If you’ve been a solo traveler for some time now, you probably know that it can sometimes get lonely. You don’t have any one of your close friends and family to speak to every minute of the travel and that can take a toll on your mental wellbeing. Even if you’ve never traveled solo, you are probably scared of what it can do to your mind since you will be doing everything alone, but it’s not that scary. There are things you can do in order to keep your mental wellbeing in check, so let’s see how you can do this.
Take care of your basic needs
It is essential that you pay attention to yourself and your needs before anything else. When you neglect your basic needs and you don’t take care of them immediately, they can snowball into something much bigger. So, if you are hungry – eat; if you’re thirsty – drink, if you feel tired – make sure to get enough sleep. If you don’t listen to your body and its needs, you might only get lonely on your travel, and that’s something you really want to avoid. You can keep track of your feelings and write down how you managed to resolve those bad feelings and figure out if it’s connected to your physical needs. If not, then you might want to try other tips.
Be rational
If your trip is a long one, and you suddenly don’t feel like you’re having that much fun anymore, look at the bigger picture. Think about your trip so far and be real and rational. You’ve probably met dozens of amazing people so far, and you are probably going to meet even more people. You are not alone, there are plenty of solo travelers around you and they all seek a friend. You are bound to connect with someone and have plenty of fun, so don’t listen to your brain if it’s telling you that you are all alone.
Keep your traveling clean
When we get low and lonely, we tend to forget about the hygiene or leave a mess all around the hotel room, or car if you’re traveling like that. But we all know that a messy surrounding lead to messy mind, and that is why it’s essential to pay attention to cleanliness when traveling. Never postpone taking a nice shower, grooming and keeping your body clean, not even when you feel the lowest. The same goes for your room – keep it clean and tidy and you can even schedule cleaning each day and feel much better about yourself. If you’re traveling by your car, don’t forget to pack some road trip essentials, and make sure you don’t leave trash and food all over it. First of all, it’s not hygienic and secondly, you will only feel worse. But essential, keep in mind that when you and your surroundings are clean, your mind won’t be bothered and you will feel happier about yourself.
Keep up your exercising routine
It is common knowledge that exercising is a tremendous booster when it comes to mood and mental health, so make sure to include some of it in your traveling. Make an exercise plan and stick to it every day. Even 15 minutes of light stretching or doing crunches and push-ups will boost your mood and give you the positive energy to enjoy your vacation. You can even start each morning with some light yoga, or go jogging each evening. And if you jog during the day, you can even see the city you’re visiting and make it fun and healthy. What is more, you can always do the research and find some local gyms or join a free course of yoga in the park.
Research time zones before departing
Since you know you’re going on a solo journey and if you already know the destination, make sure to check the time zone. If you’re going far away, check the time there and make sure to make hours work in your benefit. When you’re far away and in a different time zone, it can be tough to keep talking to your friends and family, because of the time difference. Find that small window to talk to your loved ones and you will prevent feeling lonely because you can hear from them every day. You can even choose a destination that is not that far away but don’t let your mental health hold you back from exploring the world. You just have to be a bit more organized and everything will work out fine.
Even though traveling can do wonders for your mental health and overall for your wellbeing, sometimes it can get rough. Especially if you’re traveling alone. Luckily, there are things you can do in order to dust away bad thoughts and feeling lonely. Make plans, exercise and keep your body in check and you will have the time of your life.