Things I Learned About Myself When I Travel Alone

 

Things I Learned About Myself When I Travel Alone

Traveling alone is like walking blindfolded into the unknown, which really makes you face whatever risks and hurdles come your way, and find out things about yourself in the process. When most people hear the word traveling alone, they view it like, okay, the person is going around visiting new places, but it is much more than that. Single travelling makes one discover new facets within oneself, and often the journey you undertake is one of personal discovery and growth of oneself. Reflecting on my previous solo travels, here are eight things I’ve learnt about myself.

Am Stronger Than I Thought

At the start of my one man journey, I felt so helpless and doubted myself whether I would be able to manage the journey alone. It feels quite threatening when one is out there, new environment with no single person they can run to. But as the days went by, I was to know how competent I am to take the challenge. These were usually simple options I had to take on my own, conflict resolutions without assistance, difficulties such as language and some issues with the traveling. At some point, I felt like I couldn’t take it anymore, but each time I conquered a barrier—however small—it felt like a victory. Travelling alone was so liberating, it showed me how much stronger I am and how I’m capable of doing things on my own.

Enjoy My Own Company

Another shocking revelation I got while traveling alone was how comfortable I felt being alone, I did not feel lonely at all. Initially the prospect of being lonely for days frightened me. Basically, in the era of fast lives and connection with others life can lose its value, not to mention the importance of being alone. However, the longer I wandered around on my own, the began to value peace, solitude, and the ability to do exactly what I wanted with no regard to the company’s staff. I became a lot more accepting of silence and actually began to appreciate the moments where I didn’t have to fill my time with noise. It was a realization that happiness isn’t as predicated on how much efficiency you have interaction with others, but rather how you relate to your self.

I Can Adapt to Anything

Traveling alone exposes you to several situations which make you be very elastic. It’s a simple reality that stuff happens – there are delays due to the flights, or train, or even bad weather. At first, I used to get stressed up with such an eventuality but later I understood that such are part of the journey. I learnt to be more flexible and be ready for anything. If I encountered some problems in the process I tried to change the attitude, think of the new strategies or try to get the maximum out of it. Travelling on my own learned me that it is not necessarily bad to not know all the plans from the start and that being able to be spontaneous is one of the most important things in life.

The first dream is I have a deep desire for adventure.

Being on my own was great because I could move at my own time and space; I now know how much I love to travel. That kind of autonomy of where to go, what to look at, and when to take a break was such a source of happiness that I hadn’t even realized I was lacking in my daily routine. If I was walking up a hill to get to a scenic point, if I was going on an archeological hunt, if I was lost in a city, the more I wandered, the more alive I got. That is why I understood that the soul needs to have some adventures, whether it is travel or something else. Not only is it a way to take life by the horns and make decisions that will take me out of my comfort zone.

I Am More Independent Than I Thought

Before my solo travels, I was used to have my friends or family to help me in making decisions or at least to share the decision making process with them. Traveling alone made me assume full responsibility of every bit of it. Right from determining the best means of transport to use to even choosing a place to sleep, I was on my own. As much as it was tiresomely stressful, it made me understand how self-reliant I am. I can do things myself, I do not require people’s help or support, I can take decisions for myself, I can face the world alone. One of the things that I got out of my travelling was my independence and I think I’ve never really let it go.

I Never Realized How Much I Value Human Connections

Despite the fact that solo travel is all about being on your own, I also discovered that it strengthens one’s perception of togetherness. It also means that experiencing new places with different people from different culture enable me to have different interaction which would not had otherwise. From engaging new strangers in conversation on buses or hoping on shared food experiences with local people I realized I appreciate interpersonal interactions. It also became apparent that it is a good idea to listen, understand and actively communicate with people, as these moments were sometimes the most valuable in traveling; learning these lessons and more made me realized that traveling solo is not as bad as it seems.

I Can Handle Uncertainty

The main point that it is difficult to be alone is a perfect reflection from the side of solo travel because one is exposed to uncertainty all the time. From the way to get from one place to another, to the way of what to do or eat next, it is sometimes very worrisome. However when dealing with such unknowns I was learning that I actually enjoy the unknowns. A big issue that I used to have been Worrying, rather than worrying about anything that comes my way, I gradually came to a point where I was okay with not knowing how a particular thing was going to work out. This mental revolution made me feel less anxious about the uncertain state which is life in particular. Travelling alone I learned that I don’t have to know everything at the moment — I just have to move forward step by step.

I Have a Newfound Appreciation for Life’s Small Moments

During those moments which I was traveling alone for instance, I was able to take my time and look at these aspects in a way which would not be possible going about normal life. From viewing the sun set on an isolated island or taking coffee at the nearby café, the ‘small’ things in life lens turned it into memorable event. I am grateful that life does not need to be loud and that there are many lessons in the small things. When I was alone I was able to minimize noise of the world and of my life and just be able to live in the moment.

Conclusion

Travelling on your own is not only how to find the destination but also about finding the self within. Here, I found out that it is possible to overcome obstacles, appreciate loneliness, and discover personal power, flexibility, and relationships. I have learned these lessons to be true and made me a more confident and self- assurance individual. Adventure travelling alone may not be very comfortable but it is definitely one of the most enriching experiences I have been through. If you have not done this yet, I encourage you to do that – and soon – because I’m convinced that you will open a whole new world for yourself – and learn a great deal about yourself as well.