Give solo travel a try!

I'm in my mid twenties, and just got back from a ~3 week solo vacation in Hawaii (international trip for me). Holy moly did 3 weeks fully relying on me, myself and I, really improve my self esteem!! I just wanted to highlight some of the pros (and cons) to solo travel as a young woman, because I really think its a great way to level up, get to know yourself better, and gain the confidence that you can do anything!

Pros:

1. I met a lot of HV women - specifically other women that were traveling alone or with a few female friends. I met women who had great careers, were in school, were in (seemingliy) healthy romantic relationships...it was just great to meet other women who were doing their thing!

2. You are fully relient on yourself. I'm pretty extroverted, so I did chat up lots of people and make friends, but at the end of the day, I was there alone and had to make all my own plans - especially things like booking tours and rental cars / modes of travel. The fact that I was able to do this (and with my own money!) assured me that I am a very capable woman.

3. Going off that, I felt like my problem solving skills were improved. During my trip, I got into a car accident. I was stopped at a red and someone rear ended me - both cars totally undriveable, but no injuries. It was an exhausting day dealing with the insurance company (I was fully covered, so no financial costs to me) and the police (had to file a police report for insurance), but I did it! I figured it out in a foriegn country, all by myself! If I can do that, and not feel like my trip was ruined, I can do anything :)

4. You can further explore your own interests with no shame or guilt. I am an avid birdwatcher, so most of my outings in Hawaii had to do with birding or wildlife watching. I got to plan out all my days around birds, and there was no one to tell me that I'm missing out on other cool things or my hobbies are silly - I was alone! I could do whatever!

5. You can be as social or non-social as you like. If you need a break from people, you can really truly invest in yourself through solitude and engaging in things that make you happy. If you want to make friends, solo travel is a great opportunity to be social - and if you meet someone and you dont like them, well you're only there temporarily and then goodbye forever weirdo!

6. Your trips can be as long or short as you like. This was the longest solo trip I did, because I had time between graduating school and starting work. However, in the summer, I usually go on solo weekend trips every month or so - just book an airbnb or campground 2 hours away and focus on me! Its a nice recharge.

Cons:

1. Finances. My trip cost me total about ~$3,000 USD, including flights and car rental. I am very frugal, so like I said I only stayed at hostels or camped, and I looked for deals on food and souveniers. I am very fortunate to have good finances, however, I feel like the preperation for this trip also encouraged me to save and budget a little harder, which is a good skill to master.

2. Safety. I did not feel unsafe anywhere I traveled to. I went on popular hiking trails and campgrounds. I made sure I had cell service pretty much anywhere I went to. I also have a satellite phone, so I could contact emergency services at any time.

I'd love to know your thoughts on solo traveling, and if I missed any of the pro's or con's :)