'I've travelled alone for 25 years - this is how I got over my fear of solo holidays'

Actress Tracee Ellis Ross, 52, has been solo travelling around the globe since her early 20s, and now she’s sharing pearls of wisdom about the experiences and lessons she’s gained along the way with the world.

In fact, the Girlfriends actress is so passionate about the concept, she’s now the host of her very own travel show — a docuseries titled Solo Travelling with Tracee Ellis Ross, which premiered on The Roku Channel on July 25.

Spread over three episodes, Tracee’s travel docuseries follows the Black-ish actress as she jet sets off to Marbella (Spain), Cancún (Mexico), and Marrakech (Morocco) under the watchful eye of cameras. It comes after a warning to Brit tourists planning all-inclusive holidays to Spain.

Speaking to the BBC, Tracee shared: “I've been solo travelling since I was, like, 24 or 25. And I think my first solo trip went so well that it just… stuck.

“Some people solo travel for adventure. Some people solo travel to meet people. Some people solo travel to get away from their families and their lives… I solo travel as a way to be with myself out in the world.”

So what does the actress, producer, and beauty brand CEO do during her travels? “I decompress. [I] let the dust settle... I learn a lot about myself but mostly I gain this emotional muscle of how to hold space for myself even when things don't go according to plan. I can do uncomfortable things and find joy.”

Appearing on the TODAY Show, Tracee shared some tips for those contemplating dipping their feet into the solo travel game, advising: “If you've never solo travelled you might be afraid, the first thing to do is see if you can go to dinner by yourself. Start with a Tuesday night at 6pm when the restaurant opens. If you can do that, move to a Friday or Saturday at 8pm.

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“If you can do that and you still feel nervous about checking out a trip, go to someplace that you've been with other people — but go by yourself, and then you can start adventuring.”

In a conversation with The Associated Press (AP), Tracee also advised solo travellers to ask themselves: “Are you going on a solo trip because you’re single and want to meet other people? Are you going on a solo trip because your life is overwhelmed with your children, your dogs, your cats, your job, your life, your survival, all the things, and you’re going to have a moment to sort of recharge and get away by yourself? Or are you going for an adventure?”

Upon deciding the kind of experience you’re seeking out of your solo trip — that’s when you can begin carving realistic plans to achieve your travel goals safely.

The Reed Between the Lines star also encourages due diligence and caution. During her TODAY Show appearance, Tracee advised: “This is really important for solo travelling in terms of safety. Some of the things that we have of ourselves that are the most empowered, beautiful, special parts of ourselves and our identity — we need to ask ourselves the question: are those things going to leave me vulnerable out in the world?"

Tracee tells AP: “You might not feel vulnerable, but depending on where you’re going, it might leave you vulnerable. That’s a very specific distinction and something to plan for in order to have a good experience.”

And social media users can't agree more, with one Redditor commenting on Tracee’s solo travel tips and writing: “Everything she said here is 100% on point. I frequently travel by myself and LOVE traveling by myself. I'm not waiting for my bf or bffs to travel with me if they can't do it. I have things to see and experience. It was an easy thing for me to begin doing because I have always done things by myself, such as going to the movies or eating out by myself.”

Another user shared: “As someone with anxiety, this is GREAT advice. I’ve been doing more and more stuff solo and it’s absolutely helped my confidence and self-esteem”.

While a third Redditor couldn’t stop gushing over the actress: “Tracee Elis Ross is literally the pied piper of “you don’t need a man or kids to make your life meaningful.” I wish I could personally thank her for being the spokesperson for this movement.”

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