A few weeks ago the craziest thing happened to me, I took a cruise “alone”!
This was definitely not planned to be a solo trip. But, in typical 2022 fashion an unfortunate circumstance occurred at the last minute, leaving me to travel as a party of one. I put alone in quotations because I was traveling with other travel advisors as part of a familiarization trip. So I was not completely on my own but, it was just me in my very own stateroom on a cruise ship. My personal travel is mainly with my family so traveling alone is very rare for me these days. Sure, the thought of cancelling all together went through my mind but, I really looked forward to the cruise and the opportunity to get out there. Despite a little bit of fear I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and decided to get on the ship.
A mom traveling alone?
It sounds strange, almost foreign. I am here to tell you that every mom needs to find an opportunity to travel alone. Sure, there are the obvious reasons why:
- You get a break.
- You get uninterrupted sleep
- You can do whatever you want all day long.
But, I think the most valuable part about solo travel is you get to connect with yourself. We all can get a little lost in motherhood. Sometimes we forget who we are and what we were like in life before children. I believe that our “old self” is inside somewhere and it’s very healthy that every once in a while you reconnect with her.
I have to say, it was a wonderful experience for so many reasons.
First, I made new friends. I am naturally an extrovert and I can’t help myself, I love connecting with people and making new friends. I had the opportunity to connect with some incredible fellow moms.
Moms who homeschool.
Mom’s whose spouses are in the military.
Moms who are in the thick of raising teenagers.
Moms who are climbing the career ladder.
…and Moms who are battling illness.
I have so much respect for each and every one of these ladies. Despite all the reasons why they shouldn’t, they all “took the trip”.
Since I didn’t have my personal luggage butler, I mean husband, around, I had to pack light.
Who is this new version of me who can actually pack light? Normally, I like to be prepared and travel with all the things. It might sound silly but for me, packing light was a challenge. I did it though – I learned I can make 3 pairs of shoes work and how to commit to that outfit I planned for each day. On a cruise though, packing light has many benefits and I knew dealing with a large suitcase was not going to do me any favors traveling alone.
Then there were those much needed moments of peace and quiet.
I did treasure those moments of complete independence and being on my own time. As a mom and wife, I never feel like I fully have those anymore. Being on my own time and the ability to make my own decisions felt empowering and refreshing. I really think it was those quiet moments alone that let me fully recharge my battery.
I came back feeling ready to tackle my weekly challenges with more calm and patience that I have felt in a long time.
