Solo Traveling: Lonely or Liberating?

I first found out how much I enjoyed time to be alone when I moved into my own apartment in New York City. There, amidst the the craziness of NYC and the West Village buzz, I could have my own space to do what I wanted, when I wanted. It was certainly a freeing concept. I love being around people, I have always worked well with people and I have lots of friends, but there is something to be said about giving yourself some time to decompress, or read, or cook or really whatever you need to do for yourself. After getting comfortable with the concept of "being alone" I became more open to activities or events I would do by myself, whether it was a race in the park or going to a movie or sitting in a cafe. Sometimes, it was nice to have some internal peace and just be. I think many people have a lot of issues with being alone. Perhaps they get bored or anxious, but I think that really has to do with getting to know yourself and being comfortable with yourself. Yoga has helped me with this skill immensely. As I become more in tune to what's going on inside, physically, mentally, emotionally, I am able to better understand what my body needs. Perhaps it's a loud night out with a bunch of friends, or perhaps its taking a few minutes to meditate alone, but whatever it is, I am respecting myself. This notion of being alone has certainly come into play as I've been traveling and I have found that often people first ask if I'm traveling alone. This is an interesting concept to most. "That's so brave!" or "Aren't you lonely?" But I honestly have to say, I love it! You have the freedom to literally decide what you want to do at any point on any day, and it's not just about having a selfish itinerary. I enjoy the time alone to observe and reflect on these amazing experiences. Sure, there have been times where I've seen a ruckus family or a laughing group of friends or a couple sharing a moment, and maybe I was feeling a bit lonely that day so it does make you miss your own connections to the people back home. But, I have also found that being alone forces you to be even more outgoing. I can't even count how many more conversations I've struck up or people I've introduced myself to that I might otherwise have never met...and what's better than meeting new friends around the world? Maybe nothing, except taking a few minutes each day to be alone :)