As 2025 has arrived, I am looking back at the travel resolutions I made and evaluating how well I embraced the challenges I set for myself. Reflecting on these goals has been an eye-opening process, allowing me to appreciate the personal growth I’ve achieved while also identifying areas where I could improve. Let’s see how I did!
1. Step Out of My Comfort Zone
This year, I had planned to make a conscious effort to try something more adventurous (as I am usually more hesitant when travelling solo). I have to be honest in saying that I didn’t really do many adventurous activities on my trips this year. I went on a Northern Lights tour in the middle of the night, which I guess could be considered adventurous. Most of my trips this year were not to places known for adventurous activities. However, I am about to visit an adventurous destination next month. I have booked a quad biking tour and am considering paragliding if I have time for it.
2. Connect with Fellow Solo Travellers
I made it a point to be more intentional about meeting other solo travellers, and it paid off! During my trip to Paris, I met another solo female traveller and ended up spending the day with her. She was the one to initiate conversation, but I still made an effort to keep it going, and that’s how we clicked and realised that we got along. We have stayed in touch since then, occasionally on social media. I also met a solo traveller from New Zealand who was next to me on my flight back from Iceland. We also clicked well and spent the whole flight talking about life and our travel experiences. In Croatia, I did have a girl invite me to the beach, but I was in such an antisocial mood on that trip that I just wanted silence and mindfulness.
3. Embrace the “Tourist Experience”
This was probably my most fun resolution of the year! I did quite a few touristy things that I wouldn’t usually do. During my trip to Romania, I took taxis literally everywhere and it was fun. Usually I would use public transport when travelling. In Paris, I deliberately ate at what some may call “tourist trap” restaurants. They were places that were trending on social media and located in tourist hotspots. While I still prefer travelling like a local most of the time, I realised there’s a certain joy in indulging in the “tourist experience” sometimes. After all, travel is meant to be enjoyable, and sometimes that means letting yourself relax and embrace the more traditional side of travel.
4. Step Away from Technology
I did manage to reduce my reliance on Google Maps during trips, opting to follow road signs or simply wander around. On my last trip to Bremen, I didn’t use Google Maps at all apart from to find the bus stop on my way back to the airport. I wandered around without any navigation. When it comes to staying off my phone, I did well with this and took time to enjoy my trips. I rarely responded to messages until I returned to my accommodation in the evenings.
5. Celebrate Solo Travel Achievements
This resolution helped me shift my perspective and value my accomplishments. I made sure to journal on my flights back to make sure I still had everything fresh in my head. This gave me time to acknowledge milestones. Nothing is too small of a milestone to acknowledge. I’m not going to share my milestones in this post, as I think it would make a good separate post someday.
Reflecting on these resolutions has reminded me of how much I’ve grown as a solo traveller. Especially in the way that I think. It can be easy to become so used to doing things a certain way, that you end up missing out on experiences. Some goals were easier to achieve than others, but each one contributed to making this year of travel more enriching and fulfilling.
Next year, I plan to continue stepping out of my comfort zone, fostering connections, and being mindful of how I travel.
Have you ever set travel resolutions? How did they go? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear about your experience!
Check out my solo female travel safety tips.
You’ve accomplished some awesome things in 2024. I love the stepping out of my comfort zone resolution, I’ve done that too and although it might be small steps, each step is a good one. You could also see that connecting with other travelers is stepping out of your comfort zone.
Yes I think stepping out our comfort zones help us to grow 🙂
Awesome tips to frame your future travels, it’s normally to step out of your comfort zone during the travels
and it’s inspiring that you didn’t use even Google Maps (which you don’t need internet for)
I need to figure out google maps properly…everyone says it works without internet but ive never had that happen 😮
I love this list! I particularly love the “touristy experiences” one. I also generally try to stay away from the tourists traps and try to do more “local” things. It seems like you had a great experiences trying that side of traveling as well. I think I will try it this upcoming year as well! Overall great list.
Thanks Polly. Yes I’ve learnt that the “tourist traps” can actually be fun sometimes 🙂
Oh I love this idea! I’ve never set travel resolutions but I love setting goals. I also absolutely love that you’re also reflecting back. It’s so easy to set goals and then not review them. What a great process you have set up for yourself.
Thank you 🙂
I love this list because it’s genuine and it’s wholesome. You’re not traveling for the sole purpose of creating content, making money, and monetizing yourself, but you’re really wanting to embrace the real emotional side of traveling. The relationship building, the self-improvement, the real stuff.
I am so glad you were able to connect with some other solo-travelers on your trips this year.
I love solo-travel and I don’t often try to connect with others when I travel because, quite honestly, I love my own company… but the times I have connected with others were important to my travels and I still stay in touch with some of them too!
Thanks Katelynn, this was a really lovely comment to read 🙂
What a great year, I need to step away from technology more!! All the best for 2025
Yes! technology has taken over.
What an incredible list of intentions and a beautiful way to reflect, process, and grow from your year! Thanks for sharing it publicly, it inspires me!
Thank you, I’m glad this post gave you some inspiration 🙂