Travelling solo and making friends can help discover a new you

About 24% of adults worldwide feel lonely, according to a Gallup survey of over 1,000 people. People between the ages of 19 and 29 reported higher levels of loneliness compared to adults aged over 65 years.

Following the rise of remote and hybrid work, individuals have found it harder to build relationships at work. For instance, about 53% of Americans, who work some hybrid hours, report having a hard time connecting with co-workers, according to the Pew Research Center.

“Many people now remotely don’t even go to the office and don’t even connect with other colleagues. It’s more and more important to find situations where they are able to connect with others,” said WeRoad’s D’Amico.

Travelling solo can help. It helps you get out of your comfort zone. There are many challenging elements in a travel; from managing flights to navigating the local customs and overcoming the language barrier, or just the fact that you’re far away from home and don’t know anyone.

The feeling of pride when you face and subsequently conquer such obstacles as a solo traveller is difficult to describe. And the best part is that the effects are usually long-lasting. Solo travel thrusts you so far out of your safety bubble that it is difficult to go back afterwards.

Here is the truth: when you travel with someone, you are less likely to meet new people. This is because you already have someone next to you and are not pressed to make friends to keep you company. You feel comfortable and safe, and loneliness is not a potential issue.

Of course, some of us find it easier to meet new people when in the presence of someone we already know. Approaching a stranger in someone’s company seems less daunting than doing it alone.

On the other hand, it is in human nature to cling to familiarity. Presuming that we don’t need to make an effort to talk to strangers because we already have company is quite risky.

Solo travel can be lonely at times - we won’t lie about that. And you would be surprised how the threat of feeling lonely emboldens even the recluses and introverts.

Don’t feel pressured to form lifelong friendships while travelling solo. It is possible, but do remember that temporary relations formed for the sake of keeping each other company before parting ways, are also absolutely fine.

Just go with the flow and see where it takes you - if you keep in touch with people you met during your solo trips, is great. But if not, don’t beat yourself up over it. When you travel a lot, it is virtually impossible to stay connected to everyone.

Solo travel is meant to be an unforgettable experience. You won’t feel right sitting by yourself for too long. So, start searching for things to do. Depending on what you’re in the mood for, you may sign up for a guided tour, drop by a language café, or just stroll around the city.

There is at least one (perfectly legal and safe) activity you can think of that has always been there, lurking in the back of your mind, but you could never find anyone to go with, or was afraid of what people might say.

You never know the full extent of what you are able to do when you’re stuck within your safe zone. It is only when we enter the unknown completely alone that we show our true colours.

It may sound scary, but we mean it in a positive way. You can’t test the limits of your courage until you do something that requires you to draw on it.

So many solo travellers claim they never thought that they would be brave enough to do so many things: jump on a plane on their own, talk to strangers, visit a foreign country alone, or eat in a restaurant, all by themselves.

Solo travel allows you to discover yourself personality-wise, but also in terms of your limits. It gives you the chance to test them, accept them, and then systematically stretch them out.

Travelling with someone is fun, but finding the right travel companion can, at times, be quite a challenging proposition. Sometimes, you can get along perfectly well in everyday life, but suddenly, you go on a trip together, and it ends up being full of conflict.

Before you go alone, make sure to do thorough research and prepare to ensure your safety and avoid common travel mistakes.

There will be a lot of alone moments when you travel solo. In your accommodation, between different destinations and before you meet new people, et al.