The greatest adventure, the greatest escape, or the greatest challenge? Perhaps a merging of the three, to embark on a journey either overseas or across one's country on their own is by no means for the faint of heart, nor is it something one should ever do with rigid plans or expectations in mind. Chances are that if you have ever gone on such a journey by yourself, it was either because others were not under the same circumstances to join you, or because your life had recently undergone such a shift that the one thing you needed to do was see with your own eyes what lay beyond your scope of vision, and what existed beyond the horizon of what you had known of the world and yourself. A primal calling for unknown faces and places that you yearned to uncover. There can be no greater remedy for realigning your place and awareness of your own life than deciding to experience firsthand just how much more exists than you know, and just how small your worries and preconceived notions actually are in comparison to the places, peoples and cultures you have yet to become familiar with. Why, though, is it so important that you examine your current circumstances and put into motion such an adventure as soon as you are able? Engaging in solo travel will both challenge and revolutionize who you are and how you perceive life in a plethora of ways, though I find three that should be examined in greater detail: those of which include the complete control you have over your journey, the meeting of peoples and cultures you will become acquainted with along the way, and the most powerful of all, that being the confrontation and coming to know your very self during and after the expedition that you decide to set out on.
Inherently, we are all explorers at our core. It's in our blood to plot our own course, and while we may not realize it, this spirit is what tends to guide the majority of choices we all make in our daily lives when we allow it. How so? Well, when do we ever want someone else to make choices for us? To tell us how far we can walk a road, how late we can stay out, or how much we can eat? We do not take our freedom lightly; we are the masters of ourselves, and we value these liberties probably more than anything else in the world. That being said, in my own experience I find there is no greater expression or awareness of this freedom and power than arriving at the airport and boarding a plane with none other than your own person. You hear the music from both of your headphones being in, you see just your bag, you feel the coffee in your hand, and you take in the view of the earth from thousands of feet in the sky, and you know that no matter where you are going you are the one that'll be deciding what you do as soon as you land. What an experience! For many, to choose this may seem unnatural, unsafe, or perhaps less exciting than being with those you value or love. While it's expected to feel like this when engaging in such a unique trip, tell me what's more unnatural than not being comfortable enough with yourself to enjoy your own company for a change? Ponder on those moments where you have only ever wanted to be on your own and have no colliding opinions or motives, and realign your perspective on the journey ahead. You will be overcome by an unmatched feeling of control, an almost intoxicating sense of freedom to do that which you please. Afterward you will come to understand that whatever you choose, including to stay alone, is entirely up to you, as this where the second most exciting aspect of solo traveling comes into play.
Who will you meet on your travels? What lands will you see? These will become more than just exciting thoughts to consider prior to setting off on the adventure of a lifetime. Can you recall a past instance where you were out alone on a random day in your area and happened to have an interaction with someone you had never met, and walked away feeling more alive than you had prior to the scenario? This was pure life at work; this was both you being comfortable with who you are, and the person you met understanding that sense of who you are as well, as there was nothing but an exchange of stories and perspectives that will last as long as memory will serve. Take such a beautiful privilege and consider it on a global level, among places you never thought you'd be while immersed in cultures you've never felt before. These people and places do not yet know you, but they wait for you patiently, smiling and without hostility. This may come off a bit intimidating for those who've yet to embark on their first trip alone, though the key lies in perceiving every environment as your home, not just your usual surroundings. I remember this feeling well, walking through a less bustling part of Athens by myself, and feeling the energy gradually shift as I decided to smile and show a warmer gaze at passersby rather than keep my head down or walk quickly to the next cafe. That evening friends were made and memories were forged. Though I also recall remaining by myself for more than a day, and feeling nothing but loneliness, boredom, and regret, as I rightfully would. The purpose of traveling alone is not to stay alone for the entire time, but rather to become more familiar with yourself, your surroundings, and to form lasting memories and relationships with the many individuals you'll meet along the way. Choosing not to do so and remaining timid would only be squandering the vital blessing of communication that comes with traveling, and the last thing we want to feel when returning from our voyage is regret. The earth has its arms wide open waiting to embrace you! Do not stick to what you know when outside of your comfort zone, but rather look for places that unfamiliarity thrives, and you will find that you're closer to new friends and places of happiness than you realize.
I feel as though the primary root of being apprehensive to traveling alone is discomfort. The state of discomfort entails a variety of feelings, including include fear, inexperience, ignorance, and the greatest of all being the lack of self-awareness. Discomfort, at its core, stems from this being uncomfortable with a part of yourself that you re not entirely familiar with, so naturally we're more than likely going to do all we can to avoid something that makes us feel any sort of unease with our current self, even if that means shrinking back from an activity or event that we know would enrich our lives in the long run. A tragedy! As challenging as this can be, confronting these feelings before or in the midst of a solo journey is truly where the most amazing feelings occur, and where one will feel the most impact on their sense of self and direction for the rest of their lives. I had always believed that I would generally prefer my solitude over any sort of company when traveling, but it wasn't until my travels in Japan where realizing that so many did not speak my language nor have the same social structure that I was more extroverted and ignorant than I had realized. This saddened me, and I wanted nothing more than to strike conversation with those I had not known even more so. I did not know this side of myself as well as I had thought, and that very fact made me fear that I would never understand who I really was until I kept prying open doors of discomfort, even if that meant the challenge of learning new language and being patient with other social norms. We spend so much time in our comfort zone and around what we know that we're never aware of what's missing until we seek it out, or unless we allow it to seek us out. Finding the comfort in discomfort, then, is what permits your journey to change not the manner in which you see the world, but how you allow the world to let you see yourself.
The time has come to stop domesticating yourself. There's an entire world waiting for you out there, and your life is ending one day at a time. You know who you are here, but do you know who you are out there? You know your friends and family here, but can you cherish the friends and family you have yet to meet there? The moon and stars look so beautiful at night from your bedside window, but this night sky is meager compared to the one you will gaze at when four thousand miles away from home, while sitting comfortably next to others who also decided it was time to embrace courage and change their lives. Beyond this life your problems will still exist, and there will still be fear and doubt in future days. All this means is that we are all on the same earth, with more or less the same issues. If fear and doubt can be met with strength and freedom, then at least use your innate courage to challenge this life away from an environment you have always known. Only then will you feel that strength it took to leave, and that freedom that was rewarded for choosing an unpaved path. Of course this sensation comes to a lack of words, as it is something you won't fully understand unless having sought it out yourself. Now then, it is time to stop reading and to start leaving.
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