Spending time alone has a lot of benefits, but it isn’t always easy to feel confident enough to do this anywhere other than at home. For a lot of people, the idea of dining by themselves in a restaurant makes them feel awkward and uncomfortable, let alone going on a weekend break or a longer solo trip. Yes, sometimes being alone can feel isolating and boring—but once you start getting used to it, you’ll notice how liberating it can be to have the confidence to be the person who has sat alone in a busy café or wandered the city streets with only the skyscrapers and rushing crowds for company. If you have always liked the idea of going away by yourself, but haven’t felt brave enough to do it, here are a few benefits to solo travel that might help you give it a try.
Freedom
Going traveling alone is great because you don’t have to make allowances for what someone else wants out of the vacation. You get to choose the destination, you get to choose what sights to see, you get to choose the restaurant every night, and you get to decide what dates are best for you to travel on. It’s entirely up to you what kind of trip you want to have—making it the perfect escape.
Time for Reflection
Sometimes it’s important to take stock and reflect on life in order to help you get a better idea of who and where you are. It can be difficult to do this when you’re caught up in the routine of daily life, and even though going on holiday with someone else is a good chance to step back from the usual hustle and bustle, that other person can still serve as a distraction from truly reflecting on your world. Going on a trip alone can allow you the opportunity to think about what you want in life, how to achieve it, and how to be grateful for what you do have.
The Opportunity to Meet New People
Just because you’re traveling alone doesn’t mean you can’t socialize with anyone during your trip. You might meet people in a local bar or café one afternoon, or perhaps you could even go on an organized tour where you can bond with fellow travelers? It could be the perfect opportunity to make new friends from all over the world. You can find out about the best spots to hang out at your destination or more information on tour opportunities via sites such as Mr Hudson Explores, or similar travel blogs that have been written about your destination.
Improves Your Self-esteem
It takes a lot of confidence to be able to go away to somewhere new alone, but doing so could do a lot to help boost your self-esteem. Becoming more comfortable with spending time by yourself in public places will help you enjoy life more when you return, and perhaps encourage you to make more time to spend by yourself rather than feeling the pressure to always engage in social activity. While it’s important to socialize, it’s equally important to be able to say “no” and give yourself time to relax and recharge, whether it’s at home or by taking yourself on a nice day out.
It might seem intimidating if you haven’t traveled solo before, but there are some great benefits to it making it worth you giving it a try.