Why You Should Travel Alone at Least Once in Your Life

As much as we love traveling with our friends and family, nothing truly compares to the experience of traveling alone. Solo travel can seem daunting at first, but once you overcome your fear and embark on a trip by yourself, you will not regret it! Here are a few of the incredible advantages of traveling alone that you might miss out on during group trips.

BE SELFISH

Satisfying everyone’s interests on a group trip seem nearly impossible, but when you are traveling by yourself, you can do what you want whenever you want to. Rather than being forced to compromise and do things you would rather not do, solo travel provides you with the perfect opportunity to do things for yourself.

DISCOVER MORE ABOUT YOURSELF

Being alone with your thoughts can be challenging for many people, so making time for yourself by going on a solo trip is a great way to learn how to enjoy your own company and practice self-reflection. When other friends and family aren’t there to keep you company and plan your trip, you have all of the control over what you want to see and do. This is a great time to discover more of what you are passionate about!

**SPEND YOUR MONEY HOW YOU WANT TO**

When you travel with other people, chances are you spend money on different things you might not normally spend yourself. When you are in control of your trip, you can prioritize your spending based on what you enjoy doing. For example, maybe you’re on a budget and want to skip the 5-star hotels, so you have more money to indulge in delicious food instead.

LEARN FROM NEW PEOPLE

When you’re traveling with family and friends, everyone naturally tends to stay together. When you’re on your own, you’re more likely to talk to locals and make new friends because there is more of an incentive to do so. You can meet locals or other travelers by doing simple things such as asking for directions or by starting a conversation with someone sitting next to you at a cafe or on the train. The people you meet on your trip can offer help and fresh perspectives, and they might even turn into friendships!

STEP OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE

One of the most impactful aspects of solo travel is that it requires people to push themselves outside of their comfort zone. You will face challenges that might make you uncomfortable, ranging from going out to dinner by yourself, to learning a new language, and everything in between. Solo travel will require you to adapt, problem-solve and embrace unfamiliarity.

Traveling alone might not be for everyone and that is fine, but you’ll never know if you don’t try! Make sure to tag us here @theedgemag in all your photo shots from your solo travels!