I hear it all the time: “You’re so lucky to be able to do what you want, go where you want, and not get stuck going on a trip you don’t want to go on! I wish I could do that.”

My response is always the same: “Why can’t you?”

Solo travel is always a gift that we can give ourselves. If you can’t recall a vacation or a trip that you went solo, I would highly recommend that you take a look at the next year and start by setting aside at least one weekend that is just for you.

On your first solo vacation, I highly recommend creating a loose itinerary – even down to making reservations for meals, if need be. Having a set schedule can keep you from being preoccupied with the thought of traveling alone, and it gives you a purpose. Like being the only one to wear a red dress to a black and white ball, it’s the amount of confidence and self-assurance you have that will help you pull it off gracefully and have a great time.

In creating that itinerary, the question always comes up, “But what do I schedule?” Pick a hotel that’s close to a movie theater and go see a movie that only you’ve wanted to see. That’s a start at something definitive. Or do some research. One of my favorite things to do is go to Google.com and just type in “things to do in Tucson” – for example, since that’s the location of the hotel I’m writing from. By doing that, I clicked over to the first link at www.tripadvisor.com – where I found that Tucson has 201 attractions for visitors, and the number 1 attraction is a museum – one of my favorite destinations! Following that tidbit of information, I would usually click over to the site’s webpage and see if they have any special exhibits that I’m interested in seeing, and plan my day from there.

Another favorite way to spend a vacation is what I refer to as a Book and Spa getaway. I always have a steady supply of books I want to read and haven’t set aside the time to do it, so I pick two of them, set aside three days, and plan my spa getaway. And the best part – you don’t HAVE to leave your hometown. You can stay in a local hotel or even housesit for a friend while they take their family on vacation, and then you can go to my favorite local spa as a treat for you!

Getting away on your own is a great way to recharge your own spirit. Make sure that at least one vacation every year is just for you!