Image courtesy of Latina Moms.
Amiga, have you been feeling completely uninspired lately? Nothing seems to bring you joy, and life just seems boring?
You feel stuck at your dead-end 9-5 job, dealing with “the customer is always right” nonsense at work. You are just about fed up with wasting your time going out to the club every weekend and doing other pendejadas that bring you absolutely no joy.
This crossroads may leave you wanting to quit your job and start over in a different continent where nobody knows you. However, don’t rush into making these rash decisions.
What you really need is a break and an outlet to see beyond your superficial hometown.
Travel is something that gives us freedom. It takes us through an unknown journey filled with wonder and joy.
I, for one, view travel as an escape. I am constantly planning my next adventure, and each trip is more adventurous than the last one.
I spent the vast majority of my college years traveling alone. While many people around me thought I was being reckless and wasting money incessantly, I feel it taught me things no book or video ever would be able to.
There is nothing like first-hand experience when gaining wisdom.
Here are some things traveling alone teaches you.
Boosts Your Confidence
It takes a lot of courage to travel alone. It can seem overwhelming at first because you will have no one to rely on but yourself.
After all, you will be completely alone in unknown territory. It is only natural to feel fear.
However, facing your fears ultimately boosts your confidence because you can see all that you are capable of doing – alone.
Broadens Your Mind
Traveling alone really exposes you to all the diversity the world has to offer. There is so much more outside of our shells that we have yet to discover.
Traveling increases our creativity and opens our minds due to the diverse cultures, cuisines, and languages we are exposed to.
Comfort in Being Alone
I have always thought it is essential for us to be comfortable being alone. Being alone brings you in tune with your feelings.
There is something liberating about knowing that you can trust and rely on yourself.
Traveling alone will cultivate the independence you will need for years to come.
How to Adapt
When I left the airport on my first trip to Germany, I quickly realized that my roaming data plan was not working. I found myself alone in an unknown area where no one spoke English or Spanish.
What was supposed to be a quick walk from the airport to the hotel room turned into me going around in circles, lost.
I initially panicked but quickly told myself that first, I needed to figure out how to get to my hotel room safely. I walked until I found an establishment that offered Wifi, and I looked up the hotel’s address on the GPS.
After 10 minutes, I was finally at the hotel. Had I not been able to adapt to this situation, I would have probably not been able to see clearly and “suffered” more than I should have.
Discover Yourself
Most of the time, we decide to travel alone when we are undergoing some major life event or are at a crossroads. While some may consider traveling alone as if you are ignoring your problems, in reality, it gives you time to reflect on your life and all the decisions you have made up until this point.
Having zero distractions around you from people you know will truly allow you to discover who you are as a person and what path you want to take.
Let’s “Eat, Pray, Love” our lives and purchase that one-way solo ticket into a whole new world.