There is a stigma about people who travel frequently. When you want to experience new things people will assume that you are running away from something, but that isn’t true. As someone who prioritizes experiences, I would much prefer to eat good food somewhere than to sit inside with a big TV. Unfortunately, it’s those same people who have those beliefs that happen to be in your inner circle which make it hard to reach out when you’re feeling down. I’ve listed some mental health resources that are all free as well as some tips that I personally use to find community when I’m feeling alone:

Free Mental Health Services

Mental health is really important and if you can’t find a solid support system it’s important for you to reach out to a professional and unbiased mediator. Connecting with an unbiased mediator allows you to reflect on your situation with a new set of eyes and learn new coping mechanisms. I’ve listed some free mental health resources that you can use virtually:

Virtual Mental Health Resources

• Crisis Text Line chat confidentially for free with a trained Crisis Counselor 24/7.
  Link to Facebook Message to Crisis Text Line
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline United States-based suicide prevention network that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 1-800-273-8255.
  Link to Lifeline Chat
• Veteran Crisis Line Free, confidential support for Veterans in crisis and their families and friends.
  Link to Veteran Crisis Line Chat

Finding Your Community

Sometimes you aren’t having a mental health crisis, but you are feeling the wear and tear of traveling alone and not having anyone to share the experience with. As solo women travelers, there’s this misconception that it means that we don’t like people, but the truth is we prioritize experiences, and finding someone else with the same belief can feel difficult. It’s always important, no matter who you are, to find your people and here are some of the ways that I find community:

My Tips for Connecting with Other Travelers

1. Start a YouTube. As silly as this sounds, this is why I started my Youtube channel. I was looking for like-minded individuals and I found it by putting myself out there. I 100% believe that the more you put yourself out there for people to see it, the people that like you will come.
2. Join Facebook Groups for travelers, who travel like you. There is a Facebook group for everyone! I’m in several travel groups and most of them are for women only. Some travel groups are only about van life experiences and other travel groups are about travel altogether. Describing yourself as a traveler and searching that as a group on Facebook will have you finding your people in no time. I don’t mind sharing any of the groups I’m in, just send me a message.
3. Speak to the people around you. This is the hardest one for me, but actually talking to the people around you will help a lot. I had great conversations with strangers, but I honestly never started any of them. I hope to get better at general conversation, but it’s something I’m working on. I wrote a blog about how I slowly make friends while on the road.
4. Find accommodations in shared spaces. Finding shared Airbnbs, hostels, resorts or even cruises will have you in spaces are a great way to meet people because it isn’t as awkward as a grocery store. You all plan on staying at a location and having a great time so why not be nice to the people around you, right?
5. Reach out to the person who seems interested in traveling. I know that you’re a solo traveler, but do you know any other travelers? Sometimes a trip with someone else will have you feeling better or feeling more appreciative of traveling alone. Reaching out to someone and planning something together is a great way to break up the routine. I wrote about tips for planning trips with friends if its your first time traveling with someone else.

What do you do when you’re feeling alone while traveling solo?

Although traveling alone is such an exhilarating experience, there are times when I just wish that I could share it with someone. I know that this is a normal feeling, but some of us are feeling it a little bit more. What are your best tips for when you feel alone while traveling solo? I’d love to read them in the comments below so that I know what to do the next time I am feeling this way and I know that they would be especially helpful for anyone else who comes across this resource.

Free Free United States Travel Guide Digital Nomad Travel Planning