Everyone wants to travel but how many of us are actually willing to do it solo? We always claim to have wanderlust but how far will you venture out?

After my studies, my mother was daring enough to tell me if I wanted to decide what I would like to do in the future, I have to see the world first. Now, most parents would say that is just a waste of time and that getting a stable job would solve everything.

I remember this clearly. She told me that I was young and that I have time to go reflect and figure out what I actually wanted to settle down to.

After months of hesitation, I decided to do it. I took a huge leap of faith. Why? Because I have never done anything like this. Heck, I have never travelled to a country without my parents being my company.

When I first travelled abroad with my mates, it felt foreign. I had freedom. No curfew. No restrictions. I could be anything or anyone I wanted to be.

I chose to be me.

I literally could do anything. The limits were not existent. I explored secluded streets that were shortcuts to my hotel. I explored alleys that were well known for their graffiti’s with little knowledge about the dangers of them but coming back safely (phew!). I took the subways alone at night. I explored cities that I could not pronounce. It was like I was in a whole new world.

Everything was new. It is scary, I must admit. Everything new is scary and foreign but once you overcome that, you would want to do it again and again. I ate food that I never thought I would like. I learn secrets of different streets and cities. I met new people, made new friends. Everything was a whole new ball game.

When I was growing up, I would never have thought I would travel alone. I was always sheltered and I like that because it brought me endless comfort but the thing that bugged me day and night was, for how long?

I will tell you this, if you have the chance to see the world alone, do it.  It is completely different than travelling with your mates. You would see things in a different perspective. You would think differently, you would live differently but most importantly, you would grow as an individual because you would trust yourself more.

Get lost on streets that you cannot pronounce. Get high on the adrenaline when you feel proud of finding your way on your own. Walk a distance in the shoes that have yet to walk on the pavements of different streets. Leave your mark.

Do it before you have restrictions that prevent you from exploring. Explore the unknown. Live with uncertainty. Get comfortable with being alone. Learn more about yourself through different seasons. Understand that there is more to life than the worries the flood your mind at night.

Embrace your uniqueness. Live freely. You have one life and it is up to you to choose how to live it. If you want to be known for something different than what people know you for then do something crazy. Challenge yourself. Embrace the unknown. If you live in your head for far too long, you run the risk of becoming your own secret.

Be greater than anyone else has ever dreamed of you. Don’t settle for pats on your back. Instead, challenge your abilities. Change this place.