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10 Tips on How to Mentally Prepare for Solo Travel

June 11, 2021 by Claire Filed Under: Travel Tips 18 Comments

Solo travel doesn't have to be scary. These top travel tips will help you mentally prepare for solo travel so you can travel the world alone

Have you thought about traveling solo but not sure you could handle it? I’ve been traveling alone for years now and I constantly hear people say “oh I could never do what you do” but I believe everyone should try solo travel at least once. If it’s not for you that’s fair enough but you’ll never know until you try it.

Humans are social creatures by nature so it’s no surprise that people get anxious about the idea of traveling alone. When people envision solo travel they picture a trip completely isolated but that really is not the case. You make so many friends along the way, especially when you stay in hostels. But there will be a portion of the trip when you will be alone and that’s a tough idea for some people.

Firstly, don’t feel bad! There is no shame in preparing for solo travel in baby steps. Test the water with these tips and see how you get on. You may just discover you do have that inner strength to overcome your fears!

Enjoying a cocktail in Bali on one of my many solo trips

 

- Contents

  • 1 10 Tips to Mentally Prepare For Solo Travel
    • 1.1 Go For A Nice Walk
    • 1.2 Try Out A New Class
    • 1.3 Go For A Short Trip To Another Town
    • 1.4 Learn To Eat By Yourself
    • 1.5 Learn To Drink By Yourself
    • 1.6 Practice Sleeping With Others
    • 1.7 Learn Some First Aid
    • 1.8 Take A Self Defence Class
    • 1.9 Research Where You’re Going
    • 1.10 Don’t Read “Countries Not Safe For Solo Travel” Articles
  • 2 More Travel Tips

10 Tips to Mentally Prepare For Solo Travel

 

Go For A Nice Walk

Yes it may sound really simple, but it’s a good way to start to feel comfortable on your own and learn to focus on the beauty around you. Once you get used to that, you can easily start picturing yourself wandering somewhere more exotic. Maybe while you’re taking that walk, imagine walking down the streets of Paris searching for delicious pastries or shopping in Milan or perhaps even hiking to Everest Base Camp.

 

Try Out A New Class

Ever tried yoga, belly dancing, or even fire breathing? Have a look around your area, find a class you like the sound of and go to it. Don’t worry about finding a friend to come with you, feel comfortable knowing that there will be others there who also came alone. When you go to these sorts of classes most people are really friendly and will never let a new girl (or guy) stand on their own the whole time. You never know, you could make some new friends for life!

Read Also: Sushi and Cocktail Cooking Class in London

 

Go For A Short Trip To Another Town

So you’re not ready to jump on a plane and take a gap year travelling the world just yet. Why not take a short day trip (or even a long weekend) to another town in your home country? At least this way you can get used to traveling alone in a country you are familiar with, that has currency you understand and a language you can speak. I love exploring England as much as I love exploring the rest of the world.

 

Learn To Eat By Yourself

Some people believe you should never eat in public by yourself. I’m sorry but these people are just plain wrong, and probably a bit insecure! I’ve been living in London for almost 10 years now and there are so many places I want to try that if I want to go and none of my friends are available I won’t let that stop me. If you’re really worried about it you can take a book or some other distraction. Learn to ignore that voice in your head telling you what you’re doing is wrong and feel empowered knowing that you’re actually doing what most people are afraid to do!

 

Learn To Drink By Yourself

Now this doesn’t necessarily mean just go to a pub, sit in a bar and strike up a conversation with anyone willing to listen, although this can be quite fun. There are websites around (such as City Socialising and Meetup) where members can create events and anyone interested are welcome to come along. I’ve used both of these sites while I’ve been in London and they have always been safe and welcoming. Why not give it a go yourself?

Enjoying a refreshing chang beer in Thailand on my first big backpacking trip - I took many little trips to prepare for solo travel in Asia

 

Practice Sleeping With Others

Why not invite a few friends around and have a giant sleepover in your lounge. It might give you some idea of what it’s like to have several other people sleeping with you in one room. If you can’t deal with the idea of possible snoring or frequent bathroom users then maybe you shouldn’t stay in hostel dorms. Although try and give it a go once as it makes meeting people a lot easier.

 

Learn Some First Aid

It might make you feel that bit safer knowing that if you do have a little mishap while you’re travelling, that you can take care of the basics yourself. It’s also a good skill in life to have and you never know, you may be able to help out another traveller. It could be another good way of making friends while you’re traveling.

 

Take A Self Defence Class

Unfortunately, we do live in a world where people expect bad things to happen every time you’re alone in a strange city. Because of this you can’t help but get paranoid about it from time to time. I’ve lived in London for 10 years now and I walk alone a lot, but every now and then I do get that feeling of “oh God what if something bad happens…” So a self defence class will help you feel that little bit safer knowing that if trouble arises you can fight your way out of it. Although most travellers never actually need this skill, it really is just something to make you mentally feel better!

Take a self defence class to help mentally prepare for solo travel

 

Research Where You’re Going

Knowing about the area and the culture of where you are going is one thing that can make you mentally ready for your trip. You’ll know what to expect so won’t be as nervous. Once you relax you can open up and enjoy your trip.

 

Don’t Read “Countries Not Safe For Solo Travel” Articles

These articles are just poison as far as I’m concerned. Thankfully I never read one until after I had travelled alone so I can ignore things they say but if I had read one of these articles before my first solo trip it may have put me off and I hate that. The last one I read had both London and Paris on the list. I live in London and travel alone all the time and Paris was my first ever solo trip so I completely disagree they are unsafe. This is why I don’t trust these articles.

 

 

I hope these tips help you build the confidence to give solo travel a try. I can’t believe how happy I am that I get to travel where I want, when I want. I’ve met some fantastic people along the way. Most just become friends for the trip, but some can become friends for life.

Loving life, sitting on a wall overlooking a beautifully clear blue ocean in Indonesia

 

 

More Travel Tips

Looking for more travel tips? These may interest you…

  • Clever Ways to Hide Money While Traveling
  • Tips to Save Money For Travel

 

 

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Related posts:
Tips to Save Money For Travel: 32 Clever Ways to Cut Your Expenses
Confessions of My First Solo Travel Experience
Couple Travel Tips from Experienced Travel Couples
16 Travel Bloggers Reveal Their Travel Mistakes

Comments

  1. Angela L. Dowdy says

    June 12, 2021 at 1:52 pm

    Love this helpful article. Love solo travel. Love starting conversations with strangers in restaurants and parks (sometimes bars). Would strongly encourage everyone to give it a try.

    Reply
    • Claire says

      June 23, 2021 at 1:09 pm

      Thanks Angela. Solo travel is just amazing so I try to show it’s not as scary as it seems

      Reply
  2. Vanessa says

    June 12, 2021 at 2:47 pm

    Love the idea of the walk to get acclimated to your surroundings. Smart tip, Claire!

    Reply
    • Claire says

      June 23, 2021 at 1:10 pm

      Thanks Vanessa 🙂

      Reply
  3. MagicandBliss says

    June 12, 2021 at 3:08 pm

    These are so helpful. I have been trying to plan a solo trip forever and just never find the courage to do so. This really helps and motivates me. Thnanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Claire says

      June 23, 2021 at 1:12 pm

      I hope you can get out there on that solo trip soon. The first one can feel daunting but it’s so worth it

      Reply
  4. Hannah says

    June 12, 2021 at 3:28 pm

    These are great tips! I’ve not done much solo travel and I definitely wouldn’t think of doing these things before a trip! I especially like the tip about avoiding ‘unsafe destinations’ articles, it’s so easy to find bad news when you are looking for it! Thanks for the tips!

    Reply
    • Claire says

      June 23, 2021 at 1:14 pm

      Thanks Hannah. I really hate those articles because half the time I swear they are written by someone who hasn’t actually been there or just let one bad experience (that could happen anywhere) ruin their judgement

      Reply
  5. Sue says

    June 13, 2021 at 1:10 am

    From a solo traveler who was nervous before I started traveling solo, these tips are great! I tried alot ov these before my first solo trip!

    Reply
    • Claire says

      June 23, 2021 at 2:17 pm

      A lot of people forget that solo travel can be very intimidating to people and I want to show its ok to prepare if that’s what you need to do

      Reply
  6. Shafinah says

    June 13, 2021 at 7:07 am

    I think learning to eat and drink by yourself is so underrated! I really enjoy doing that even though it’s ALWAYS awkward at first – you never know all the serendipitous things that can happen when you do stuff like that by yourself! ❤️

    Reply
    • Claire says

      June 23, 2021 at 2:20 pm

      I had been eating alone for years before I ever travelled by myself so I thought nothing of it my first solo trip but it really is something you have to adjust to and once you do it’s great

      Reply
  7. Emilia Taneva says

    June 13, 2021 at 9:18 pm

    Love all your tips! I’ve found that the older we get and the more we travel, it becomes easier to travel solo.

    Reply
    • Claire says

      June 23, 2021 at 2:22 pm

      Yes definitely. Age helps give you that ‘sod it’ attitude and like with anything, the more you do it, the more comfortable you get with it

      Reply
  8. Jacqueline Le says

    June 14, 2021 at 6:56 am

    The best tip listed is to not read articles unsafe for solo travelers. I can’t tell you how many times I did this and it caused me a lot of stress and anxiety because I’d be scared, but still go (lol). It basically every case, I was proven wrong, there is no destination any more dangerous for solo travel than group travel, if you exercise the proper safety etiquette and street smarts. Loved this article, I was I had it to read when I was starting out with solo travel!

    Reply
    • Claire says

      June 23, 2021 at 2:24 pm

      Thanks Jacqueline 🙂 I completely agree, anywhere can be unsafe if you’re not careful and every place has a seedier area but you just use your head and you’ll have the time of your life

      Reply
  9. Nina says

    June 14, 2021 at 10:59 pm

    Learning to eat by yourself is so vital before you travel alone for the first time. People need to get used to it or they’re going to fear meal times.

    Reply
    • Claire says

      June 23, 2021 at 2:31 pm

      Exactly and meal times can be the best part of a trip. I love finding a little cafe or restaurant tucked away

      Reply

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