervous, you’ll be reminded of just how strong you are. Taking a trip by yourself will show you that you’re more than capable of tackling everything life throws at you, good or bad. The feelings of empowerment and strength you’ll feel is insurmountable. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and coming out on the other side with a great experience to share will undoubtedly elevate your self-image. Instead of looking in the mirror and seeing someone who’s controlled by fear, you’ll see someone who’s brave and strong. After all, being brave doesn’t mean you aren’t afraid—it’s doing something even though you’re afraid.
4. You Need To Stimulate Your Creativity
Writer’s block, art block, and lack of inspiration or motivation. We’ve all experienced at least one of these in our lives, and it sucks. There’s tons of advice out there to help get you out of your creative slump, but sometimes nothing seems to work. We tend to get inspired by what we surround ourselves with. If we’re always surrounded by the same people, places, and things, our inspiration starts to run dry. Getting away from your familiar space and introducing yourself to new sights, food, people, and culture may help to reinspire you. Once you strike that creativity mine, you should be set for awhile.
5. You Need To Make A Big Decision
When you need to make a big decision, it can help to be alone with your thoughts. People always seem to an opinion about what they think you should do. Sometimes those opinions are welcomed, and other times they cloud our otherwise confident thoughts. If you’re trying to make a big life change, especially one that could affect others in your life, you’ll probably want to take some time to be alone. The opinions of friends and family can affect what we decide to do, and that’s not always a good thing. This is the perfect time to take a solo trip, so that you can think without being influenced by others.
6. You Need Permission To Be Selfish
This one is especially important for care givers and those who naturally put everyone above themselves. When you fall into one of these roles, you tend to forget that you need to be cared for too. When you do take the time for yourself, it can feel like you’re being selfish–and feeling selfish can lead to feelings of guilt and shame. Traveling solo means that you’ll get to decide what you want to do, and when you want to do it. Do you feel like escaping to a cabin and being alone for a few days? No problem, you call the shots! Do you feel like going to a big city and spending your days sightseeing? No one’s going to stop you! This is your time to put yourself first, so be sure to make the most of it!
7. You’re Curious
Maybe you’re not burnt out, you feel good about where you are in life, and you’re able to make decisions with confidence. Maybe you’re simply curious about traveling alone. In my opinion, this is as good of a reason as any to do it. Sometimes satisfying your curiosity is just as important to your wellbeing as decompressing, de-stressing, or healing. If you’ve been tossing around the idea of traveling solo, just remember that you don’t need a reason to do it. This is your life, and life is short–take the trip.