The thought of traveling alone can be scary, but there are some undeniably brilliant benefits to going solo!

 1. Freedom to go wherever you like, whenever you like.

When you travel with others, it’s easy to fall into the trap of always doing what they want to do. Sometimes, out of courtesy, or just plain wanting to keep the peace, we agree to do things with our travel companion that we would otherwise have done differently, or not done at all.

Traveling alone, you have the freedom to go and do whatever you wish. Want to stay up til 3 am drinking wine and eating cheese in Paris? Go for it. Want to spend a week hiking in Nepal? Do it! Venice wasn’t as pretty as you thought? See somewhere else! You decide how your adventure plays out…Not to mention that fact that you can push the beds together in your hotel room and make one giant sleeping pit, and the bar fridge is yours, all yours!

2. You’ll learn just how tough you really are.

Unless you’re blessed by with a fairy godmother of traveling, something will probably go wrong along the way. This will make you feel stressed out, lonely, and sometimes, completely unable to cope. However, you will get through it. You’ll learn just how tough you really are by solving your own problems, and you’ll feel empowered by being so self-reliant. It’s a tough lesson to learn, but once you trust yourself to make it through, you’ll feel assured you can do anything.

 3. New friends!

When traveling with others, it’s natural to stick together and only socialize with the people you already know, but when you’re gallivanting solo you can meet all kinds of people! Don’t be frightened to say hello. It’s amazing what you can learn about different cultures and the intricacies of places when you ask the locals. Plus, you’ll have an excuse to come back and visit your new pals!

4. Your secrets are safe.

Whether you’re traveling to escape something, to get to know yourself, or just to see the world, being on your own means that all your memories and secrets are totally safe. You can cope with your feelings and thoughts; however is best for you, and there’s no one there to judge, or provide unwanted advice.

There’s also a kind of magic to creating your own memories that can only be felt when you go your own way. You can dance in the street, meditate on mountains, even fall down the steps of the Eiffel Tower and no one will be there to remind you of how embarrassing it was at your next birthday. Those moments become your stories that you can share if you wish, or keep to yourself forever.

 5. You’ll learn to like yourself.

Spending a lot of time by yourself can be daunting and lonely at times, but collecting experiences on your own makes you more self –aware and independent. By learning about other cultures and people, you’ll become much more in tune with who you are and who you want to be. You’ll have the time and space to really listen to your own thoughts and ideas, and have the freedom to explore and act upon them. When the most company you keep is your own, you can learn why other people are so intrigued by you, and what you like about yourself.

 6. Home feels like home again.

No matter where you go, coming home is always a lovely feeling. When you’ve been traveling solo, returning to everyone and everything familiar is extra comforting. You get to regale everyone with your adventures while basking in the creature comforts of the place you’ve grown to love the most. After all, nothing feels as good as being curled up in your own bed…

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