What’s Really Stopping You From Booking That Solo Trip? (5 Identity Blocks) // 175

You feel the pull to travel alone.

But something inside says, “That’s not me.”

Not because you can’t.
Because it feels unfamiliar.

If you’ve ever thought:

“It feels selfish to leave.”
“I’m the responsible one.”
“That kind of travel isn’t me.”
“Isn’t solo travel for younger women?”
“What will people think?”
“Who even am I without my roles?”

You are not alone.

In this episode, Cheryl unpacks the identity blocks that quietly keep women over 50 from booking the trip they can’t stop thinking about.

What’s Inside:

• The caregiver identity and guilt
• Why solo travel doesn’t require risk-taking
• The “too late” myth
• Handling other people’s reactions
• Rediscovering who you are in this season

This isn’t just about travel.

It’s about confidence.
It’s about permission.
It’s about becoming.

If solo travel feels like part of your next chapter — but hesitation keeps slowing you down — that’s exactly what 1:1 coaching is for.

We build safety, clarity, and confidence so you can move forward peacefully.

👉 Apply for coaching at cherylbeckesch.com

You don’t have to navigate this alone.

Transcript

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The Pull Toward Solo Travel

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Have you ever felt the pull to travel somewhere alone? But something inside you quietly whispers maybe that's not me. Not because you can't afford it, not because you're incapable, but because it doesn't quite match the identity you've been carrying around for decades, possibly.

Naming Identity Blocks

SPEAKER_00 0:20

Welcome to Solo Travel Adventures. I'm Cheryl Esch, your host and travel coach. Today we'll be talking about something deeper than just packing lists and flight deals. I know you love all those. We're talking about identity. Specifically, I've come up with five identity blocks that may keep women 50 and older from travel traveling solo, even when their hearts are craving it. I don't know, have you ever felt that tug but couldn't move forward? Well, this episode is for you.

Caregiver Guilt And Permission

SPEAKER_00 0:54

The first thing I know I've always struggled with is being that caretaker, that responsible one. And many of us women are that backbone of our families. Whether it's we're taking care of still children, or we're a wife, or we're a daughter of aging parents, someone always seems to be dependent on us, or it could just be work too. And so we have this responsibility that we are carrying around, and our life revolves around that. So when we think about going on a plane alone, something inside of us just doesn't feel right because it's not what we're used to. You may even think, oh, this is selfish. Or what if someone needs me? That's a big one. And shouldn't I be there instead of here? You know, it's all these questions you may ask, and this could prevent you from going on that solo trip. And really, what it is, is you need permission. So I give you permission to go somewhere and go alone, do a solo trip. It's not abandonment, it's actually replenishment. So when we replenish ourselves as caregivers, we're gonna have more to give back when we return. I always say you can't give from an empty vessel. So don't think just because you have all these responsibilities, that it's selfish for you to do a solo trip.

Rethinking Adventure And Risk

SPEAKER_00 2:27

Number two, you might think, oh, you see all these travel things going on and they seem so adventurous and really out there. And you might say to yourself, Well, that's not me. I'm practical, I don't take risks, I'm not spontaneous. Well, it doesn't have to be that way to do a solo trip. And it just can be a place where you can just get out and have your own adventure. Doesn't have to be those extravagant, you know, climb Mount Whitney adventures. It could just be going solo is an adventure in itself for you. So thinking about that, and it's a really a decision, so you have to make that decision to go. You don't have to fit the mold of other travelers, you're gonna go as yourself.

It’s Not Too Late After 50

SPEAKER_00 3:19

Number three, it's too late for me. Well, it is not. There are so many women, 50 and older, that are traveling solo. But you might be thinking, oh, that's for the 20-year-olds, that's for those doing a gap year. Trust me, there are so many women. I don't know the stats right now, but we are one of the highest percentages of people traveling. Women are ones to also book trips, even if they're with a spouse. So women travelers really have a market out there. There's so many of us, and a lot of companies are even starting to gear their tours to single women, and some have even just for women, single women travel groups. So there's plenty of options out there. It is not too late. If anything, you're at a stage right now where you have the finances to do it, you have the flexibility to do it, you have more clarity in your life, possibly. That one might be struggling with, but travel will help that. And fewer people might be depending on you because maybe your children are older and you have a little more freedom. Maybe you're only working part-time now. It is not too late. Please don't be one of those folks that you know at the end of your life you regret not going on some trips, not traveling more, because that's an experience you can't, you just keep in your mind, and it's something to cherish.

Fear Of Others’ Perception

SPEAKER_00 4:58

Number four, the fear of perception. What will people think? Well, we are conditioned to, you know, be these role models and be appropriate, be stable, be put together, right? And when we do, we think about doing a solo trip and you tell people, I'm taking a solo trip, they might ask if you're okay. Is this a midlife crisis? Are you lonely? But here's the truth: when women step outside their assigned identity, it makes other people around them uncomfortable, especially, and I can attest to this, especially when I was still married and I was starting to do some travels. I know that it made my spouse uncomfortable because it actually had to put more responsibility on him. And so this discomfort is just other people's perceptions. It is not wrong for you to go on a solo trip.

Who Am I Without My Roles

SPEAKER_00 6:06

Number five, and this is probably the deepest one, is I don't know who I am without my roles. So we don't talk enough about how a how a woman feels after divorce or widowhood or emptiness or even retirement, because once some of those things are stripped away, whether it's parenting or a spouse or work that we have held as our identity, then we sometimes don't know how to operate in just this is who I am right now and accepting it and maybe even re-inventing yourself. And so a travel, a trip that could help with this, meaning it could liberate you and give you space to ask some real questions, to be quiet, and to figure out maybe even who you're going to be in this next season. And it's a beautiful thing to do solo travel and move in that space perspective that you can discover who you are while you're traveling, but it doesn't have to happen, it can happen before you travel, it could happen after you get back. You might find that you learned something about yourself and now you want to do something, or you've discovered something while you were traveling that you really want to bring into your day-to-day life.

Gentle Challenge And Next Steps

SPEAKER_00 7:40

Well, sisters, if something in this episode stirred something inside of you, I want you to sit with it, don't rush it, don't justify it, don't listen to the outside noise, just notice it. And think about could you go on a solo trip somewhere? And you will start to see some shifts in your decisions, which create bravery. I want to see that happen for you. And if this episode resonated with you, I would love to share with you how you might have permission to expand.

Book A Call And Begin

SPEAKER_00 8:22

And if you're ready to take that first step in becoming who God's created you to be on your next solo trip, I am here for you, and I want you to book a call with me. And let's get that next chapter, that next plane ticket in your hands.