I've always been tethered to this incessant curiosity about the lives lead by others in foreign sectors of the world, in the most beautiful places in the world, in the most peace-inducing countries and communities of the world. A. Gide melodiously posited that people cannot discover new oceans unless they muster the courage to lose sight of the shore. Travel is the tool with which you view the world's different shores through others' eyes.

There's so much to think about when traveling alone, and as a woman traveling by herself, there are even more hurdles to jump and fears to assuage. During my recent travels, I curated a list of self-care strategies and must-do's for those intrepid souls who venture to see the world on their own. 

1. Plan ahead and create an itinerary for your stay. For planners like myself, this was imperative. I found it beneficial to have a semi-structured schedule detailing my excursions, shopping trips, and solo dinner dates. I promised myself that I would not remain confined to my comfortable hotel room, but that I would play sleuth to all that the cities had to offer. If you aren't much of a planner, the laid back approach would work just as well. But what's the point of visiting such culturally rich places if you have no plan to enjoy it?

2. Create a budget and try to stick to it. Budgeting is critical when visiting a foreign place; it allows you to keep track of your spending and not overspend. Making a budget, I think, also helps keep YOU in check. Try and spend the money on making memories during your stay instead of spending on frivolous items that won't foster a connection with your destination. Also, I realized that if I did not overspend while on vacation, I did not worry as much about money when I returned back to my reality at home. 

3. Keep your personal safety as a top priority. Be aware of your surroundings. Just to add an additional layer of protection, I brought mace, and I made sure to have a tour guide that I felt safe with. Furthermore, keeping in contact with my family was imperative. Lastly, it was key to keep my external charger with me just in case my battery drained or my phone died. Making sure to have the number of your hotel is important as well. While traveling solo is fun, it’s key to ensure that you’re being practical and making smart decisions.

4. Practice gratitude daily and make time to reflect. Each day, I wrote in my gratitude journal on my phone and read my bible. This trip was a luxury some cannot afford; therefore, I chose to relish in the moment that I had to reconnect with myself, learn more about myself, and meditate on how blessed I was. Identifying what you're grateful for opens your awareness to more things to be grateful for. What you put into the universe, it sends back to you.

5. Engage in physical activity and eat clean. This is key. On vacation, it's easy to indulge in the delicacies that hotels offer, but being on vacation is a perfect opportunity to continue your routine of being physically active and eating well and clean. There tends to be a lot of walking, and this is a good thing. I walked a ton in Bali, but I also made it a part of my travel plan to wake up and work out. I also chose to eat healthier while on vacation because I did not want to feel guilty about falling off the "wagon" when I returned to Beijing. I chose to be disciplined. If your physical health is important to you, you don’t take a day off; you identify the lifestyle adjustments needed, and you remain consistent, even while on vacation.

6. Try something new. This is pretty much a built-in feature of traveling. Being in a foreign land is the perfect opportunity to be more adventurous and seek out new things. The main thing I wanted to do in Bali was try the swing in Ubud. It was terrifying at first, but I felt great that I had been brave enough to do it. It's making memories at it's finest. I made a deal with myself to take as many meaningful photos as possible for those times of distress and intense emotion when I needed to remember the fun I'd experienced in days past. Think about the fun you’d like to have, make a plan of action, and get to it!

7. RELAX! Unless your intention is to partake in an activity each day of your vacation, take some time to relax, read, and reflect. Sit by the pool, get a massage, take a walk along the beach (provided you're staying near one), or simply sit somewhere comfortable and journal about your experience. Traveling offers you the perfect, unencumbered opportunity to recharge. I mean, you're taking the vacation for a reason, right? Allow this quiet time to energize you and give yourself space and time to just be!

Some believe that putting yourself first is selfish. I say that putting yourself first is a necessity. You cannot pour from an empty cup, and making yourself a priority-taking care of your needs-makes you better and more equipped to help the loved ones in your life. You are your best investment. Invest wisely. Cheers to self-care. 

Kindall Tyson, M.Ed., LPC, NCC

Therapist | Professional School Counselor | Educator Wellness Coach