11 Reasons Why Solo Travel Changed My Life

xo, kirsteen

Why solo travel you may be asking? Sitting here writing this blog post, I cannot help but feel such a deep sense of bliss in what I’ve achieved with 16 years on the road. I could never have imagined all those years ago, as I sat in my office in Edinburgh contemplating resigning, what lay ahead of me. And today? I feel I’m just getting started.

With what I can only describe as a second life, I now have the wisdom, emotional tuning, and mindset which enhances 100% of what I’m doing today. I have to admit, my little cupcake, it could never have been this way without living it.

With my unapologetic Peter Pan coming back with a vengeance, it won’t be going away any time soon if I have anything to do with it. You want to live a happy and deeply satisfying life? YOU MUST MAKE FEELING GOOD NO 1! You only have to watch children to see what life is about. It’s the freedom to be you, having that vacation feeling 24/7, 365 and doing what you want without ANY compromise? Quite simply, ELATION.

With the world wanting intensely to go back to normality, and a flood of nostalgia rising about the good old days, (70’s – late 90’s), there has never been a more important time that now to focus like a pro.

Why not give up Netflix, Insta, Tiktok (unless you want to live life looking at a plastic box!). Why not get yourself on a flight and go explore this incredible planet which lays at your feet. You will never remember the series you watch, the videos you made, the selfies you posted.

All we have are moments. Millions of them are waiting for you. But, you cannot and will never realize them from the comfort of your sofa. Why solo travel? Well, you get to be you, for one. But you also have to want it enough. To live an extraordinary life, you have to do extraordinary things, be extraordinary and think extraordinary. Anything less than that is always your choice, and that is perfectly OK.

If the desire is there my little strawberry shortcake, trust me when I say it’s the path is calling you. And, you must go with it. Know things are always working out for you and just line up with the desire believing it in the same way you expect the sun to come up. More on this in Solo Travel Masterclass (or in one-to-one coaching) where I teach you how, (ps you are learning from the expert!).

Don’t allow your mind to tell your heart what to do. The mind gives up easily
PAULO COELHO

Still want some encouragement?

Here are 11 reasons why solo travel transformed my life and will do yours:

Being on your own takes you to a new level of adventure you simply cannot experience with other people. We all know when we are speaking to people, we have to think and react to what they are saying and doing, Being alone means having time to NOT THINK! The less you think, the happier you will feel (unless, like me, you are deliberate about thinking instead of reactionary).
Every day is NEW and there is no routine. We all know what to more or less expect from a beach holiday. We all know what it is like to eat, sleep, work and repeat. Without evolving the NEW, you will eventually get boredom. To be solo traveling allows for impulsive traveling and far more things to surprise and delight you.
A change of scenery. I, for one have no idea why anyone would want the same environment to look at each day when it doesn’t have to be that way. It is becoming more and more common (hallelujah!) to do a 12 month remote visa program and have your new office be the beach. PS Don’t forget there is no rewind in life!!! We only have now! Make it count.
The senses are heightened. One of the first things I noticed as I became a solo travel expert, was an awareness of heightened emotions which you simply cannot get in your own home environment. Food tastes more delicious, the smell of cities is unique, the sounds are more unusual and the skies and different. Not only that but each country and city has it’s own energy. I can only stay in a place where I feel a high vibe.
I love being different in a country. There is something hugely entertaining about being a foreigner in another country. There are some places that you can feel like a VIP and it comes with such an appreciation that you have chosen them instead of anyone else. They want to know you, they want to welcome you and they want to teach you.
Energy and enthusiasm for life goes up massively. With a new sense of self awareness that you can do anything when you put your mind to it, there comes a mental shift of what is possible. New desires and new life are an offshoot and trust me, this will invigorate you for life. The only way you can feel satisfaction is to move in the direction of your desires. (I get this feeling even blogging adding value content to help future solo traveler wannabies LOL! You have no idea yet what you are about to feel and you will LOVE IT!)
Health and general happiness increases. With every positive word and thought, comes a positive emotion. The happier you feel, the cleaner the pipes of well being are flowing. Even me, as a naturally happy person, have widened the pipes and how I feel today is indescribable. I do not remember the last time I ever felt tiredness (which is a sign of negative thinking). Never underestimate the power of the placebo effect.
A new appreciation of back home. The only way to really appreciation what you have is to spend time away from it. With that time, gives fresh perspective and vision. This has been particularly true in my case with the UK. The British sense of humor is infectious and we just LOVE to laugh. We also live light in that we don’t take life so seriously and when things get tough, we never give up. Resilience is something to be treasured and something I teach in Module 3 of Solo Travel Masterclass.
To be connected, you have to disconnect. This particular point is HUGE and one of the most important in my list. If you don’t spend some time alone, you can never meet the real you – the baby self, the 100% pure you before society conditioned you. To know yourself and to put your own desires ahead of anyone elses’s is the key to a long happily ever after in this life.
The desire to live a fuller life. With my 16 years now under my solo travel expert’s belt, the desire to achieve so much more has never been greater. Laying side by side with this, is the KNOWING AND BELIEF I can do anything I want. I prove this to myself time and time again. Now, my container has expanded, much like the way the Americans live. I admire that go big or go home attitude because they ultimately want to live a good life. And good on them!!!
Momentum and focus. With a world that wants your attention via apps and insta messaging etc, there has never been a better time to take a different path if you want to achieve many things. These companies are only doing what they want and that’s OK. But only give time to things that genuinely make you feel good. I Focus like an Olympian and nothing gets my attention unless it’s going to make me feel equal to or better than I feel now. Focus creates momentum towards all that you want.

inspirational words on a wall about having a vision

There you have it my little toasted bagel. Why solo travel? Well all you have is NOW, this moment, and nothing more. In 10 seconds that same now will be gone. Did you enjoy it? Or was it yet another vanilla. All that you have will one day be gone. Get your pretty little head around that!!! It’s BIG.

And now, as I look back at those 16 years, nobody can take those moments away from me, those feelings that went way beyond any honeymoon feeling and have me buzzing still today. I plugged into a source of elation I can never explain and has me wanting more. And I won’t be stopping until I damn well get it.

AND A FEW FINAL THOUGHTS…

Happiness is the sweet-spot between loving the now and eagerly with an eye on where you are going next. Let it be, let it go, let it flow.

I can’t promise you a one-way ticket to your favorite destination. But, I can promise you unique advice on how to create the life you’ve always wanted. And if you win, I win!

If you’re are asking how do I start traveling alone and experience the benefits myself, and want to know how to plan your very first solo travel adventure, please click here on my new Solo Travel Masterclass to find out more. This solo travel course is one-of-a-kind and a lifetime of knowledge and wisdom in an easy-to-follow online academy.