I've been a guest on a lot of podcasts lately and one question always comes up: why is it important for women to travel alone?
While there is a long answer to this questions, the short answer is: solo travel is nothing short of life-changing.
Here's a brief, personal story.
My late husband was, to say the least, gregarious. He was an extrovert. He lit up a room and got a party started. He was also a great listener. During our years together, I could take comfort in my introverted ways, enjoy the fun and the energy without any responsibility for making it happen.
Then he got sick and, in 2006, passed away. Life changed. It was quiet. Too quiet. To shake things up, I went on my first solo trip. And yes, my life changed again.
On that trip, I learned so much about myself. The most important thing I learned is that, over all those years together, I had integrated his extroverted ways into my being. I had skills and techniques that I could draw upon when wanted. I could be the social convener of my life.
Had I not traveled solo, it would have taken a long time to learn this.
7 Soul-Stirring Benefits for Women Who Travel Alone
Every woman's life is unique and every woman comes to solo travel for different reasons. It only makes sense that their soul-stirring benefit of traveling alone would also be unique. Here are some that women in my life, female readers, have shared. It is why they travel solo.
1. Self-care is more possible when alone.
The importance of self-care for women is talked a lot about. The how of self-care when there are so many responsibilities, is not quite as clear. This is where solo travel comes in. Whether it's a weekend getaway or longer, traveling solo can truly free a woman to do the self-care she needs. Here's my take on Solo Travel for Self-Care: A Personal Perspective.
2. Self-discovery happens when your routine is broken.
Going about your daily life does not lend itself to discovering new interests. As with my opening story, it doesn't let you recognize personal growth. It's by stepping out of the familiar that you can really discover who you are, your interests, abilities, and more. Solo travel takes you out of your routine.
3. New confidence can be found at any age.
It doesn't matter how young or old you are, throwing yourself into the unknown and thriving grows confidence. As a solo traveler you will navigate on your own and negotiate situations on your own. That builds confidence in small increments and, sometimes, in big ones. If you're unsure about this one, read Solo Travel Confidence: How to Be Strong, Capable, and Safe.
4. Abilities are tested and recognized when women travel alone.
One of the top reasons women travel alone is that, every time they go, they discover how capable they are. At home, doing the same thing over and over, one doesn't recognize how transferable their existing skills can be. Travel solo and take your abilities into a different setting, test them, and you will discover exactly how capable you are.
5. New interests are inevitable.
The freedom of doing what you want on your own schedule can take you down some interesting paths. Meeting people as a solo traveler introduces you to new ideas and opportunities in life. The freedom of traveling alone encourages exploration and, in my experience, new interests develop.
6. Find your voice.
Travel solo and you, inevitably, have to speak up for yourself. Perhaps a promised day tour was not delivered or you've been given a lousy table in a restaurant. Speaking up for yourself on the road helps you speak up for yourself at home.
7. Become more interesting to yourself and others.
The broader your life experience, the more of the world you explore, the more information you have to draw on to understand the “why” of the world. I feel like “why” is a bigger question than ever given world events. Reading, research, lectures, respectful discussions, and, yes, travel, help us better understand why.
While it's important for women to travel alone, whether you're a woman or not, there are so many other reasons for traveling solo. For more generic reasons, I encourage you to read Why Travel Solo? 15 Reasons Going Alone Makes Travel Better.
Join over a quarter of a million solo travelers on our Solo Travel Society Facebook page where you can find advice, inspiration, and support from our community around the world.
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