Solo travel is on the rise, and for good reason. More people are realizing that hitting the road alone can be surprisingly good for your mental health, and that solo travel can even help make you a nicer person. Still, the idea of traveling by yourself can be daunting, especially if it means stepping out of your comfort zone -- like camping when you're used to hotels or navigating a foreign country on your own. Enter actress and entrepreneur Tracee Ellis Ross. Dubbed "the poster child for singledom"
by Oprah Winfrey, the Emmy-nominated, Golden Globe-winning star of "Black-ish" is a longtime advocate of doing things alone and loving it. So much so that she created a show called "Solo Traveling" for The Roku Channel, where she visits international destinations, explores local culture, takes selfies, and does exactly what she wants -- like cancelling dinner plans to stay in and order room service.
There are many benefits to solo travel, but if you're hesitant or not sure if you're the kind of person who will enjoy venturing alone, Ross shared a simple starting point with BBC: Take yourself out to dinner. Pick a weeknight that's less busy, and go early -- maybe around 6 p.m., when the restaurant opens. Order something that excites you, and have a drink if you'd like. Try chatting with the server. You may opt for a seat at the counter or bar if there is one, as it can feel more casual and low-stakes (Ross herself does this in Morocco). While you're seated, resist the urge to hide behind your phone the entire time and try a little introspection instead. How do you feel: embarrassed, awkward, self-conscious, uncomfortable, relaxed, ashamed? Are those feelings rooted in something real? Or are they just habits? Maybe you'll find you don't care as much as you thought. This can help you determine if you're ready to book your next trip solo.
Read more: Rick Steves Says To Always Do These Things Before Traveling
Tips For Navigating Loneliness While Traveling Solo
If you feel good taking yourself out to an early weeknight dinner, try leveling up: Go out again on a busier night, like the weekend, and dine later, when the place is packed. During your first exercise in spending time with yourself, you can also practice another of Tracee Ellis Ross' favorite things to do in a new place: listening to the sounds of your environment. "I find it so soothing to listen to the sounds of an environment, because they sound different everywhere," she revealed. "Wind sounds different. The birds sound different." Listening also helps you slow down and truly immerse yourself in the environment, observing things around you. At this rate, your suitcase is probably packing itself!
But solo travel isn't always all blissful wandering and listening. In "Solo Traveling," Ross confronts one of the most common challenges: loneliness. During a reflective diary camera moment, she wonders if "lonely" and "sad" mean the same thing, because sometimes they feel like it. Later, in an interview with The New York Times, she clarifies, saying "feeling lonely doesn't necessarily mean that something's wrong. It just means I have to make space for the feeling." Rick Steves, another seasoned solo traveler, has also talked about the tendency to feel lonely when traveling alone, suggesting tips to help connect with fellow travelers. The truth is, loneliness is a natural feeling, but solo travelers like Ross and Steves don't let it dissuade them from enjoying their trips.
"I don't believe in advice. I offer experience and hope," Ross tells The New York Times. "And this is my version. My transparency is about how I can give you a jumping-off point." So, are you ready to take the leap?
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Read the original article on Islands.
