There’s something about ‘wanderlust’ that seduces our being. We don’t have to be big travel enthusiasts on a soul-searching mission waiting for our moment of epiphany on a vacation to change the trajectory of our lives. It could be a realisation as simple as that life doesn’t need to be taken so seriously, or that nobody cares, and that’s actually liberating, that makes travelling a transformative respite.
For many of us, tiny moments of courage resulted in our first solo travel trip, and there’s been no looking back. People who are lone explorers often have a big motivation for the same. These solo travellers online have scribbled the biggest lessons they have learned on their journeys, and they’re worth a look:
1. “That you are the only main constant for happiness in your life. I learned that I’m the only one who can truly live my life and determine who I am and that isn’t dependent on others. I basically gained a higher sense of independence and autonomy in my life.”
2. “I strike up conversations with strangers more easily now. That was a big hurdle for me growing up.”
3. “No one cares what I’m doing. I have a lot of anxiety and I used to be so self conscious in public. When I started traveling alone, I had to start eating at restaurants by myself and going to museums by myself and asking people for help/ directions. All that stuff would have stressed me out so badly at home but when I was traveling I was able to do it because I figured I’ll never see any of these people again.”
4. “That the vast majority of people in the world are kind, helpful, giving, and welcoming. Yes, there will be assholes, but they are by far the minority. My interactions with others have taught me how to be kinder to others, especially strangers.”
– ra-chill
5. “That I can live with the bare minimum without any luxuries. This had led me towards a minimalist lifestyle back home. I’m currently in the process of an aggressive de-clutter of my room.”
6. “I’ve learned to rest! I first went on my solo trips to deal with my anxiety disorder and panic attacks. Once I recognized how I was healing, I brought that back to my every day life. There’s nothing more important to me now than restorative health!”
– SOS1983
7. “I’ve learned that I really don’t mind having dinner by myself or drinking at a bar alone either. I’m cool with venturing off in a new city by myself, and that I’m self-sufficient enough to navigate alone through a new city/language/culture. It’s like a superpower I notice a lot of my friends and family don’t have.”
– aramos96
8. “Biggest thing I learned was that traveling doesn’t make my problems disappear. I was unhappy back home, but that shit was internal so of course it followed me in my travels. Yes, it helped a little to be distracted, but at the end of the day my problems are something that need to be addressed and I can’t just run away from them.”
9. “To just enjoy your trip and not overthink everything. Not every experience needs to provide some deep philosophical awakening.”
– o2msc
10. “It made me think about: ‘What do I bring to the party?’ Energy and enthusiasm? A kindly demeanor? Sense of humor? an I explain my culture’s peculiarities simply, clearly and honestly? What do I, random human, bring to the room, the campground, the hostel, the bar? I watch travellers and tourists stop for a coffee, glance around the new place, then pull out their cell phones and hunker down with their noses in, oblivious and unapproachable. Solo travel taught me what a distinct social turnoff that is.”
11. “I learnt how to be assertive, and how not to mistake it for rudeness but rather a functional necessity of expression.”
12. “That when you put yourself out there, you never know who you will meet and how they may affect your life. Life’s short, don’t let these amazing opportunities pass you by.”
13. “That we are all so similar and so many things binds us together. I have always loved interactions in hostels or otherwise where you can sit together and laugh at a particular joke. It’s so nice to see how simple things binds us together.”
14. “Best memories are usually unplanned.”
15. “That while I don’t always like or understand myself, I can still trust myself fully. What I mean by that is that sometimes when I’m traveling, I don’t always have the most awesome of a time. I don’t really know if I’ll be outgoing or not. I don’t really know if I’ll get drunk every night or be ascetic until the plane ride home. But I can still trust that wherever I am, I will be okay. I’m capable of accomplishing all my needs: biological, psychological, and sociological. I’ve been through some terrible things and made it home without scars.”
16. “The world is nothing like the media makes it out to be.”
Solo travel need not be a rite of passage, it can be just you liking your own company in the era of online connections. We can try giving ourselves that chance.