These are thoughts I wrote down while I was away on one of my short solo adventures. They weren’t meant to become a blog post. They were simply observations, questions, and little realizations that came to me throughout the afternoon.
So, a month ago, I took myself on another short solo trip to one of my usual soul-searching spots…Tagaytay. Well, it wasn’t exactly what I expected.
Although, to be fair, I sometimes tend to romanticize even the most ordinary afternoons.
One of the first things I did was start journaling on paper again after becoming tired of having my eyes glued to my phone.
The experience felt a little awkward at first. Apparently, even my handwriting informed me that I’ve been typing far too much lately.
But to be honest, it was also surprisingly liberating.
There’s just something different about slowing down enough to write with a pen because my thoughts seemed to arrive more naturally when I wasn’t switching between apps or checking notifications every few minutes.
The Coffee Shop I Didn’t End Up Visiting
I had originally planned to return to a coffee shop at Starbucks Hiraya, known for its stunning views, but once again, the line was too long and felt daunting.
I caught myself wondering, Why is this place always full?
Then I remembered… people also like nice views. Who would’ve thought?
But my patience apparently has limits, and they end somewhere around “long coffee shop queues.
So instead of waiting, I wandered into another café nearby, and, as it turned out, I didn’t mind at all.
A few years ago, I probably would have waited because I had already decided that’s where I wanted to be.
But now, I don’t really wait anymore when I know there are other good options around.
Maybe that’s something age has changed in me.
Or maybe I’ve simply become more flexible.
Small Adventures Make You Braver
As the afternoon went on, another thought surfaced…
I think people are right when they say that going out on little adventures by yourself slowly makes you braver.
It’s funny because this wasn’t some grand trip.
It was just an ordinary afternoon.
A coffee shop.
A notebook.
A walk.
Hardly an adventure by most people’s standards, but for me it counted.
Yet I realized this was probably the first time I was genuinely enjoying traveling alone instead of simply enduring it.
It gave me the little push I’ve been needing to do more things like this.
I even caught myself thinking,
“Maybe I could go to a bar alone someday.”
Will I actually do it?
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
I don’t think I’m ready yet.
Baby steps. Coffee shops first.
But maybe one day.
As an experiment.
Rediscovering My Creative Spark
Later that evening, while watching Julie & Julia, another idea had popped into my head.
The movie follows two women who both commit themselves to a creative project through consistency.
It reminded me that meaningful things don’t always begin with extraordinary ideas.
Sometimes they begin by simply doing one small thing over and over again.
Julia Child cooked every recipe.
Julie Powell wrote about every recipe.
Their projects became meaningful because they stayed with them.
That made me wonder if I should create my own version.
Not a cooking challenge.
Maybe a series of short solo trips.
Nothing ambitious.
Just small adventures close to home, as long as my budget doesn’t suddenly decide we have different priorities.
Places where I can write, think, notice things, and slowly rediscover my creativity.
Maybe that’s enough.
Maybe that’s exactly the series my blog needs.
Real Life Isn’t a Movie
Ever since I started traveling alone, I secretly romanticized the idea that I’d naturally meet new people.
As it turns out, staring thoughtfully out of a café window doesn’t magically create meet-cute moments.
Movies and TV shows have convinced me that solo travelers eventually bump into new friends, or maybe even someone special.
Real life hasn’t worked that way, though.
But that’s okay.
Maybe I’m simply not open to it yet.
Or maybe those things happen naturally when they’re supposed to.
If I become a regular somewhere.
If I keep showing up.
If I stop overthinking.
I don’t feel the need to force any of it anymore.
Choosing What Feels Like Me
I also realized something about myself.
It’s not that I’m afraid of everything.
There are simply certain environments that don’t energize me.
My social battery has a personality of its own, and unfortunately, I don’t get much say in it.
So I don’t force myself into them.
For a long time, I wondered if that meant I was missing out.
Now I think it just means I’m learning what suits me.
I’m discovering the difference between avoiding something out of fear and choosing something because it genuinely feels more like me.
Those aren’t always the same thing.
Coming Home with More Than Memories
When I came home and reread these journal pages, I noticed they all pointed toward the same thing.
This little afternoon wasn’t about finding the perfect coffee shop.
It wasn’t about meeting new people.
It wasn’t even about traveling.
It was about learning to enjoy my own company.
About putting my phone away long enough to hear my own thoughts again.
About noticing that creativity doesn’t always return in one dramatic moment.
Sometimes it comes back quietly, one handwritten page, one unfamiliar café, and one ordinary afternoon at a time.
Not exactly the dramatic transformation I imagined.
But honestly, I think I like this version better.
