Get Comfortable in Your Own Skin. I've come to believe that being comfortable in your own company is essential to truly being good company. Being alone does not have to be lonely. In fact, I remember a few holidays when I was surrounded by people, but yet felt quite lonely. Being single and living alone affords the opportunity to really get to know yourself. That's not always an easy thing to do. Getting to really know you and like who you are only happens when you allow yourself the time and space to do that work. For me, traveling alone has really challenged me with who I am and who I thought I was. I've grown to love my quiet times alone. I've become more patient, adventurous, and vulnerable. Yes, I still get lonely, but being in my own company, and especially traveling by myself, has given me an inner strength I did not previously posses.
Find Your Tribe On the Road. You will not always find people you connect with ... but, you'll often get lucky if you put yourself out there. One great way to meet people is to take a class. Most places you go offer some kind of class that offers a small group setting. For instance, on a trip to Laos, I took a 1/2 day cooking class. It was fun learning a new way to cook and getting to know travelers from other parts of the world. I ended up dining with a few from the group for the next couple of nights. Also on my own I studied Spanish in Guatemala, went to a yoga retreat in Bali, got my scuba certification in Thailand, and lived in Costa Rica for a couple of years. All as a solo traveler! And even more than creating great memories, I’ve made deep and lasting friendships along the way.