4 Things that traveling alone has taught me- by Diana Athena.

Image from Unsplash

Image from Unsplash

My whole life I have been so attached to people around me: my romantic partners, my friends and my family. So much so that I never really took the chance to understand or even to explore what I wanted for myself. 

Traveling in a group was a big part of it for all the obvious reasons like splitting travels costs and having someone to keep me company because I felt secure with others, letting them make choices and decisions for me.

Until one day, I realized that by doing so I was depending on the people that I travel with.

In September 2016, I took my first solo getaway. I made a leap and booked the trip. I can’t say that it was an easy decision; but, it certainly was the right one. That time away was the best quality time I have ever spent with myself. 

Ever since then, I have become very careful in choosing a traveling buddy and I always consider traveling alone being the best time spent with me. 


Here are a few things traveling solo has helped me understand: 

1. Being in a new environment clears the mind

Having a routine is comforting and knowing your neighborhood, your hometown can feel safe and secure. But a lot of time worrying about the same problems can also become a part of a monotonous routine, leaving no space for change in thoughts and patterns. That’s when traveling can come in handy. Better yet, traveling solo! Nothing clears one’s mind better than new surroundings, a push to solve new challenges and figure out new ways. The mind simply has no room or energy to loop around what seemed like a problem if it’s occupied and overwhelmed by figuring out all new sensory overload from the new exciting world. 

 

2. Traveling requires an element of surrender, going with the flow. 

It is likely that things may not be the same way as they are where you live. You won’t have access to your favorite supermarket or your regular cup of a bedtime tea.This may become uncomfortable if you are used to and like controlling your experiences (not to mention flight delays or unwanted traffic). However, try considering those things as a part of the adventure. This can be an opportunity to fill up that empty space with something new or do something that you have been holding off doing, like listening to that podcast you didn’t have time for.

 

3.It is important to keep an open and curious mind.

You can always find reasons to not like something and to stick with what seems familiar. However, it takes more courage to accept risks of new experiences, but that is also the only way to expand your perspective. 

 

4. You have to take full responsibility for your emotions/experiences.

Being with myself has truly helped me to get in touch with my own feelings as emotions can be contagious when we share them. While traveling with a partner, it is easy to express certain feelings to find approval/support. It also becomes easy to adopt your partner’s opinions as your own if you spend a lot of time together. However, when you are the only one making choices and conclusions about your experiences, you have plenty of room to be honest about the emotional coloring of your experiences. For me, that is the best way of getting to know myself better. Because I don’t have to worry about anyone else, so the only question remains is what do I want/experience/feel.