The key is not to “jUsT dO iT” or to “just get out of your comfort zone! 🤪”it’s actually the opposite 🤷🏻‍♀️ for a lot of women, the key at first is to STAY in your comfort zone As much as you need to.for your first trip, just getting yourself there *already* a huge deal. if that’s the only new & scary & challenging thing you want to focus on, then that’s okay! Beyond that, you’re allowed to build the whole trip around your comfort zone! It actually helps so much to set you up for a trip that you’ll actually love & enjoy instead of overwhelming yourself. Set yourself up to be as comfortable as you can so that it makes it easier to feel good about getting on that flight! You don’t need to aim to become a whole new person, challenge every single fear, magically become a pro backpacker, learn 3 new languages, or have a wild trip of a lifetime. your first solo trip will still be life-changing either way! Fill your trip with things you already know you love to do & feel comfortable with! you can plan to hit up some cafes & go shopping instead of bungee jumping off of a cliff. you can plan to just hang by the beach instead of learning to surf. There will be plenty of opportunities that come up to try those new things if you want to, but take off some of the pressure to do that immediately! It’s easier to feel confident taking those opportunities when you’re grounded instead of overwhelmed with a plan that might be unrealistic for your personality & for your comfort zone on your first trip. Treat your first trip as a learning curve instead of a “fck your whole comfort zone 🤪” mentality (bc some of us are just not built like that OKAY and that’s fine! your comfort zone will grow at its own pace and part of solo travel is practicing that day-by-day!) If you get on the flight, the rest will follow. So yes - you have to take the leap to “just do it” at some point, but it helps SOOO much to do it YOUR way!

Before all of the fear feelings start to kick in, ask if you feel the GOOD butterflies in your stomach for a second? If you do, it’s worth trying at least once. When something kinda scary feels limiting, then it’s probably something you can pass on. If something kinda scary has even a *little* spark of excitement that you can feel before the “logical” or “realistic” part of your brain takes over, then it’s probably something that will be a game changer for you There’s no better feeling than sitting there with your morning coffee in another country knowing that you’re 5,000 miles away from home just because you felt like being delulu enough to create that experience for yourself! If the idea of that resonates with you at all, then you should probably go 🤷‍♀️

Hi everyone! Welcome and congratulations for taking the initiative to get out there and solo travel! This is a safe space where we plan trips, give tips, and experience the world together! This is the general forum where everyone is free to introduce themselves, ask questions, and generally build relationships with each other! I'll be posting often in here with information that can be useful to anyone taking that first step on their own! We also have a separate Q&A sections where you are free to ask me and questions directly that you think members would find useful. We have another section that encompasses checklists and guides that will make preparing for your next trip much easier! And we have another section that will go into detail on future trips we'll be planning! Now that you're here feel free to introduce yourself! Let us know why you're here and what you're looking to get out of this community!

I learned the hard way so you don’t have to :-) 🌞 I didn’t check local holidays when planning dates! It was around Carnival time in the Dominican Republic but I accidentally planned my trip for when flights/hotels were more expensive leading up to the big events but missed the actual festivities LOL & look out for holidays when lots of places are closed so u don’t end up without food or transportation. 🌞 I went wifi only! I’d been to the same country w/ my sister & we only used wifi but WHOLE different ballgame for solo safety that I didn’t think about. Definitely get a physical or eSIM card so your ppl can track your live location & check in often! Sooo much more peace of mind. @simcornertravel is a reliable option for both & you can use code SOLOSUMMER for a discount! 🌞 I didn’t learn basic words or phrases in the local language beforehand! Most locals spoke some English but once I was actually there, it felt way more respectful to at least attempt so I def did some googling after the first few days! helps with safety, getting around, & just being a good tourist! :) 🌞 I overplanned! This helps you feel prepared & more confident so it’s great to plan ahead as much as you need! But I didn’t leave a ton of flexibility for all of the things that I wanted to do once I got there & got a better feel for the city! 🌞 I didn’t order currency ahead of time! Once I started doing this thru my banking app (a week or so before leaving for a trip) this was a gamechangerrr. The last thing u wanna do after landing with some first-solo-trip-nerves is exchange at the airport (so expensive) or find an ATM (a hassle) btw you’re going to make “mistakes” no matter what & learn from them but hopefully you can learn from a few of mine so that you can make your own little fun ones but still feel prepared :)

Let’s be clear I was still terrified BUT there’s one thing that actually got me on the flight. Odds are, you’ve probably had the feeling of FOMO before so here’s how you’re gonna use that to your advantage Stop using “I wish I could..” or “I should..” to make yourself feel like you’re not doing enough or aren’t capable of doing the things you want to try. Use that same core feeling to make the what ifs more fun!! Before my first trip when I was in the stages of talking myself out of it, I kept thinking about the me that was on a ~different timeline~ who DID take the trip. Neither version of myself was better or worse, but I kept thinking ya know “what’s she doing? how did she feel after going? what did she get to experience? she’s probably having a good time sooo idk I’m a little curious”So taking the what ifs (“what if something bad happens?” “what if I don’t have fun?”) and turning them into “what if it’s like my favorite thing ever?” and “what if I’m missing out on a really important experience that I’m supposed to have?” and “what if I never get the chance to do this later?” will reallyyyy help get you on that flight. I’m still scared and feel lowkey sick to my stomach before every trip LMAO but have to remind myself that the opportunity to do this could literally end at any time (& u better believe that changes my attitude REAL quick) It doesn’t matter what you tell yourself as long as you get there!! Truly there is no better time for being delusional and trusting that you’ll figure it out