Twenty-Two and Alone in Toronto

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Sorry to everyone I’m about to piss off…

Just keep reading.

I swear it’ll all make sense by the end.

Everyone thought I spent my twenty-second birthday in Toronto with a friend.

The truth? It was just me.

I never told anyone because I knew exactly what they’d say. “You’re going alone?” “Why would you do that?” I didn’t want permission.

 I wanted freedom, so I booked the ticket anyway.

Looking back, it wasn’t a perfect trip, and maybe that’s exactly why it changed me.

 On my birthday, I celebrated at Cactus Club and ordered the famous Peach Bellini long before I even considered it would ever make its way to Miami.

If I’m being honest, I’ve always had a habit of being a little stingy with my money, always trying to save, so overpriced taxis and Ubers was not on my list.

The subway happened to be closed that special weekend, which meant I had to rely on buses.

More times than I can count,

I’d watch my bus pull away just as I reached the stop.

Standing there alone in a city , alone on my 22nd birthday

in a city i’d never been to before, and

I remember thinking..

What have I gotten myself into?

 It was freezing—so cold that the air stung my face and my fingers went numb as I waited.

But somehow… I always figured it out.

At one point, someone approached me in a way that immediately made me uncomfortable.

 For a second, I understood why everyone had questioned my decision to travel alone.

I stayed aware, trusted myself, and got out of the situation safely.

That moment could have become the reason I never traveled alone again.

Instead, it became the moment I realized I was capable and the start of my love for travel.

Looking back, I don’t think Toronto changed me overnight. I don’t even think I realized what that trip had given me until much later.

It wasn’t just a birthday.

 It wasn’t just a solo trip. It was the first time I truly trusted myself.

I trusted myself to figure things out when I missed the bus.

I trusted myself to make good decisions in unfamiliar situations.

I trusted myself to keep going, even when I was cold, uncomfortable, or a little scared.

Somewhere along the way, I stopped waiting for someone else to make me feel capable.

I became capable because I gave myself the chance to be.

That trip taught me to trust myself more… and I didn’t even realize it at the time.

Sometimes, the greatest lessons don’t reveal themselves until you’re already home.

Happy 22nd to the girl who bought the ticket anyway.