Solo Travel Safety: 10 ways to look confident.
In November I wrote a post called “For those Afraid of Traveling Alone“. It received many comments but one stuck with me. It was yet another gem offered up by Gwen McCauley. Here’s what she said…
“I’m a big believer that safety is an inside job. The safer you feel about yourself inside yourself, the safer you’ll find the outside world. Now that doesn’t mean that I flaunt common sense either at home or abroad, but it also means that I know my self confidence and self assurance makes me much more likely to be the one a hustler or scammer passes by.”
This makes perfect sense to me. The con artist – as I’ll explain in a story coming in April – and other undesirables, seek the weak and naive. Confidence is a traveler’s armor.
But what if you’re not really that confident or what if you’re generally confident but in a situation that makes you very nervous. Sometimes, you need to fake it till you make. So I did a bit of research and give you 10 ways to solo travel safely by looking confident:
- Hold your head up.
- Stand tall. Lift your torso up as though stretching your spine.
- Pull your shoulders slightly back so that they widen.
- Look alert and aware. Don’t be distracted by a cell phone or book when you need to look confident.
- Walk with determination making it clear that you know where you’re going.
- Swing your arms.
- Walk looking side to side as well as in front of you so that you look very aware of your surroundings.
- When standing still, stand with your feet apart (as much as 12 inches) and your weight evenly distributed.
- Make eye contact, briefly, with those around you.
- And, this is probably the most difficult point, do all of the above as though it is natural.
Do you have some suggestions?
