My name is Nicole and I am a digital nomad who has a passion for travel.
This is quite an easy topic for me as I have been on a journey of personal growth through travel.
A few years ago I was working in an office job which I really did not like. It was full of toxicity and I was quite frustrated at the time.
I always enjoyed traveling however it was always with other people. I kept asking others to join me on trips, but even though they kept talking about doing it, they never committed.
So I decided to travel on my own.
Traveling solo as a woman can be daunting especially if you haven't done it before. People tried very hard to scare me and put me off doing it by saying things like I may get robbed, I would not have someone to take my photos or I would just not enjoy the sights because I would not have someone to share the moment with! Yes, these are all probable reasons not to travel, but I decided not to listen to the 'noise of negativity ' and I went ahead and traveled on my own.
Here are some reasons why I think everyone should try it at least once in their lifetime.
1) TRAVELING ALONE MAKES YOU INDEPENDENT
I have always been fairly independent, however traveling to a country where you don't understand the language can be quite daunting. This is especially true when you travel alone as you have no one to take care of you but you! You are forced to plan, ask, focus, and understand information. I did intensive research prior to each trip which really contributed to the success of most of my trips. I pre-booked trains, thereby paying less, I checked the Google reviews of the accommodations I stayed at and if I was arriving late, I looked for hotels with free airport transfers. You become used to being able to make your own decisions and 'landing on your feet
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| Melbourne Station |
2) SOLO TRAVEL BOOSTS CONFIDENCE
When you travel alone and you are in a country you have never been to before you are forced to be strong. You have to talk to strangers and venture to places you have never been and this can be intimidating, however, once you are in the situation you have no choice but to be brave. Once you get into the flow of asking for help or talking to strangers it becomes easier and your self-esteem will improve.
I agree that the idea of solo travel may be scary for some but you can do it and the sense of accomplishment you have afterward is addictive.
Leaving Gare Cornavin Central Railway Station
3) YOU BECOME MORE FLEXIBLE AND CREATIVE
Everyone will agree, life is just never simple.
You can plan all you like but something can happen to throw a curveball to your plans. This is especially true when you travel. You may miss a plane, lose your wallet, or even get injured! Do you stop and crumble? No, you can't !!
You HAVE to move on and be creative and make the best of your situation. I sprained my ankle on one of my trips, lost my wallet, and had incidents of encounters with rude people. I just had to change my attitude, be more open, and think of different ways of doing things. Guess what? I made it and actually had the best trips ever!
4) YOU LEARN TO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING
When you travel you learn to appreciate everything you see so much more.
Nature, architecture, food, people, and so on can be valued at a level you never did before. Seeing wondrous sights in other countries leads to an explosion of awareness of the beauty of the world
Luxembourg
Black Gorges -Mauritius
Eating street food in Dusseldorf
5) MEET INTERESTING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD
One of the more wonderful parts of travel is meeting new people from different cultures around the world!
During my travels, I have met some people that I keep in contact with, and some I have never heard of again. There is one common interest between us-the love of travel. It is amazing to meet new people from all over the globe with whom you can share moments that will forever stay in your memory
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| Having fun with these kids in Old Town Prague |
6) SCIENTIFIC FACT -TRAVEL MAKES YOU HAPPY
The collection of all the above reasons will produce a happier you.
It's been proven! Travel does make you happy. I can attest to this as I have personally grown from traveling. I have learned to appreciate everything I have and I am really so much happier than I was before I stepped out into the world of solo travel.
There is something so incredible about learning to spend and enjoy time with yourself. You learn to respect your space and it is so much easier to know what your limits and boundaries are. When you travel, especially on your own, you can take in the full experience without being distracted by anyone else. I have reached the stage where I don't even want to travel with anyone unless it is to a country where it is not advised for women to travel alone.
CONCLUSION :
I always advise women to travel to a new country at least once in their lives.
This is especially true for women who have faced challenges in their lives and have lived through trauma. It will heal and you will find the strength you never knew you had. Slowly, and surely your motivation and self-image will improve and you will see the best in yourself.
HAPPY TRAVELS FROM NICOLE STEPPING OUT!
