1.Hang out with someone special- You!
With the enormous amount of ways we have to distract ourselves in this technological era, we often spend very little time on our own, with our own thoughts. Being away from family and friends and taking a little time away from social media and the commitments of daily life opens up a beautiful space for you to simply just be. In a new land, around new people, trying new activities, we learn more about ourselves and have a chance to reconnect with all the things we appreciate about ourselves, and perhaps, the things we want to work on. Having the time to just spend as you please is such a gift and gives you the chance to follow your own intuition and be on your own agenda. While all this freedom can feel a little unnerving at first, it is incredibly liberating and it won’t take you long to find your flow.
2. Expand your horizons
Solo travel invites you to knock down your boundaries and challenge yourself. There is no better time to leap out of your comfort zone and try something new- surfing, horse riding, yoga, dance, pilates, take a workshop or course- check out what’s on offer where you are and learn a new skill or experience something that you’ve never tried before. These are the moments in life that we remember and cherish. They are also the moments that remind us of what we are truly capable of. These leaps of faith can be translated into real life and can boost our self confidence and self esteem in empowering ways. Furthermore, when we only have ourselves to depend upon, we also discover the strength and resilience that lies within us. This is such a beautiful gift.
3. Meet new people
While solo travel is the ideal opportunity to carve out some solo time to reconnect with yourself, it also opens up new doors to meeting new people. The friends we come to meet through travel or a yoga retreat experience inspire us and change us. Connecting with new people from all over the world, from all walks of life, allows us to see things differently and be introduced to new cultures and relationships. There is something special about meeting people through travel- we find it easier to open up and be ourselves. Perhaps it’s the lack of inhibition that comes with travel, or perhaps the short duration and fleeting moments allow us to dive in deeper than we would normally. Whether these new friends last an hour or a lifetime, the reflections you gain are special. As you meet new people from all over the world, chances are you will also add more places to your bucket list to visit one day!
4. Evaluate your next steps
Travel of any kind offers us the chance to step back from the whirlwind of life and reevaluate what truly matters to us. We ponder the big questions- are we happy, if not, why? Are we stuck in jobs, relationships or places we feel aren’t conducive to the life we actually want to be living? As we ponder these questions and gain clarity, we also gain courage and the strength to act upon these insights. Many people who return home after a Bali retreat will attest to quitting jobs, starting that business idea, leaving a destructive relationship or packing their belongings into storage to follow life on the road a little longer.
5. Create new healthy habits
As we take time out to reconnect with ourselves and appreciate the things we value about ourselves, we become more committed to looking after ourselves. Solo travel requires us to forge a trusting relationship with ourselves. While you have no one looking over your shoulder and can essentially do as you please, solo travel inspires us to be the best version of ourselves possible. As we embrace a new place, new people and a new culture, we become grateful for all that we are, and all that we have. Travel breaks us out of periods of uncertainty or a mundane plateau in our existence and shakes us up. We return home with new commitments- to live more, be more, do the things that make us feel alive and take care of ourselves. We realise that this relationship we have with our self is one we have for life- so it’s time to start valuing and cherishing it.