There are plenty of things in this world to fear, but living out our wildest dreams shouldn’t be one of them. When I first started solo traveling, I never imagined it would become a passion. All I knew was that after COVID, I couldn’t wait any longer to return to Europe. I tried recruiting friends to join, but after months of watching others prioritize paycheck-to-paycheck living over travel, I realized that if I kept waiting, I’d never go.

One night—after a generous glass (or two) of wine—I mustered the courage to book a plane ticket to Lisbon, Portugal. I carved out nine weeks of “time off” from my job (translation: I told them I was going and they could hire me back after if they wanted) and set out for what turned into one of the greatest experiences of my life!

That first solo trip changed everything. Since then, I’ve visited over 30 countries, made lifelong friends, and learned more about myself than I ever thought possible. Solo travel didn’t just take me to new places—it revealed to me who I was and what I am capable of. If sharing my journey inspires even one person to take that leap, I couldn’t think of a better way to give back to the universe for all it has given me.