Building Confidence to Travel Solo

Doing anything alone, especially traveling alone, can be very scary at first. Acknowledge any fear you may have.

While recognizing this fear, also remind yourself that this fear, this scariness, is because of the unknown, not necessarily because it’s dangerous. Interestingly, this fear is actually trying to keep you safe. The body keeps you safe by keeping it surrounded by people, places, ideas, and things that are known, that are familiar, and thus comfortable to you. Our brains are hard-wired to keep us in our comfort zone.

Here are some suggestions on preparing yourself to travel solo for the first time:

• Take yourself on a date, around your local area. Take yourself to a museum, go to that farmer’s market you’ve always wanted to try, grab a meal at that new restaurant you’ve been eager to try out.

• Go for an overnight or a long weekend 1-2 hours away from your hometown. Is there a cute beach town you’ve always wanted to go to? Is there some place you are eager to explore? to hike? to bike?

• Plan a trip for a long weekend somewhere in your home country. Book a trip to that location you’ve dreamed of going to.

• Consider an international group travel experience which you can join as a solo traveler, book an interactive event, such as a cooking class, etc. so you can meet and chat with others who share similar interests. If you’re feeling brave, you may even want to plan a couple days on either side of that group travel experience to explore an area by yourself.

• Once you’ve nailed your first trip, the world will magically open up to you! There’s nothing you can’t do, no place you can’t go!

“If you must be regretful, regret what you didn’t do, not what you did. A man lets too many smiling opportunities pass him by.”

— Mark Twain