Becoming My Biggest Fan

Over the last two years, I’ve spent more time with myself than I ever have in my life. While traveling across the country I’ve met people who’ve completely changed how I see the world and, more importantly, how I see myself. Some of my trips were for work, others were purely for the joy of adventure. Either way, every stop along the way left a mark on me.

Each place came with new faces, new stories, and new lessons. The people I met on the road were some of the most genuine souls I’ve ever known. They taught me kindness, laughter, and how to be unapologetically myself. They showed me that connection isn’t always from shared history, but sometimes, shared humanity. These friendships became my temporary families, each one filling the loneliness of being far from home.

I hold these relationships close. Even though my travels meant constant movement, those bonds stuck. I’ve come to realize that some friendships don’t fade just because you’re not in the same place anymore. The people who see you for who you truly are stay with you, no matter the miles.

One place that really stands out to me is Ohio. It was about a year into my travels, and for the first time, I felt completely me. I was surrounded by people who didn’t just tolerate my quirks but they celebrated them. My friends there hyped up my artwork, my goofiness, and my ambitions. They supported every decision I made, and they offered advice not out of judgment, but out of genuine care. For the first time, I didn’t feel like I needed to tone myself down. I felt seen, supported, and encouraged to take up space in the world exactly as I was.

But even with all of those incredible moments of connection, there’s another side to solo travel that doesn’t get talked about as much: loneliness. Moving to a new state by yourself is a vulnerable thing to do. You show up with no connections, no one to rely on, and no idea what the next few months will bring. You think and wonder who you’re going to share funny moments with, who you’ll debrief the day, and who is going to be put as your emergency contact. You have to be the one to do everything for yourself. 

I remember my first stop on my journey. I remember thinking about how I really was in this and I was in it alone. For a moment, that realization was scary, but it was also strangely freeing. I realized that I had two options. For one, I could spend my time hating being alone, or I could make the choice to be excited about it. I could either be my worst critic, or I could learn how to be my own best friend.

For most of my life, I leaned toward the first option. I was really good at being mean to myself, as many of us are. I would talk down to myself, set impossible standards, and constantly convince myself I wasn’t good enough. I used to treat myself like an enemy I couldn’t escape. But the truth is, you spend your whole life stuck with yourself. There’s no avoiding that. So why not make peace with the person you’re going to be with forever?

I decided to rewrite my inner dialogue. I began to talk to myself the way I talk to the people I love. I learned to be gentle with myself, to forgive myself for not knowing everything, to hype myself up when I did something hard or brave.