Do You Like To Travel Alone?

“A feeling of confidence and personal power comes from facing challenges and overcoming them.”

Earlier in the month I wrote about attending the “Take Action, Get Profits” workshop on Social Networking in Orlando.  It was a fantastic event, but one of the biggest things I gained from the trip was the empowered feeling I got from traveling alone.

New Friends - Debbie O'Grady, Annie Leiby, and Yvonne Jones

It had been about two years since I traveled alone by plane.   When I’m with my family….I just follow along like a puppy dog.  Wherever they go…I follow.  I don’t pay a lot of attention to where things are or signs, (except restroom signs.) I know they will get me there and I can spend my time people watching, gawking at the getups some people wear and checking out the restaurants in the airport, etc. 

When you travel alone, you have to pay attention.  You have to figure out where you are supposed to be, which gate, how to get there, where you get your luggage, how to maneuver it to the shuttle and the list goes on.  There is no one there to help you or tell you to just follow them.  You are on your own!



Jackie Baker originally from London



Although none of the tasks are hard, it gives you a sense of confidence and empowerment when you know you can manage and get where you are going on your own. 

I mentioned traveling alone to some of my friends and they said they would never, ever even consider doing it.  They also wouldn’t eat in a restaurant alone.  I happen to enjoy both!  I think every man and woman should take a solo trip every couple years.  Not with friends or other family members, but by themselves.   Aside from increasing your confidence in your own abilities, it gives you a new perspective on things.  It opens your eyes to new opportunities and possibilities. It also gives you a chance to enjoy your own company and the company of others you might not meet if you were with family.

The lovely pool I did NOT get to enjoy!  When we had time, it rained.

Although I enjoy traveling with my family on a routine basis, I look forward to the occasional solo trip.  How about you, when was the last time you traveled alone?  Do you get a confidence boost when you travel solo? Do you enjoy to traveling alone?  

Take Action, Get Profits

Our Hotel in Orlando

Last weekend I traveled to Orlando, Florida to attend a conference on Social Networking.   Anyone who knows me, knows how interested I am in Social Media.   I love reading blogs, I enjoy blogging myself, I find facebook to be a great way to communicate, Google+ looks promising, YouTube is most entertaining and I’m still trying to figure Twitter out.  I post to Twitter on a routine basis, but still don’t have the hang of it.   There are hundreds of other sites that can be included in Social Networking.   It is a big, broad field and it is still in its infancy.  I expect it to continue growing for years to come.

About six months ago, I started thinking about what I want to retire to when I leave my current job.   The first thing that came to mind was something with social media.   I could get lost reading blogs all day and post to facebook all night….but thought I needed something a little more substantial.  



Michele Scism and Robin Smith



 So I did some research and I followed a few people online that I felt were doing things that I would like to do.  People like Michele Scism,  Martha Giffin, Michelle Shaeffer, and Jo Barnes. After a few months I decided I wanted to start an online business helping people and small businesses get themselves online and be successful.   You see there is one thing to just using social media for fun and posting what you think today….it is another to be using it as a business and try to drive traffic to your business and make a profit.   Not only do they need a fan page, they need a welcome page, a squeeze page, and they need to use facebook, blogs, and other social media in a strategic manner.  I learned how to help businesses do that at Take Action, Get Profits in Orlando.

I’m starting to build my own business and business pages.  Then I hope to help entrepreneurs and small businesses with their pages.  Social Media Management is a growing field and I’m thrilled to be part of it.



Some of Our Presenters

While in Orlando, I met many people who are in various stages of their business.  It was great to meet with people who have already gone where I want to go an those just getting started, like me.  It was also wonderful to meet so many people with the same interest in social media.   Many people were there for different reasons from different types of businesses, but we all were learning how social media could contribute to our success.

I’ll be sharing a bit more about my experiences and things I learned on this trip in the future.

So tell me, what do you feel is most interesting about social networking and how it can impact businesses?  Leave me a comment and share your thoughts.