The Importance of Doing New Things on Your Own
Posted by In the world of travelling, learning about new languages and cultures and immersing yourself in new places and circumstances, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the challenge. After all, it can all be pretty tough at times, right?
As a matter of fact, it is tough—incredibly tough. That being said, one of the best ways to develop into a better person is by challenging yourself in new ways. Sometimes, those challenges happen with your family, some friends, co-workers, or other groups. But sometimes, those challenges take place when you’re alone. Here are five reasons why you should embrace doing new things—like travelling, language learning and expanding your horizons—on your own.
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1. You’ll learn more about yourself than you ever expected
It may not seem inherently intuitive, but when you learn more about the world around you, other peoples and places, you actually end up learning way more about yourself than you may have ever expected. Because you’re challenged outside your comfort zone in ways that you simply aren’t when you’re comfortable, you learn more about yourself and your own abilities, priorities and strengths. It’s an incredible to way to grow as a person in general, even if the challenges are very real.
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2. You’ll likely grow in confidence with yourself
Not many people imagine being thrown in situations that make you uncomfortable and minutely challenge your sense of yourself in the same way that travelling forces you to confront. It’s very easy to form opinions or worldviews from a comfortable position in life, but when you step out of that position, what awaits can often be scary. When you not only realise that you can, in fact, bravely choose to challenge yourself, and you can succeed in those challenges, you’ll probably develop a richer and more confident sense of self. You can do anything you set your mind to, and you have past experiences as proof.
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3. You will problem-solve for yourself in ways you’ve never imagined
Did you miss a flight? Have you lost your sense of direction in a foreign city? Are you meeting strangers on the daily and forming lasting connections? Are you continuously dealing with language and cultural barriers like a seasoned pro? All of these things happen, and often, when you travel. By forcing yourself to problem-solve and keep a cool head in the face of adversity and setbacks big and small, you’ll quickly develop a more well-rounded way of approaching all things in life.
4. You will meet people you probably wouldn’t have met in a group
This is especially true of solo-travel, when you actually can’t depend on the social security of a group of people around you. When solo travelling, you’ll inevitably have to deal with aspects like dining alone, sightseeing solo, or travelling on your own from place to place. While there are times when these things can be better done with another person, don’t discount the diversion you can have when doing these things alone. There’s merit to doing things solo, especially when you consider all of the different people you can meet because you’re not surrounded by people whom you know.
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5. You’ll have a truly different experience solo than you would with company
Whether for better or worse, there’s no denying that the experience itself will be completely different. But, get out your travel gear and book those trips anyway, even if none of your friends can tag along! Never resist travelling alone out of fear that you can’t do it, or that you won’t have much fun. You can do it. You will have fun. Take it from solo travellers who know!
What’s your more memorable solo travel experience? Please share with us in the comments section below!