Solo travel is growing by leaps and bounds, which should come as no surprise, as it’s one of the best ways you can experience the world and yourself. However, as with all things done alone, it can also come with a hefty dose of loneliness now and again.
Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, flush with expendable cash or somewhat on the poor side, seeing the world’s most stunning sites, encountering amazing cultures, and eating delicious exotic food can all lose their luster if loneliness hits and you let it stick around too long.
Whether you’re new to solo travel or you’ve done it for years, here are a few tricks of the trade to help you combat your loneliness.
Give In and Feel It
It’s a favorite truism of Jungian psychology that “what you resist persists” and “what you fight, you strengthen,” which is why, when loneliness strikes, it’s best to give in and welcome the feeling for a while. No one enjoys loneliness, but pretending it isn’t present or working to keep it at bay will only fuel its fire. Instead, sit down and spend some time with that panging, hollow feeling.
Doing so will provide insight into what you need, whether it’s a friendly conversation with a stranger or a call home to Mom. Only by acknowledging the feeling and getting familiar with it will you find a pathway out. And be willing to book a flight to see a loved one if need be — Flights.com has some great, last-minute options.
Get Out and Meet People
Once loneliness has its hold, one of the best ways to get it to release its grip is to go out and meet people. While this tactic can be challenging in a foreign land — especially if you don’t speak the local language well — there is almost always somewhere you can go where expats, or locals who are likely to speak English, can be found.
From spending some concentrated and daily time in an expatriot coffeehouse to volunteering at a local orphanage, by interacting meaningfully with others, you’ll chase loneliness away
Invite a Friend to Join You for a Time
Do you need a taste of home, but it isn’t yet time for you to go back? Invite a friend to join you for a while. Whether it’s an old roommate from college who lives in a nearby country or that friend of your sister’s you’ve always gotten along well with whose flexible job makes her a jetsetter, reach out to those people who might be able to join you.
It will break up the monotony that can sometimes accompany being alone and kick loneliness to the curb without forcing you to cut short your adventure.
Grab a Challenge
One nearly foolproof way to get back into your solo travel groove is to do some kind of physical challenge. From rock climbing to summiting a mountain, tackle something you’re trained for, but make sure accomplishing it will still be somewhat difficult or taxing.
Not only will it re-focus your energy on something outside of you, but it will also restore your confidence and trust in yourself — two aspects of self esteem that can take a dive when loneliness comes calling.
Write It Out
If you aren’t already traveling with a diary or journal of some kind, go get one. Not only does it help keep your different experiences and thoughts crystal clear when travel days begin to run together, it can help you process feelings, especially those of the lonely variety. Write out the things you’re feeling and thinking, and give in to wishing about how things could be different.
By writing it out, your experience of loneliness can become another part of your journey instead of a regrettable part of your inner life. Loneliness and how you worked it out can become part of the record of your travels that can be instructive and helpful down the line.
Connect With Those Afar
One of the easiest ways to combat loneliness is also one that can backfire the most: Reaching out to loved ones who are far away. While connecting with those afar can lift the sense of separation and loss inside of being lonely, it can also make loneliness worse. If reaching out increases your sense of being all alone, don’t despair. You may just need a change of scenery or a few more phone calls to get back into your rhythm.
However, if you’ve been traveling away from your loved ones for a long time, an increase in loneliness when you connect may also mean you need a fix that only being around those you love can provide.
Solo travel provides a wealth of memorable experiences. Should loneliness find you when you’re out on your travels, try these tricks and you’ll be back to loving the experience of being alone in no time.
