Travel isn’t always meant to be luxurious or incredible even. Sometimes it’s meant to be difficult, challenging, and simply a learning experience. Before I understood this, I never considered solo travel. I always thought that solo travelers were “dumb travelers” because they were purposely putting themselves in harm’s way. Imagine if I never changed my outlook. I wouldn’t have moved to China or Italy or Italy again. I wouldn’t be who I am today. If I continued letting life (or society, peers, and family) impact my decisions regarding travel, I wouldn’t have fallen in love with the world. The day that I realized travel isn’t always meant to be something you post about, but rather something that fills you inside, was the day that I learned you should always go even if you’re alone. You should always go.

When you travel alone you learn more about yourself than by doing anything else. You learn how you like to eat, how you like spending your time, what type of person you are, and what you truly need to be happy, among many other lessons. When I travel alone, I am able to sit under a tree and read my book without worrying that I’m not “traveling correctly.” I often get in my head when I’m traveling and find myself traveling for social media. This is something that I constantly battle with. When I travel alone, I’m forced to be introspective and understand why I do the things I do when I travel. Did I go to that museum because I enjoy art or did I go because it would look good on my Instagram? Did I pay a little extra for the room with the balcony because I want to read in the morning or because it would make someone else envious? This may sound silly, but these are questions you may find yourself asking simply due to the time we live in. This past summer, I found myself living a little bit for others instead of myself. I had to force myself out of this and once I did, I had the most incredible experiences. Throughout the summer, I traveled solo for myself and according to my own desires.

‘if you ever get the chance, go alone. walk alone, travel alone, live alone, dance alone. just for a night, just for a while. if you ever get the chance, learn who you are when the world isn’t demanding you be one way or another. most people only know how to stand on their own if someone else will stand beside them. don’t let that be your story. when you get the chance, know that the opportunity to walk alone, even for a bit, is a rare gift, one that will hand you insight that can change the course of your life.’ – Brianna West

You should go, even if you’re alone because you deserve to go. You deserve to see the sights you’ve always dreamed of, whether you have a travel companion or not. Going alone isn’t a sad “poor me” situation. Going alone means being brave, bold, and daring. It means caring more about your goals than appearances. If you’re afraid of solo travel, talk to others that have been before! If you can’t talk to someone else about it, watch movies and read books. Every single day, people all over the world choose to put themselves first and travel alone.

Go alone because you only get to live this life once. Go alone because you deserve to live your life to your highest standards. Go alone because you can.