The Beauty of Travelling Solo

There is something wonderfully liberating about travelling alone.

Now, before you tell me, “Ms. Mindful Traveller, I could NEVER travel by myself!”, hear me out. It does not have to be a grand trip, start small, an afternoon to yourself in a new place. You might be surprised by what happens when you take a little trip with your favourite travel companion, You.

Solo travel doesn’t necessarily mean being lonely. In fact, it can be quite the opposite. When you travel alone, you become more open to the world around you. There’s no one beside you to ask, “Where are we going?” because you get to decide!

Want to spend two hours sitting at a café watching the world go by? Go ahead.

Want to wander down that little cobblestone street just because it looks interesting? Absolutely.

Want to change your plans at the last minute and follow the music you hear coming from the plaza? Why not? And if you want to spend the entire afternoon doing absolutely nothing except reading beside the pool, nobody is going to complain about the itinerary!

But perhaps the greatest gift of solo travel is the opportunity to reconnect with yourself. When we’re travelling with others, we naturally compromise. We consider someone else’s interests, energy, appetite and schedule. Travelling alone gives you permission to listen to your own. What do I want today? Not what everyone else wants. Not what the guidebook says I should do. What do I want?

Solo travel can also teach us that we are far more capable than we sometimes give ourselves credit for. Finding our way around a new city, ordering in another language, navigating public transportation, sitting down alone for dinner, can all feel a little intimidating at first. You may even discover that you’re never really alone when you travel. A stranger may strike up a conversation. Someone may invite you to join their table. You might make a friend on a walking tour, share a laugh with a local, or find yourself chatting with someone over coffee. When we travel alone, we often become more approachable and more willing to approach others.

So if you’ve always travelled with someone else, perhaps consider giving yourself the gift of a solo adventure. It doesn’t have to be six months backpacking across Europe.

Start small. Take a day trip. Book a weekend away. Sit in a restaurant by yourself. Go somewhere you’ve always wanted to go even if in your own city. Notice what happens when you give yourself the freedom to choose the adventure. Sometimes the most important person we need to get to know better is ourselves.

So pack your bag, trust your instincts, leave a little room in the itinerary and go discover the world.

You might just discover you along the way.

Yours adventurous, Ms. Mindful Traveller

P.S. Watch “The Beauty of Travelling Solo” on YouTube: YouTube Short