People often ask me why I travel solo, but the answer is simple. Well, I don’t want to miss a trip if my friends have other things to do. It is common to search for a company if you want to visit a particular destination, such as the Greek islands. Are you dreaming of a week in a hostel in Athens or a weekend in a nice hotel that the Greek islands can offer you? Are you looking forward to exploring every opportunity of life, but no one is available? What then? The solution is to travel alone. To have as company your best friend, a mate that will never leave you. Yourself. And the greatest thing is that you learn a lot of things about this amazing mate when you take this decision.
In my daily routine, I normally had no time for myself, and I was tending to ignore those imperceptible details that define me. Travelling was always an excellent option to think about my dreams, my expectations and my attitudes. Unfortunately, vacations are often the only interval, in which we can relax and reconsider our life. If we systematically spend this time with our friends, it is impossible to find the precious time we need for ourselves.
Furthermore, travelling solo gave me the confidence to cope with things and people without the assistance of others. I have learned to prioritise what really matters, to be patient and to accept the fact that I can’t control everything. Consequently, I improved my character, giving my mind a different view of my life. Do you know what is as important as having friends? Discussing with yourself, being aware of your inner world. Personally, I have not found a better way to do that than travelling alone.
Certainly, I became more independent than ever. I could do everything I want without explanations and disagreements. I was flexible and responsible for taking care of myself. If this sounds scary to you, you should definitely travel solo. You can’t recognise your limits and your capabilities before doing that. After that, you can move on to the next step. You will learn how to love yourself. If you have experimented with your life, if you have rediscovered who you are, it is simple to love this life and its protagonist. And if you learn to love yourself, you will learn to have compassion for your neighbours, your fellow friends and even the everyday strangers.
However, you should keep in mind that just because you have travelled alone does not mean you will transform yourself into a whole new person. That depends on how open and receptive you are while travelling and interacting with your environment.