Most people have never travelled alone, but those who have have known that it can change you in so many positive ways. The first time when I came to the U.S. alone, I was very frightened. However, later I didn’t regret the decision of travelling alone, because I learned and discovered so many things that I wouldn’t have if I wasn’t travelling alone, and so I was glad I got the opportunity to travel solo. Though there are many ways in which traveling alone changes you, the 10 most probable ones are:

1. You overcome the fear of travelling alone

The thought of traveling alone can be daunting, especially if it is your first time. However, the experience of travelling solo can change you in countless ways. You can overcome your fear and also learn a lot from the experience of travelling alone.

2. You become independent

From the very beginning of the journey till the end, you feel a sense of independence as you no longer have to or can depend on anyone. You can do things on your own and you finally feel like an adult. You have the freedom to do whatever you want to without asking anyone.

3. You become responsible

As you travel alone, you develop a sense of responsibility because you have to make sure your travel documents and passport are in a safe place. It also makes you feel more in control when you have to take connecting flights while making sure you have all your luggage with you. Thus, multitasking at airports can actually make you much more responsible.

4. Crowded airports don’t intimidate you any more

There used to be a time when crowded airports made you feel nervous -- but not any more. Even the busiest airports of the world won’t frighten you and you will easily navigate through them without having a panic attack. In fact, you will eventually feel much more comfortable navigating through busy airports.

5. It boosts your confidence

All in all, the experience of travelling solo can immediately boost your confidence and raise your self-esteem. You feel good about yourself, and there is a sense of pride within you. It is no less than an achievement for you to successfully travel on your own and hence you have all the right reason to be happy about it

6. You get some “me time”

Another perk of traveling alone is that you get all the time to yourself and you some might spend it watching movies or episodes of your favorite series that you might have missed out on. Or you just might want to sit in a quiet place and enjoy the peace.

7. You don’t mind sleeping at the airport

If you are travelling some place really far, the metal chairs of the waiting lounge will seem as comfortable as your bedroom couch (well, not really). During layovers, you are likely to sleep on those chairs and would not worry about the people passing by.

8. You are comfortable having conversations with strangers

You will actually socialize with the passenger sitting next to you and you might end up talking for hours with them. You have never been more comfortable sharing your stories with a complete stranger and you will often find strangers giving you life advice. You can actually make new friends while travelling, and sometimes those friendships can last a lifetime.

9. You get to know yourself a little better

Travelling alone gives you the opportunity to know yourself better. You get to know more about your interests, personality, and all the things about yourself. Being alone, you can reflect on various things in life and also think about your past, present, and future.

10. You have the power to make decisions

A prerequisite of travelling alone is that you have the ability to take big decisions and do what you want to. There are no limitations and, as you make decisions for yourself, a sense of freedom invigorates within you, thus making you more confident.

“Some journeys in life can only be travelled alone.” ―Ken Poirot