Why You Need to Travel Solo This Summer
Have you ever dreamed of taking a vacation alone? A solo travel adventure is one experience everyone should have during their lifetime. Sure, the idea of it may seem a bit unsettling at first. You may worry about your safety or fear the inevitable feelings of loneliness. These are valid concerns, but they shouldn’t dissuade you from going. There’re too many positive benefits to reap from going it alone, whether you’re headed somewhere local or abroad. You’ll return with a renewed sense of self, valuable experience, and lifelong memories. Need more reasons? We’ve got a whole list! Read on to discover why you should travel solo this summer.
Build Confidence
Putting your life into a backpack and setting out into the world alone will force you out of your comfort zone. If you’re wary of public transport, for example, now you’ll have no choice but to use it. Do you usually let others in the group do the talking? Now you’ll have to work up the courage to converse with strangers. Making these types of decisions on your own will be scary at first. After a while, though, you’ll start to feel more confident in your choices. Overcoming new obstacles will make you better at problem-solving. As a result, you’ll become more assertive and decisive and develop a stronger trust in yourself.
Discover Yourself
Traveling solo is a great way to reconnect with yourself and discover who you really are away from family and friends. Whether we realize it or not, the people and places around us influence the way we think, act, and feel. Does your job align with who you really are, or do you do the work because it fits with society’s expectations? Do you like the taste of certain foods, or do you just eat them because it’s what you grew up with? Spending time alone will force you to ask yourself these kinds of questions. Giving yourself time to think and reflect will help you to reexamine your ideologies and life goals. You may even learn things about yourself that you and others may have previously overlooked.
Learn New Languages
Your solo adventure will push you to learn how to communicate with the locals and anyone else you may meet on your trip. Say the weather turns, and you pop into a store to buy a women’s sweater, for example. You may need to ask about sizes or the price. Likewise, if you have food allergies and are heading to a restaurant, you may want to inquire about the ingredients. Knowing a few words or phrases in the local language will certainly help you in these types of scenarios. You’ll also meet other travelers on your journey who will be from all different parts of the world. Conversing with them will introduce you to new words and phrases, too. Even if you travel within your own country, you’ll encounter new slang words or colloquial expressions native to different regions.
Enjoy Unlimited Freedom
Traveling with family or friends is a great bonding experience, and you’re sure to make lots of memories. It also comes with its downfalls, though. Making decisions can take a long time, for example, since everyone’s feelings should be taken into account. Going it alone frees you up to make decisions without restriction. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to try a Japanese onsen, for example, but your friends wouldn’t dare bathe without their swimsuits. Maybe you want to get up at sunrise, but your partner would prefer to sleep in. When traveling solo, the only person you have to answer to is you. That means doing whatever you want, whenever you want. There’re not many opportunities you get in life to be spontaneous and a bit reckless. Take your chance and have a new adventure free of compromise and negotiation.
Make New Friends
Even if you enjoy spending time alone, there will be times when you miss human interaction. Without companions to talk to, you’ll be forced to be more open to the people around you on your solo adventure. Engaging with the locals is a great way to discover more about the language, culture, and history of the place you’re in
By talking with other travelers, you may discover tips and hidden gems. These conversations will lead you to discover shared interests and hobbies, providing plenty of opportunities to make new friends. Being alone also makes you more approachable than you would be with a partner or in a group. You, in turn, will be more inclined to chat with those around you as you get more comfortable being on your own.
From building your self-confidence to making lifelong friends, there are so many benefits to traveling solo. Even if it’s a bit scary at first, this is one adventure everyone should take themselves on. Not only will your perspective grow, you’ll have so many memories and experiences to bring home. Lands’ End is here to support you on your journey. We have everything you need to set off in confidence and style. Shop our collection for high-quality, long-lasting travel essentials, like women’s travel bags.