If you’d told 2022 Jamie that she’d have travelled to multiple countries on her own, she’d never believe you.
But once I experienced solo travel for the first time, I just wanted to do it more and more.
Don’t get me wrong – I love a girls’ trip with my best friend or a romantic getaway with a significant other. But solo travel unlocks something deep within you, and once unlocked, there’s no way to close it up again.
It’s daunting at first, it’s just you figuring out every big and little thing. But once you do figure it out, it will be the most rewarding and addictive feeling.
Don’t ever ask me if you should go on a solo trip if you don’t want me to tell you to book the ticket right there and then. I will wholeheartedly and without hesitation tell you to do it. You will grow in ways you had never imagined, and it will change your life. I promise. In a good or bad way – that’s entirely up to you and what you make of your experience.
How Solo Travel Changed Me
It’s up to you.
The more you travel alone, the more you discover who you really are. Being alone in unfamiliar places with no one to rely on but yourself helps you understand your strengths, limits, and preferences.
You learn to rely on yourself and make decisions without any outside influences. You have to navigate airports, cities, cultures, and moments of discomfort on your own. I’ve had many moments where I’ve just wanted to break down and cry because I’ve taken the metro in the wrong direction, I got caught in a downpour without any shelter nearby, or I took a wrong turn and got completely lost. I felt awkward going on theme park rides by myself. I struggled with language barriers. All this discomfort, though, led to the building of confidence like nothing else. You can’t control what happens, but you learn you can handle it.
You also get to decide how, where, what, and when. Your trip is entirely up to you. You choose the accommodation, the food, the sights, the museums, and the activities. You can choose to wake up at 6:30 to walk around the city centre while it’s quiet. You can choose to be in bed by 8 pm or stay up to watch the sunset. You can skip visiting a “famous” museum to sit on a park bench watching street musicians play next to a fountain. It is entirely up to you and is a way to put yourself back in the driver’s seat of your life.
There’s escape in escaping.
Sometimes you need distance from people, routines, and even your own noise to hear yourself clearly again. Solo travel gives you space to reflect and reset.
Without constant interaction, your mind has the opportunity to slow down and reconnect with what truly matters. This can be overwhelming, and you can find yourself crying on a park bench in the middle of Copenhagen. But it’s also such a release. You can take stock, check in with yourself, and reconnect with your soul. Sometimes, when life is so overwhelming and chaotic, some quality time alone can be the perfect escape.
You choose what to do, where to go, how long to stay, and when to move on. That freedom from breaking your routine is rare and incredibly empowering.
You realise change isn’t all that scary.
You’re not just seeing the world, you’re changing how you see yourself and life. Experiencing different cultures and ways of life can broaden your worldview. You realise how big the world is, and how many ways there are to live a life. You start to question the “default settings” of your own life. Just because you’re used to doing things one way doesn’t make any other way wrong.
Solo travel strips things back. You’re not constantly checking your phone or social media or dealing with work demands. You realise how little you need to feel fulfilled – a good view with a sweet treat does the trick perfectly. You start to evaluate how you spend your time and energy because while you’re travelling, your main goal is to be intentional. That will begin to bleed into your everyday life.
Change isn’t so scary and daunting anymore. Adapting to new customs, foods, and changing plans is a daily occurrence. Uncertainty starts to become normalised. Change becomes less of a threat and more of a natural way of life. This will carry over after the trip when you find yourself becoming more adaptable and less resistant to change.
End of Part 1 (because there will be more)
The art of doing it alone lies in the growth and quiet moments. In the way you learn to trust your gut, navigate uncertainty, and sit in the stillness of your own company. It’s the joy of waking up in a city where no one knows your name and not feeling lonely.
If you’ve been waiting for the right time or for someone to do it with you, stop waiting.
Go. Book the ticket. Pack light. Leave room for discovery.
Do it scared, do it alone, as long as you do it.
All the love, Jay.
Just Jay 