Most women assume that becoming a woman who travels begins with booking a flight, planning an itinerary, or suddenly finding the courage to go alone. But it doesn’t start with any of those things. It begins much earlier, in a softer, more private place that many women overlook because it doesn’t feel like a “big moment.” Before the first trip, before the research, even before you speak the desire out loud, something inside you shifts. It’s subtle but unmistakable, a sense that the life you’ve been living might not be the whole story. You may not have language for it yet, but you feel it.
If you’re a woman over 40 who feels both drawn to the idea of traveling alone and unsettled by it, that combination isn’t a sign of confusion. It’s a sign of awakening. For decades, many of us have lived according to expectations we absorbed without question: be responsible, be thoughtful, don’t disrupt anything, don’t make people worry. So when a desire surfaces that centers you and your joy, it can feel both exciting and unfamiliar. That tension is the beginning of something important.
Listen to Episode 3
Identity shifts often begin before you notice them
At some point, usually in an unremarkable moment, you begin to see yourself differently. It might happen when you imagine waking up somewhere new and the idea feels surprisingly natural. It might happen when you see a woman your age traveling alone and feel a flicker of recognition, as if she is holding up a mirror. It might happen when you quietly admit to yourself, “Maybe I could do that,” even if the thought feels tender and new. These early recognitions rarely feel dramatic, but they begin to reshape how you understand what is possible for you.
What’s fascinating is that most women think their hesitation is about logistics, such as safety, planning, the fear of being lonely, but that’s rarely what’s happening underneath. The deeper fear is about permission. Who are you allowed to be? What are you allowed to want? What parts of yourself have been waiting patiently for space to breathe? When you start realizing that some of the rules you’ve been following were inherited, not chosen, everything starts to shift.
The moment you realize the story can change
I’ve experienced this shift in my own life more than once. Sometimes it shows up when you are alone long enough to hear yourself clearly. Sometimes it shows up in an unexpected conversation that reflects something back to you. It can also show up when you make a choice simply because you want it, not because it’s practical or reasonable. These moments accumulate quietly, but they change the way you move through the world.
And once you feel that clarity, even briefly, you can’t unsee it. A door opens inside you. You stop waiting for the perfect timing or the perfect company. You stop treating your desires like they need a committee’s approval. There is no longer a need to negotiate with yourself about whether it’s okay to want what you want. That shift, subtle as it is, is often the true beginning of becoming the woman who travels.
You may already be closer than you think
If something in you is responding to these words, no matter how small the response, trust that. You don’t need a five-year plan or a sudden burst of courage or a perfectly articulated reason. You certainly don’t need to feel fearless. All you need is to acknowledge the part of you that’s intrigued, the part that’s curious and tired of waiting. It’s a sign that you’re ready for something different, even if it’s small at first.
That’s enough. Truly.
And if you want a place to explore this shift with other women who are feeling the same pull toward freedom, you’re welcome in my Skool community. It’s a warm space for support, clarity, and steady momentum as you take your first steps into becoming the woman who travels.