I am BIG on self-care. It’s an important part of my daily life and I weave it into the fabric of my being daily. And, unless you have been living under a rock recently, you will also be familiar with the concept of self-care and just how important it is becoming in this life when we are constantly being pulled in a thousand directions.

Intentional self-care is all about taking the time to check-in with yourself physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually to ensure that you are healthy and functioning at your best. It’s about creating a better body, mind & soul for yourself and it has real short and long term effects.

And I recently discovered a new form of self-care. The supernova of self-care acts - if you will - in the form of solo travel.

The simple fact of the matter is that after the last few years many of us are feeling mentally and emotional battered and just utterly exhausted. For me, it didn’t matter how much Yoga, meditation, walks in nature or long baths I had, I was still feeling utterly depleted.

Then I went on a solo trip to the hills of Bologna, Italy, as Travel Ambassador for Travel Matters and discovered the power of solo travel as a form of self-care. I was only away for two nights, but let me tell you - it was the most empowering, liberating and mentally rejuvenating two nights I had experienced in a long time.

With that said, today I want to share with you how fantastically wonderful solo travel is a very much needed form of self-care:

1. Learning about and reconnecting with yourself

When you are travelling by yourself, it can take some time to get used to being in your own company, but although strange at first once you relax into it you really do start to enjoy the solitude and the sweetness it brings.

Solo travel is a great way of spending a serious chunk of time by yourself, and is a great way to reconnect, know and trust yourself, your abilities and your intuition.

2. It’s all about you

How often do you get to do exactly what you want and when you want on holiday? In my personal experience, that is almost never because usually, I am trying to accommodate the want and needs of my family.

When you’re travelling alone you get to do exactly as you please, when you please. You can put yourself above all others, because there are no others!

3. Dedication to recharging your batteries

Solitude brings an unparalleled opportunity to recharge your batteries, in peace and quiet. You can be as lazy as you want, sleep as long as you want, stroll through nature as long as you want, lie by the pool as long as you want. You get the picture!

4. Being you - unapologetically

Are you blighted by the modern-day infliction of selflessness? Over time, selflessness can seriously deplete your energy levels and sense of self. Solo travel is the perfect opportunity to redress the balance. The beauty of solo travel is that you are free to experience your destination and fulfil your desires. You do not need to wear a myriad of hats - partner, parent, boss, employee, friend, confident. You are just 100% you, and 100% in control, and that is incredibly empowering.,

5. Seeing the world with fresh eyes again

So often when I go away with the family, I come back from a holiday needing another holiday. But with solo travel, you leave all the burnout and overwhelm behind, and are so well rested that you come back seeing the world with fresh eyes again, and in technicolour. You have a newfound gratitude for all that is in your life, and that is nothing short of priceless.

So as you can tell, I am a firm advocate of solo travel! It was the first time in 15 years I had experienced it, but now I’ve had another taste of it, I can’t wait to do it again. I’ve realised what a precious form of self-care it is, and how beneficial it is for our mental, emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing. If only our GPs would prescribe it! But failing that, why not talk to the team at Travel Matters about how you can get your dose of solo travel self-care here.

(Talya, Travel Matters Travel Ambassador, travelled in May 2022 to Palazzo Di Varignana. She is the proud Founder of Motherhood: The Real Deal and 40 Now What)

Why Solo Travel is the ultimate form of Self-care