WHAT I HAVE DISCOVERED FROM TRAVELING THE WORLD ALONE

Alessia Tenebruso

My name is Alessia, and I have traveled solo for over ten years. I didn't begin this journey as someone confident in myself. In fact, I was incredibly self-conscious, unsure of myself, and shy, and I certainly would never do anything on my own, let alone travel the world solo.

But one day in 2012, when I felt lost, broken, and confused about whom I was after being involved in a mentally abusive relationship, I decided to take the first step to change my life.

I knew I had to do something completely outside of my comfort zone. So I decided to take a trip completely alone. Something I never thought I was capable of.

I was scared, nervous, and so completely unsure of my decision when I first stepped onto the plane, ready to embark on my first vacation by myself.

As soon as I sat down on my flight, my journey began. Sitting next to me was a guy my age… who happened to be a solo traveler. Considering I had never had a conversation with anyone on a flight before, I found it miraculous that of all the moments to begin talking to a stranger on a flight, it would be a seasoned solo traveler while I was on my first solo trip.

The universe continued to put people in my path to guide me through that first trip. Whether it was strangers randomly striking up conversations or new friends that I met on a fishing excursion… they were there, and I knew it was to help me on my journey.

I had an incredible time on that first trip and knew I was hooked!

Since that trip, I have traveled the world on my own, meeting some of my favorite people and having the most incredible experiences. I have ridden in a sidecar of a motorcycle in Paris, visited several castles while wearing ballgowns in Scotland, steered a racing yacht in St. Maarten, I zip lined into cenote in Mexico, and hiked a glacier in Alaska… and that's not even all of it!

Through the act of solo traveling, I have learned so many valuable lessons about myself and the world. Most importantly, I learned how to truly love myself.

Finding self-love through solo travel has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my journey.

As I mentioned earlier, I struggled with feeling self-conscious for most of my life until I began my solo travel journey.

I always thought that because my body wasn't the "ideal size," or I didn't make as much money as other people, or didn't have a partner, etc… I wasn't good enough to love myself.

I realize now how much my thoughts held me back and prevented me from fully living my life the way I wanted to live it. One of the tools that helped me gain confidence while I was traveling solo was the embody my future self. I would think about the version of me with all the traits I dreamed of having, such as wealth, a healthy body, confidence, sexiness, being stylish, intriguing, fun, vibrant, etc. I would act as if I was already my future self when I would go on my trips, which might look like wearing a ball gown to dinner, singing karaoke at a resort, dancing under the stars with new friends, hiring professional photographers to take my photos, or befriending hundreds of people at a concert in Paris.

As I acted like my future self when traveling alone, I realized I became my future self in my everyday life. This is what I like to call "the solo travel lifestyle." I now live my life like how I would feel while on a trip. I stay overnight at local hotels, and I dine alone at local restaurants. I act like a tourist in my city, and I show up as my unapologetic self everywhere I go. My life has become the ultimate destination!

Experiencing this transformation from the point where I felt broken and lost to now being a woman who has created her own business as a certified life coach to help women gain confidence and freedom through solo travel is incredible.

I know the power solo travel can produce for a person, and it is truly the ultimate act of self-love. This is why I created One Girl Travel and my monthly membership, the One Girl Travel Club.

Too often, women put their dreams on hold because:

∙ They are waiting on others to join them.

∙ They feel guilty about making themselves a priority.

∙ They don't know what they want because they haven't thought about their desires.

∙ They lost themselves when they had kids, a relationship, became a caretaker or were so focused on their occupation.

My goal is for every woman to live the life they desire and do the things that pull at their soul because I know what happens when you allow yourself to live your life unapologetically… and it is lifechanging.

Alessia Tenebruso

Alessia Tenebruso owns One Girl Travel, a solo travel-focused life-coaching company that helps empower women to make the world their playground and live a life of freedom.

Connect with her here: www.onegirltravel.com www.instagram.com/one_gril_travel www.facebook.com/onegirltravel

Contact@onegirltravel.com