Why Solo Travel After Change

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Hi, and welcome to Traveling Solo on Z Michelson Travel Podcast. A Z-Max travel radio production presented by Calage Travel Media Network. And of course, I'm Z Michelson. I'm your travel advisor, I'm your media host, and of course, I'm an advocate for women who refuse to wait to see the world. Now, this episode is on traveling solo, whether you're dating, divorced, or widowed. It's traveling solo through life's transitions. Now I hope you've been enjoying this little miniseries on solo travel, and you're getting excited about stepping out there on your own and seeing the world. However, this episode may be a little bit personal because solo travel often begins in a life transition. What do I mean by that? Well, of course, we're talking divorce, widowhood, a breakup, empty nesting, and yes, even dating again. And the question becomes, who am I now? Let's talk about traveling solo through life's transition, shall we? Now, the trip that changes everything, for many women, the first solo trip isn't about adventure. It's about reclaiming identity. You've spent your years as a wife, a partner, a caregiver, a decision sharer, and then suddenly, here you go. You're making the decisions on your own. And what are you feeling? You can feel terrified. Or you can feel freeing. And sometimes a little bit of both. Let's look at traveling after a divorce. How many of you are divorced and you realize how much has really changed? Divorce changes more than your relationship status. Sometimes it can change your confidence, it can change your finances, it changes your routine, and sometimes it can change your sense of stability. And here is what we often see. Women hesitate to travel because they're adjusting to managing life independently. But travel is one of the fastest ways to rebuild decision trust. You have to learn to trust yourselves. When you're traveling through an airport, you're navigating it on your own, you're learning to trust yourself. When you check into a hotel alone, I know sometimes that can be scary. I remember when I first got into the industry and I had to travel in the airports by myself, I had to check into hotels by myself. I enjoyed it. But it was a little scary, I will confess. In the very beginning, you can be a little scared. But when you choose your own itinerary, you're proving to yourself one big thing. I can handle this. I'll repeat that. Make that your mantra. I can handle this. And that spills into every other part of your life. That's right. It spills into every other part of your life. Now, something that's a little bit different from divorce is traveling after being widowed. Widowhood isn't just a change, it is grief. And traveling after a loss can feel complicated. You might be thinking, yeah, we were supposed to go there together, and now your partner is gone. So grief does play a part in this. And sometimes the first solo trip after losing a partner is extremely emotional. But it also can be healing. Because you're not replacing the past, you're honoring your ability to continue living. And that takes courage. Now, if you've been divorced for quite a few years or widowed for a few years and you've started dating again, dating and solo travel also is a little bit different. So let's talk about dating, especially a little bit later on in life. Now, I know a lot of people that have been widowed and have started dating, and I know a lot of people that have been divorced and started dating. And my age demographic is yes, I am over the age of 50. I hate to say it, but yes, I am. Some women hesitate to travel solo while dating because they feel they should be doing it with someone. This is an interesting dynamic going on here. Here's the truth. Traveling solo while dating sets a powerful tone. And I really love this. You know what it says? It says, I have a full life, I don't need rescuing. I choose companionship, I don't depend on it. And that energy changes who you attract. How often have you seen when you are desperate for a relationship or someone is desperate for a relationship, they give off a certain aura. And that can sometimes throw people off. So this energy that you are talking about, that you have a full life, you don't need rescuing, you choose companionship, you don't depend on it. That energy changes who you attract. Independence is magnetic. I meet many, many women who travel alone. And in the coming episodes, I will be speaking with several of them. Sometimes their travel is amazing. They travel alone to Africa, they travel alone to Europe. And I think, wow, they're braver than I am. But they love doing it. Now here's something that affects quite a few ladies. You have become an empty nester. Now you have to reinvent yourself. Oh boy, how that happens. Many of us fall into this category. When your children leave home, there's often a quiet identity shift. Who are you when you're not actively mothering? How many times were you traveling because this is what the kids would like, or this is what they would like? Not necessarily what you wanted to do, but you wanted to make sure everybody was happy. So travel becomes a rediscovery tool for you. You get to ask these questions. What do I enjoy? What kind of pace do I like? Do I want to keep running, running, running? Or would I like to slow it down a bit and just relax poolside and read a book and enjoy the scenery? And what excites me now? You know, what have you thought about in the past that you always wanted to do and what excites you now? It's a reinvention without the pressure. How nice is that? Now, when I started reinventing myself, yes, I am an empty nester. There were certain things I looked forward to. I love cruising. And I can go cruise anywhere I wanted to. When my daughter was younger, she didn't particularly care for cruising until she got older. Isn't that always the way? So you're in reinventing yourself. When you reinvent yourself, it becomes a lot of fun. And remember those questions. What do I enjoy? What pace do I like? And what excites me now? That's the biggie. Okay, let's be honest, shall we? Transition often affects our finances. As we all know, you have divorce settlements, insurance changes, single income adjustments, and sometimes travel feels indulgent. Like it's unnecessary. But here's a reframe. Look at it this way. Are you listening? Travel isn't indulgent, it's investment. It's an investment in clarity, in resilience, and in confidence. You're rebuilding your confidence. And that's a great thing. And something else, solo travel doesn't have to mean luxury. Now of course, it doesn't have to mean luxury. You don't need an around the world cruise, unless, of course, you want to. Maybe that's something that excites you. But if you're just starting on your solo journeys, even a small solo getaway can rebuild stability. You know, two or three days. There's a lot of cruise lines that do three-day cruises. Go to a location that you always wanted to see. Maybe you wanted to go see Savannah, Georgia. Rediscovering America can be a lot of fun. And you can go for a couple of days. You don't need to go for two weeks. What do you think of that? Now, women in transition often worry about safety. We have talked about this on another of the episodes, but here it is again. If you're worried about safety, physically and emotionally, physical safety can be planned. Emotional safety is internal. So if you're traveling after a divorce or a loss, start small. Just like I said, have just a few days. Choose familiar destinations. You don't have to go to South Africa in the very beginning unless that's something you want to do. But choose a familiar destination that you've always thought about going to. Maybe you just wanted to see the Grand Canyon. I've been there. It's exquisite. Maybe you just wanted to travel down the rivers in the United States. Maybe you wanted to travel the Mississippi. You can do that too. But give yourself permission to rest. You don't have to keep running, running, running. Allow emotions to surface. In other words, you're getting it out of your system. You're becoming confident. You are getting stable in what you feel you should be doing. You're rediscovering yourself. Strength isn't pretending you're fine. Strength is moving forward anyway. Now a lot of people think that they're behind. You're not behind. But here's something I need to say clearly. Alright, you're listening very tightly here. If you are divorced, if you are widowed, if you are dating again in your 50s or 60s, or even 70s, if you are rebuilding, you are not behind. I'm gonna say it again, you're not behind. Life doesn't follow a timeline. Solo travel is not a consolation prize. It's a declaration. It says, My story isn't over yet. And that's powerful. Your story isn't over yet. A lot of places it's just starting. Okay, are you ready to take that first solo trip? If you are in life's transition and thinking about traveling solo, here is what is recommended. Okay. Pick a destination that excites you. Not one you feel obligated to visit. One that excites you. What do you want? What do you want to visit? Who do you who do you want to visit? Do you want to see the Grand Canyon? Do you want to go to Washington, D.C.? Do you want to travel overseas? Pick a destination that really excites you. Now, you want to keep the trip manageable. So overseas might be out of the question on your very first trip, unless you feel really brave. But you want to keep the trip manageable. Three to five days. Short trips get you going and builds your confidence. You've made it the three-day trip. You got jumped on a plane and you flew out to wherever. You flew out to Arizona, or you flew out to Vegas, or you went somewhere that you always wanted to see. Three to five days. Or maybe a short little cruise. You've never been on a cruise and you've always wanted to go on one. Something that's manageable and it excites you. Now, sometimes when you're traveling alone, you feel that you need some sort of structure. It's okay. Build in a little structure. You know, you've seen some tours that you might want to go on, or perhaps a spa appointment. Oh boy, when I was on one of my cruises, I went, I'm gonna take a spa. And that's what I did. I went down, I got a massage, I had my manicure, pedicure done. Oh, it was wonderful. Some people like cooking classes. I personally don't like cooking classes. I like to go and eat after the cooking class. But some people like those cooking classes, and you can structure that in. And it's okay to celebrate the small wins. Every independent decision matters. This isn't about proving something. It's about reconnecting with yourself. You're finding out who you are, reconnecting with yourself. Now let's be clear. Travel doesn't erase grief. It doesn't undo divorce. And it doesn't replace a partnership. But what it does do, it reminds you that you are still capable. You are still curious, you're still evolving, and you are still worthy of the experience. And sometimes that reminder is really everything. So keep that in mind. Solo travel doesn't mean you're traveling alone. You are your best friend. Well, you've been listening to Traveling Solo. This is a series on the Z Michelson Travel Podcast, a ZMAX travel radio production. It's presented by Collage Travel Media Network. And of course, I'm Z Michelson. Now, if you like today's episode and it resonates with you, feel free to share it with any woman that's navigating her own transition. And also feel free to subscribe to the Z Michelson Travel Podcast. You can find it on all your podcast providers. And it's free. I like that word free. So you can go back and remind yourself of these things. And remember, you don't have to wait for life to feel settled before you travel. Sometimes travel is what helps you settle. So until next time, travel strong. And like I always say, reach for the stars. And if you only get to the moon, at least you made the trip. Thanks for listening today, and happy travel.