Apply your “New City” mindset
While in a new city or country, everything around me excites me – the street food, children playing soccer, the smell of the air, local traffic, crowds of people going about their day and the feel of cobblestoned streets underneath my feet. My senses take in almost everything and feel much alive.
A good way to stay excited is to bring your traveling “New City” mindset back home. Think of the things you enjoyed experiencing while abroad, like long walks around the city, and try to do the same when you’re back home. Try to look at everything around you in the eyes of a tourist. Revisit activities you previously assumed were only for travelers. They might come off as “cheesy” but you’ll surprise yourself with how much fun you’ll have.
I love when my friends come into town because it is an opportunity for me to see my city through their eyes and try out things I probably would not have normally done. As a New York Native I try to avoid Times Square at all costs. When one of my friends came into town, she wanted to explore places in this area & I actually enjoyed myself that day.
Re-discover Cultural Dishes
We all experience new dishes while traveling. Some of us remember our first and last bites of amazing food. Unfortunately there is no guarantee they will be available back home. If you live in a city like New York City, it is a bit easier to find certain foods you discovered in another country. If you came back from Spain, try their other Spanish dishes and try to be mindful when eating – taking in every bite slowly to really enjoy it. I promise you will never look at food the same way.
If you live outside of the city, making a new cuisine right at home can be an adventure you’ll surely enjoy! Every time I have an urge to drop everything to travel back to Italy, I open up my book full of recipes I gathered from locals while I lived in Florence and get busy in the kitchen.
Give yourself an extra day to readjust
As tempting as it is to use every minute of your vacation days off (you deserve to right?), going back to work the following day does not do your mental health any favors. Give yourself a day or two before going back to the office. This gives you ample time to adjust your mindset and re-visualize your life back home or at work – catch up on emails, tackle some chores, do some grocery shopping and meal prep, get over your jet lag, deal with personal matters, and to unpack. You’ll also have time to realize your vacation is actually over and that it’s time to get back to your life.
Journaling
Start a journal to help you log your solo travels and take a trip down memory lane when you feel like it. Remembering all the life lessons learned on your journey, especially during the bad times, will make you feel more empowered in life. From there, write down what you are grateful to have newly experienced, how you have grown from it, and find more appreciation for what you already have in your life.
Start thinking about your next adventure
Start planning your next trip. Even if feels unrealistic – with a demanding job, a new baby, or no one to go with – day dream of places you want to go to. Visualizing in a new destination will help you to keep thinking about solo traveling again, in the next few months.
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By Chizoba Anyaoha
What travel type are you? Tag us on IG @travsolo on your solo adventure.