I started going to raves alone at 35. I learned so much about myself by doing so.

"After 10 years of solo travel, I thought I knew how to be alone. I had visited 45 countries, navigated public transportation in different languages, eaten many solo dinners, and had to problem-solve all by myself. But I realized my independence had limits. I was only comfortable being alone in environments I could control."

"I would never skip a trip just because no one could join me, but I couldn't bring myself to go to a rave alone. I decided it was time to face this fear. I didn't want to miss out on things like Fusion Festival in Germany or Berlin's club scene just because I was by myself."

"Even with all the doubts and worries about what others might think, I chose to move past the fear. My new mantra became, 'Who cares if I'm the oldest person on the dancefloor? Someone has to show the younger generation how it's done.'"

After a decade of solo travel across 45 countries, the author discovered her independence had boundaries. Following a breakup, she avoided raves despite loving electronic music because she lacked a dance partner. Recognizing this limitation, she decided to confront her fear of solo raving, particularly concerned about her age at 35. She attended Fusion Festival in Germany alone, adopting the mindset that someone needed to show younger generations how it was done. This experience marked the beginning of a year-long journey of solo festival attendance across Europe that fundamentally shifted her relationship with solitude and self-reliance.

Read at Business Insider