Why Everyone Should Experience Solo Travel

Adventures have always been ingrained in my soul. Since I was a young girl, I've veered from the off beaten path, often flying solo,  looking for adventure, thrill and everything inbetween. However, it wasn't until about a year ago I really contemplated going on a big solo adventure, somewhere far away where I could get my hands dirty, get uncomfortable  and really test my limits. I thought no better place to do this than Alaska- America's last frontier. ( Insert dramatic music and all the cheesy feels. ) 

I couldn't tell you that I embarked on a huge solo trip looking to discover something about myself, all I knew is that something was pulling me into the experience of being alone in nature, getting my hands dirty and meandering on my own agenda.  Below I've listed a few key takeaways from that experience.

1 . Making Decisions 100% for yourself

It's easy to say that we live life on our own terms, but nothing says that more than really being alone, away from any day-to-day routine that you have established in your life. Everyday I woke up in Alaska and realized that I had full authority over what I was going to do that day. If I wanted to sit around and drink coffee for two hours I could, If I didn't want to get on bus to go to my next destination I didn't have to and If I wanted to spend an extra hour just staring at the mountains, I could. There is an unbelievable ease to not having an agenda and this is coming from someone who loves agendas and planning and book marking the best hiking spots on a trail. I purposefully let my mood dictate my actions and often found my pace to be slower, more contemplative and rewarding. 

2. Get Physically Uncomfortable

At one point in my trip to Alaska I was in the middle of Denali National Park, in a back country camping area with just my backpack and my bear spray. I was alone, It was getting dark, it was pouring down rain and my feet were numb. There was no other option  but to set up camp for the night. Cursing  the gods, I unrolled my soaking wet tent and tried to find a dry place to no avail. Hungry, tired and just not having it, I somehow managed to fall asleep and wake up dry with the sun shining. I exited my tent understanding that this was just a small measure of what is possible when you have no option but to muster the courage and endure. 

3. The Power of Getting Primal

I get a little nerdy over primal ancestry and how our brains work in stressful situations,  but never have I fully experienced my own understanding of my primal brain until this big solo trip. At several points during my adventure, I realized that my brain was specifically focused on the tasks that needed to be accomplished for that day. My thoughts were on how do I create a shelter? Where am I going to get my next meal? Is my bear canister going to hold up? For hours, these would be my thoughts. There was no concern of looming deadlines, emails, bank accounts, next steps in my career, car payments etc. My thoughts were clear and focused on putting one foot in front of the other. Imagine how life would be if we really did that from day -to-day in our routines? 

4. Listening

All I'm going to say here is that we all like to think we are good listeners but in reality it is one of the hardest skills to adopt. During a solo trip, shut up and listen to the world around you. 

5. How to Be Lonely

This is the best reason to solo travel. You will get lonely traveling by yourself. Anyone who tells you differently is lying. However, loneliness untangles  thoughts, focuses energy and redirects personal strengths. Loneliness taught me how I like to spend my time. It taught me my preferences, rhythms and quirks and to appreciate the difficulties. Above all, it made me realize that I am 100% enough on my own. 

What did you learn from your solo adventure?