I used to fear traveling alone because it reminded me that I was no longer traveling with my partner. However, I knew I had to overcome this fear. My first solo trip was an island-hopping adventure in Greece.

I could honestly talk about all of the benefits of solo travel endlessly. When you start traveling alone, it may become addicting. There is certainly nothing quite like exploring a new country on your own, taking it all in without anyone but yourself – unless you bring your dog along, like I do.

Five life-changing outcomes of solo travel:

1. Freedom: Traveling alone means there’s no schedule to follow. You can plan your day as you wish and stay as long as you want in places you like.
2. Self-discovery: Traveling alone gives you an opportunity to truly understand what you like and what you value without anyone else’s opinions influencing your decisions. It allows you to connect with yourself on a deeper level.
3. Confidence: Traveling alone requires you to step out of your comfort zone, handle new situations, deal with problems, and interact with new people. All these experiences make you stronger, more resourceful, and more confident.
4. Cultural Understanding: Traveling alone allows you to immerse yourself in different cultures, and if you are in a foreign country, you will likely practice the new language more often.
5. Mindfulness: Traveling alone lets you enjoy the moment more because there are no distractions. It helps you appreciate everything around you.

When you decide to take a break from your life and go on airplane mode, you remember that you are living for yourself. You stop worrying about the outcome because you know that everything, good or bad, will eventually pass.

What you don’t realize when you face your fears is that the unknown begins to fade away. You are present, at peace, and life becomes simple as you start to live by your own rules.

Tips to overcome the fear of traveling alone:

1. Understand and Accept the Fear: It’s normal to feel scared about traveling alone. Don’t push these feelings away. Understand them as a natural reaction. Knowing your fear reduces its control over you.

2. Start Small: Begin with easy steps like exploring your city alone, taking a day trip, or a short drive near your home. Take longer trips when you feel more confident.

3. Plan Well: Good planning can reduce worry. Find out about your destination, learn a few phrases, duplicate important papers, get travel insurance, and make a plan (but be ready to change it).

4. Change Your Thinking: Don’t focus on the fears, but think about the fun, freedom, and learning opportunities from traveling alone. View it as a positive challenge, not something frightening.

5. Try Mindfulness: If you feel worried, use mindfulness tricks like deep breaths, meditating, or grounding exercises to stay in the moment and calm down. This stops the worry from getting too big.

6. Be Safe: While being careful, don’t let fear of the worst things happening stop you. Be safe in simple ways like knowing what’s around you, trusting your gut, and having emergency numbers ready.

7. Enjoy the Feeling: A little worry is normal and can keep you sharp. Enjoy it as a sign that you’re leaving your comfort zone and becoming a better person.The more you travel alone, the more you’ll believe in yourself.

Remember, to live life for yourself and let go of worrying about what might or might not happen. Traveling alone became more than an adventure. It helped me learn to enjoy my own company, and see life in a new way by facing my fears. Need a nudge to go on your first solo adventure? You may just start planning your first Eat Pray Love journey and buying your plane ticket after listening to this episode on Apple or Spotify.

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