I wonder about curiosity.

Having options is pleasurable, but making a choice can be daunting.

Generally, I do not like to travel with a fixed itinerary. It is difficult to know in advance which places will please me. Thus, the question “Where am I going tomorrow?” often arises and while traveling on my own, the answer is left to me.

Indecision can be stressful, because we all want to make the right choice in everything we do!

Instead of succumbing to anxiety or inertia, I find that doing something, anything (other than what’s likely to be outright regrettable), helps me decide. I might take a walk, strike up a conversation, sit on a bench, do some research, visit a site or….

That little bit of momentum inevitably presents me with an inspiration. I am moving forward and if need be I can make some adjustments along the way.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post! Welcome to the tales of a woman solo traveler and thoughts to make today the start of something new. I hope you find information and inspiration in the text and images and join me in my quest for growth, wonderment and self-improvement.

Solitude and loneliness are often used as synonyms. But for me they are strikingly different. The former describes the state of being alone, whereas the latter implies a discontentment with this circumstance. The pleasure of companionship is not contested. We share our laughter, thoughts, and experiences. But taking pleasure in solitude is wondrous.

Being alone when a child was not something I relished, even knowing my family was nearby. It wasn’t until I was an adolescent and sent to my room, with parental exasperation,  that I began to appreciate being by myself.  I had no personal phone nor television, and computers only existed in sci-fi, but I spent some wonderful hours reading and listening to music.

In my adult years while the activities and destinations have expanded I recognize, while alone, an increased engagement with my surroundings. My focus is honed.

It is a time to relish a moment in my own way.

The choice of interests and activities are endless; loneliness is obsolete.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post! Welcome to the tales of a woman solo traveler and thoughts to make today the start of something new. I hope you find information and inspiration in the text and images and join me in my quest for growth, wonderment and self-improvement.

Fear is not only primal but it can be uniquely personal. We rarely remain unaffected by our own experiences, what our families teach us, or what we learn from other sources.

The media barrage us with a daily dose of tragedy, catastrophe, violence and horror giving us the unceasing message that peril and suffering is everywhere. But news is meant to provoke a reaction, not to calm and reassure. And foremost news is a commodity. It is meant to sell.

Those who, even under dire circumstances, continue to find laughter and hope are rarely in our headlines. We are seldom made aware of those who engage in danger yet remain safe. We are continuously prompted to feel fear but not confidence, strength or courage.

If we are not vigilant we might begin to equate all destinations, even our familiar dwellings, as threatening and forbidding. Never lose a healthy sense of caution, and always take care, but be sure that your fears are realistic and not incited by fear mongers.  Let us not underestimate our strengths, our capabilities or our valor.

After all, the Cowardly Lion went to great lengths to acquire courage only to learn that, having acted in the face of fear, he had possessed it all along.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post! Welcome to the tales of a woman solo traveler and thoughts to make today the start of something new. I hope you find information and inspiration in the text and images and join me in my quest for growth, wonderment and self-improvement.

Rookie Mistake:

Once I get there I won’t be thinking about/worrying about/caring about/etc..

If we go somewhere we always bring ourselves along. And that’s a good thing. But do not assume that your habits, thoughts, concerns, etc. will not be right there with you.

I enjoy my travels most when I have few expectations and get immersed in my surroundings. It is not that I am leaving who I am or what I know behind, but rather allowing myself to be refined by the new.

I met a young man who had spent months preparing for a solo-survival trek in the mountains. He had anticipated spending at least one month without companionship or assistance and had brought with him packets of “astronaut” food with other various life sustaining equipment.  Enroute to his destination he found himself enjoying the local culture and encounters.  He continued however to the mountains. After a few days,  he realized that the experience he was really seeking was not the one he was having. The people of this land beckoned him. He headed out towards the touch of humanity. Looking back on his decision he had no regrets. On the contrary he was content, even delighted, that he was strong enough to accept his change of heart.

Although I begin my travels alone I am rarely alone.

Speaking to those in a different land continues to remind me of how many ways there are to live one’s life.

The circumstances and choices people have made are as varied as the places are.

Conversation with travelers I meet, perhaps just moments before, flows freely. We already have something in common. We have both decided to be here.

So you went for that dinner/movie/trip/etc. alone.

Been there. Done that.
Thanks, but no thanks.

Yet something initially inspired you.
Doing something altogether different for the first time is never easy.

Do you always come home after that dinner/movie/trip/etc. with someone else elated?

I thought so.

Give it another try.

Fear is tough to tackle.
Most of us prefer to stay in the realm of what we know and what we are familiar with. It is so much easier and it seems so much safer.
But life offers no guarantees.
We can not insure our future.

Take that first step, no matter how small.

It is lovely to look back and see where we have been.

If the thought of setting out on a trip by yourself, seeing a movie or dining alone is something outside your comfort zone then CONGRATULATIONS and welcome to the human race. We have survived as a species by living in tribes and communities. But what was essential for our existence ages ago is now an unnecessary vestige.

Besides, I am not suggesting that you live alone in the wild, unless you wish to.

I am proposing that you redefine your expectations and your limitations.
We all need to begin somewhere and for some of us our attempt to summit “Mount Everest” comes in all shapes and sizes.

Getting comfortable in our uncomfortable zones is one of the most satisfying experiences we can know. It is the essence of growth and feeling alive.