Let’s Talks – The Life Changing Magic of Traveling Solo

Hi Friends! 

Welcome back, today I wanted to share a solo trip I took a few years ago, and the benefits it had for me. 

Back in 2017, I was dealing with some shit. I was working at a job I wasn’t sure I wanted to be doing, I had just finished school and was unsure if I wanted to go back to school, and just got out of a weird relationship. You know the kind that you saw ending but were still pretty devastated about when they actually ended? 

Well needless to say I needed some change of pace for a bit, I had some vacation days saved up and I had an itch to travel. SO one day I went on google flights and booked a four day trip to Kelowna. 

I have pretty bad anxiety, I was diagnosed with a generalized anxiety disorder back when I was 17, I did not start doing much with that diagnoses until I was about 21. For a bit of a time line I was 23 when I took this trip and I was still struggling to control my mental health. So to this day I’m still unsure how I managed to go on this trip but I did and I’d like to share my experience travelling alone and why I think it’s a really beneficial experience. Plus I had a trip planned this year but it was cancelled due to COVID, so I’m reminiscing about some pasts trips as of recent. 

I left on a Saturday afternoon and got into Kelowna at night, so when I landed it was super dark. I originally had an air bnb booked but during my flight I got extremely anxious about it and decided that when I arrived in BC I would find a hotel, I ended up staying at the Delta in the Culture district of Kelowna. 

My first tip when traveling alone, or traveling in general, trust your gut. If you get a weird feeling don’t do it. That feeling is likely there for a reason.

I decided to get a room with a view of the water, I mean if I was going to be in Kelowna by myself for four days I was going to enjoy the view.

I woke up the next morning and I was in awe. I looked out the window and my jaw dropped at the beauty. I didn’t think twice, I just grabbed my jacket and decided to go for a walk by the water. It was like I was living in someone else’s body, I mean I don’t even like going to the mall alone in a city I’ve spent my entire life in. How I just got up and walked alone around a city I didn’t know anything about, well I’m still confused. 

When I got back I headed to the front desk and asked them if they had any recommendations for a solo traveller, they recommend wine and hiking. 

Decided to start with a wine tour at Mission Hill Winery, recommended to me by my parents who had been there a few year before. I called them up and booked in for the noon tour. This place did not disappoint, it was beautiful, the wine was outstanding and their employees were amazing. I ended up the only one booked in for that tour time slot so essentially got a private tour which was lovely. 

The next day I decided to explore some mountains. Knox was the closest one, about a 20 minute walk or so, my only issue, I forgot to pack running shoes. I went to Kelowna with plans of some light hiking and I forgot to bring running shoes. So off I went to the closest shoe store and found a pair of Clark’s, they fit well, we’re cute and were under $100. I mean I didn’t really budget having to buy new shoes. 

There were cougar warnings on the trail so I was nervous being there alone so I tried to stay close enough to people where I could call out if need be but not close enough that it was weird. The new shoes were the biggest mistake I have ever made. I should have ignored my budget and bought shoes that were more suited for a long walk. I ripped my heals apart, I was basically limping back to the hotel, and to this day I have scars. 

The most anxiety I felt on this trip was during my last night, I decided to go to a restaurant for dinner alone. I started having a panic attack while I was walking to the restaurant and I nearly turned around and went back. But I decided to push through, that being said I had never ate my food so fast. I think I was in and out in about 40 minutes. 

This entire trip made me realize that I am capable of so much more then I ever gave myself credit for. When I was given my diagnosis I was more ashamed then anything, trying to figure out what was wrong with me, letting it control me. I still struggle with these feelings but they are no where as frequent as they once were. This trip empowered me to switch up how I felt about my diagnosis, I started to view it as a medical condition like any other one and not as something that would control the rest of my life. I could take the control.