Loneliness is one of those feelings people dread as if it\u2019s their worst enemy. Quite logically, considering embarking on a solo trip can be a scary thought. On one hand, there\u2019s this nagging fear you will end up spending weeks or months on your own. On the other hand, the experience sounds tempting because it offers full flexibility and freedom.<\/p>\n
So, what\u2019s stopping you from taking the plunge? Ironically, it\u2019s not the potential of feeling lonely that\u2019s holding you back, but your current self. Of course, you will inevitably be completely on your own at times, and sooner or later you\u2019ll have to face up to your fears and shortcomings. But travelling alone is probably the greatest gift you can give yourself. You\u2019ll undoubtedly learn a lot from the experience. You\u2019ll find that there\u2019s a lot more to solo travel than the few moments without companionship you\u2019ll experience.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ve just arrived in a new country and nobody knows who you are\u2014gone is the awful feeling of being judged all the time!<\/p>\n
You\u2019re given a chance to start from scratch. No need to pretend you\u2019re someone you\u2019re not, no need to act this way or that way. Quite simply, you can just be yourself.<\/p>\n
Throughout this unique experience, you\u2019ll learn things about yourself that you didn\u2019t know before. You may realize you didn\u2019t dare be yourself because you were afraid of being judged. You will also build, develop and cultivate all aspects of your personality and identity. It\u2019s amazing, really, and sooner or later, you\u2019re bound to say: \u201cWow, I didn\u2019t know I was like that!\u201d Indeed, one of the rewards of travelling solo is greater self-awareness.<\/p>\n
You might think that when you\u2019re on your own in a foreign land, you have to be cautious and distrust other people by default\u2014after all, your safety is at stake and they may not have your best interests in mind.<\/p>\n
While this attitude makes sense, this is also a time of your life when you will have to rely on other people to get around and get by. If you\u2019re lost, you\u2019re going to have to ask a passer-by for help, right? And similarly, if you want to socialize, you will have to reach out to people, whether at the bar, at the hostel or even on dating apps. If you set out with good intentions and an open mind, you\u2019re bound to attract like-minded good people.<\/p>\n
For instance, I\u2019ve never felt as often in good company as I do when travelling alone. Before I left on my trip, I assumed I was the kind of person who wasn\u2019t easy to approach. This was a limiting belief.<\/p>\n
Once, someone struck up a conversation with me as I was standing there, contemplating the landscape or architecture. We ended up spending the day together, wandering around, exploring places and learning from each other. So, being alone on a trip teaches you how to meet people and open up to others. There\u2019s no other way to do it if you don\u2019t want to feel lonely.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t know if you\u2019re like me, but I get attached to people and places pretty quickly. During your trip, you will connect with many different people but sadly, some of these connections won\u2019t last. As a solo traveller, you\u2019ll learn to accept that some people are only in your life for a brief moment. Meanwhile, you\u2019ll meet people who will become a surprisingly important part of your life.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, you will always get something from all these connections, like some passed-on knowledge that will stick with you. A tiny piece of them will always remain with you.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t