Three months into my journey, I broke up with my partner and decided to live alone as a digital nomad. At first, I was overwhelmed by the fear that there would be no one nearby in case of an emergency. However, traveling alone inspired me to adjust my priorities and take better care of myself.
I am currently traveling alone. Hannah Shewan Stevens
For me, having a partner made managing my chronic illness on the road easier by providing emotional and physical support, reminders to rest, and assistance in the form of food and distractions on the days when the pain was at its worst.
When I realized they were gone, I felt alone and, quite frankly, scared.
The breakup nearly sent me back home with my tail between my legs, but I fought back and refocused on traveling solo with a chronic illness with strategies I’d learned worked for me.
First, I continued to slow down, prioritizing my health above all else. I now set aside two rest days each week to recharge my body. If I feel the pain creeping up, I extend my stay until it subsides. If my friends want to try a physically challenging activity, I only join them if my fatigue and pain levels are low enough. If my body is telling me to rest, I follow its instructions. I also try to fit more time into my daily routine for physical therapy and meditation.
To combat the feeling of loneliness that comes with being alone in a lonely hotel room and the pain getting worse when you’re alone, I’ve made regular phone calls with loved ones a priority to deal with it. With all my illnesses affecting my mental state, it’s hard to weather the lows without loved ones nearby. I feel that regular phone calls with family and friends back home help to make up for the lack of emotional support.
I also find that traveling solo gives me complete control over my schedule: I don’t have a travel buddy with whom I have to compromise, and I can take it all at my own pace, speeding up or slowing down depending on how my symptoms are going.