10 Reasons Why We Should Travel Alone At Least Once In Our Lives

1. It's incredibly rewarding

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Traveling alone probably sounds incredibly daunting and probably hasn't crossed many people's minds.  However, those that have taken the plunge and taken their own solitary adventure of a lifetime will tell you that it is such a rewarding experience.  It brings self-discovery, personal growth, fierce independence, and that amazing feeling of freedom and true spontaneity.  Here are some great reasons that might inspire you to take your first solo trip!

2. Unfiltered self-discovery

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When you're alone, you can really focus on yourself.  There's no one else around you influence your thoughts, ideas, or actions, so you can really hear yourself think.  This allows you to truly get to know yourself and begin to understand your own thoughts, preferences, and even your desires without any outside noise or too many external influences clouding your mind.

3. Empowering independence

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When you travel alone, you are forced into a situation where you have to be completely independent.  You can only really rely on yourself when you set off on your solo adventure.  This can give you a huge boost and allows you to feel empowered and fiercely independent.  And you can bring this into your day-to-day life back home too, facing anything head-on whilst knowing that you can rely on yourself.

4. Having the freedom to roam

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When you travel with a group of people, whether it's a group of friends or family, it's quite comforting being in the company of those you love.  However, this can be quite restricting because you have more than just yourself to consider.  Before venturing out or making any decisions, you have to make sure everyone's on board.  But being alone really allows you the freedom to roam.

5. Making new connections

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When you are traveling alone, you are more likely to be able to make some really meaningful and deep connections along the way.  These connections could be with yourself, with the world around you, and even connections with other people from across the globe.  And these connections might even last you a lifetime as you meet with new people and experiences along the way.

6. Pushing your comfort zone

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It goes without saying that for most people, traveling alone IS a huge leap out of their comfort zone.  But whilst you are away, being alone means that you can push your comfort zone even more.  For example, trying new exhilarating experiences that other travel companions might talk you out of, or even just heading out and speaking to locals in your different destinations.

7. Learning new languages

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As you push your comfort zone by speaking to the locals, this gives you the opportunity to hone your language learning skills and put them to the test.  As you travel, you can practice different languages along the way.  And you might not necessarily get as much practice if you are traveling with other people who speak the same language as you.  Being alone will force you to speak in the local tongue.

8. Immerse yourself in culture

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When you travel alone, you'll find that you have very few distractions from your trip and only being influenced by your own decisions means that you can really immerse yourself into the local cultures and lifestyles within your destinations.  Without other people influencing your decisions whilst you are away, you can really take an immersive cultural dive and experience your destinations to the fullest.

9. Build your resilience and overcome challenges

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Being alone on your travels means that you have to overcome challenging situations pretty much by yourself.  Of course, there is the chance that you'll meet people along the way and have support from loved ones back home, but the reality is that you need to be able to face and conquer any challenges yourself.  This sounds daunting but, in truth, this is perfect for your life skills and resilience building!

10. Conquer your fears

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Some of these challenging situations might make you feel a little fearful, not to mention the fact that some do actually fear traveling alone.  But facing your fears head-on, whilst considering your own well-being and safety, can help you to conquer them.  Whether your fear is being alone or being forced into a situation where you have to fend for yourself or meet new people, at least this helps you to overcome some of your fears that you once had and perhaps you'll return as a more confident individual!

11. Relish in quiet moments

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With no one accompanying you on your trip, you might feel like you'd be pretty lonely for the duration of your travels.  But the thing is, rather than seeing being alone as something to fear, embracing it as an amazing opportunity would do you a lot of good.  You see, without anyone else's noise and complexities, you can really relish in those quiet moments for introspection as well as personal growth.

12. Savor the local cuisine

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Have you ever been on vacation with other people and had to really consider their preferences before your own?  Well, another reason to travel alone is so you can have your own pick of the local delicacies and savor the cuisine within each destination.  And being alone means that it's all your choice, you can choose the eatery and the food and no one can stop you on your quest for mouthwatering tastes.

13. Gain a fresh perspective

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Traveling alone really allows you to take a step back from life and by stepping out of your usual routine, it lets you see life from a different angle.  Perhaps you've been in a job back home that you've been meaning to leave, or you have had a dream that you have always wanted to pursue but never had the guts to.  Gaining this new and different perspective on life can really broaden your horizons and give you the courage to step out of your comfort zone in pursuit of new experiences and opportunities.

14. Design your own schedule

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Nobody's time management is the same, and when you're traveling, it can become really frustrating when you're either waiting for someone to be ready to head out or when you want to take it slow but other people want to get going.  So, what is the solution?  I hear you ask!  Well, it's traveling alone, of course!  You can design your own schedule and choose when to speed up and slow down at your own pace, not somebody else's!

15. Get creative

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Traveling alone also allows your creative juices to flow wildly as you express yourself and your preferences through your experiences and schedule.  Being alone means that your creativity cannot be restricted by anyone else who might have accompanied you on your trip.  You can truly be yourself and allow yourself to explore with unrestricted freedom and curiosity.

16. Digital detox

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When we say traveling alone, you might think that it would be OK because you'll have everyone in the palm of your hand, perhaps on your phone or another device that you carry around.  But wouldn't it be nice to just place all of your screens away in your bag, only to bring them out for emergencies?  Of course, you might want to use them to capture images and videos for your own memories, but why would you sit endlessly scrolling in an amazing location instead of allowing yourself a digital detox?  Enjoy the real world, not the digital one!

17. Tick off items on your bucket list

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Now, of course, everyone's bucket list is different and unique to them.  So if you travel with someone else, you might find that you're working down their bucket list instead of your own.  Traveling by yourself means that you make all of the decisions and you can really start working on your own bucket list, ticking off those once-in-a-lifetime and amazing experiences that you have always only dreamed about!

18. Rediscover forgotten hobbies and interests

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Do you remember when you used to cook delicious meals, do yoga every day, or even create weird and wonderful sculptures and pots?  Well, now you probably do and you'll be thrilled to find out that there are so many opportunities for you to rediscover old hobbies or even create new ones whilst you travel.  Eco-hotels offer many courses to choose from so you won't find yourself twiddling your thumbs whilst you are away!

19. Collect beautiful memories

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Collecting is a hobby that many people have back at home, but wouldn't it be awesome to embrace this hobby whilst you are away on your trip?  Now, obviously, you want to travel light so you don't want to be filling your backpack with endless items so just collect your favorite souvenirs and capture memories through taking photographs and videos too.  When you return, you can use them to tell captivating stories of your travels.

20. Lose yourself in stunning sunsets

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Without distractions, you can really lose yourself in stunning sunsets after a long day of exploration and discovery.  Looking out into the vast sky can really make you feel so tiny.  And this is so reassuring if we approach this mindfully because it really does put life's problems into perspective.  We are grains of sand in the enormous universe, and that's an uplifting and comforting thought to ponder as we watch the sun set on another day.

21. Connect with the world around you

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When you travel alone, you can make much deeper connections not only with other people but also with the world around you.  This might include the nature and wildlife that thrives in each of your travel destinations or even the awe-inspiring landmarks that you choose to visit.  Being alone means you can fully immerse, meaning that you can connect with your surrounding and enrich your own knowledge and understanding, as well as cultivate your empathy and understanding of different cultures.

22. Be spontaneous

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When you have no one else in your traveling party to really consider, particularly when it comes to preferences, you can be super spontaneous with your trip too.  Even if you have it all meticulously planned out, who's to say that there won't be incredible opportunities along the way?  Being alone means that you can actually say yes and dive into new interesting experiences that you perhaps wouldn't have planned yourself!

23. Reach inner peace

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Being alone can also really bring you some inner peace and tranquility that we all probably crave.  Taking that well-needed time out of the usual busy routine and stepping into a world of self-discovery can really create inner peace for an individual.  Traveling alone means that you have the time, the freedom, and the quiet to really examine your own thoughts, free from the noise that comes with travel companions.

24. Create new beginnings

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Taking a step out of your usual lifestyle and traveling solo, however long your trip is, can really help you to reset various aspects of your life.  You'll have moments free from distraction that you might naturally use to reflect on your life, thinking about what's working and what's really not making you happy or content.  These moments are precious and usually hard to come by, which means that you'll relish in them and create some new beginnings for yourself.  Besides, think of the opportunities that await you on your trip!

25. Venture into the unknown

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When you only have yourself to plan for, you can really venture into the unknown, both literally speaking and figuratively.  You can go off-piste and explore the lesser-known corners of the world and you can also explore the quieter and lesser-visited areas of your mind too.  Getting to know the world, as well as getting to understand and know yourself a little better.

26. Become a time traveler!

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If you travel alone, you can become a time traveler!  Days appear to lengthen when you're in the company of just yourself and your backpack which means that it feels as if you have much more time to yourself to explore your destinations.  You see, when your travel with someone else, you end up missing important moments because you're distracted and before you know it, your trip has come to an end!

27. Embrace serendipity

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Alone, you can also find so much joy in serendipity and embrace this wonderful phenomenon as you explore the world.  Some experiences cannot be planned and stumbling upon them accidentally can make you feel like you've won the jackpot of a lifetime.  Being alone makes it more likely that you'll be able to carry this kind of luck with you because you can pay closer attention to your surroundings.

28. The ultimate self-care

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Being with loved ones can be so uplifting.  People have the amazing power to boost you, even when you are feeling low.  But you cannot rely on others all the time, you have to be able to build the skill of relying on yourself for your own well-being and self-care.  And traveling can help you to build your own practices as well as your resilience and you can bring this into your day-to-day life, returning as a well-rounded, resilient, and confident individual.

29. Fully appreciate each experience

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Being alone means that you can fully appreciate each of your experiences in peace, with no distractions from one or more traveling companions.  Because who wants somebody wanting to do something else when you're living your best life in the middle of Iceland's spectacular Hrunalaug Hot Spring?!  You can throw your whole self into each activity and experience along the way, fully immersing yourself into your surroundings, as well as the culture.

30. Build a lifetime of storytelling

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No matter where your solo journey takes you, you can guarantee that it is going to bring you a whole lifetime of storytelling.  In truth, there probably aren't many people that you know who will have embarked on their own trip which makes the fact that you went alone even more interesting, not to mention all of the fascinating experiences!  And no one else came with you which makes your audience for your tales from the road a whole lot bigger!