Transferable skills are versatile abilities that can be applied across different jobs and industries, however, they can apply to personal life too, not just business.
Today, I share a story about Gwen, an experienced solo international business traveller, but fearful to travel alone for a pleasure holiday… lets talk about what the difference may be.
I met Gwen at a personal development course on public speaking. She’s a well-respected business woman in her late 40s, working in the engineering field. When we met, she was freshly divorced, in the middle of buying a new house and building a new life for herself.
During one of the breaks, we got chatting and I mentioned some of my recent solo travels. She smiled and said, “I’d love a holiday, but I just couldn’t do it alone – I’d be too nervous”.
That surprised me. Gwen had travelled all over the world for work — flying across continents, navigating airports, new cities, unfamiliar cultures. She’d presented at conferences and handled business dinners solo — all without hesitation.
So why did a solo holiday feel so different?
Why did something she was clearly capable of suddenly feeling so intimidating?
Gwen already had the skills, and she definitely had the confidence to travel the world solo. the only thing holding her back was her mindset.
Business trips had always given Gwen a purpose, an external goal, a structure to follow. She found comfort in representing her company, fulfilling responsibilities and expectations.
But travelling for herself? That felt vulnerable. There was no pre-built itinerary for her, no one to answer to, no external purpose. Just Gwen – doing something purely for her own joy.
She didn’t need more skills. She needed to give herself permission — permission to travel for herself, on her own terms. To step outside the comfort of someone else’s plans, and trust her own.
It’s not about becoming someone new — it’s about recognising that you already have what it takes. You just need to use it in a new way.
Gwen needed to change her mindset and identity from business traveller to solo pleasure traveller.
Gwen needs to remember who she is, outside of work, and do what she loves, what lights her up. She has spent so long giving to everyone else and filling their roles and expectations, that she’s forgotten who she is.
Gwen needs to believe that she can travel solo for herself.
Sometimes we all need that reminder — that we already have what we need inside us.
We need a reminder that we can do it again; it may be in a different room, but we can do it again.
In the workplace, we call that “transferable skills.” But those skills apply to life, too
If you look closely, you’ll find you already have strengths you can draw on — from one area of life to another. Sometimes it’s just about changing the story in your mind.
And I’ll tell you a little personal story about that…
Gwen challenge reminded me of a personal time when I used my business experience to push me to new self-confident solo strengths.
The first time I ever dined alone was in my early twenties. I was in Sydney on a business trip, staying at a fancy hotel. I went down to the restaurant, sat alone, ordered dinner — no fear, no hesitation. The room had other business solo diners, there for work. I didn’t think twice about it. No worries.
But years later, shortly after my divorce, I wanted to dine out socially — just me alone. I didnt want to miss out on eating in a restaurant. And suddenly, that same situation felt terrifying. I worried what people would think. I felt self-conscious. I felt like people would see me as a failed single person who was sad and desperate.
And then, as I sat there in my lounge room, I had a lightbulb moment. 💡
I remembered that trip to Sydney.
Same situation — dining alone. The only difference now was my mindset.
I’d done it before, I can do it again.
So, I pretended I was on a business trip again — in town for work, dining solo, confident and purposeful. And just like that, the fear faded. It was all in my mind, the story I told myself.
After that first social solo dinner, I never looked back.
Now, solo dining isn’t something I fear — it’s something I love. It’s my strength. My freedom.
Takeaway for today…
And maybe that’s the takeaway for today — sometimes, the only thing that needs to change is the story we tell ourselves.
You already have the confidence. You already have the skills.
You’ve done brave things before — and you can do them again.
Challenge for this week
Challenge for you this week is to spend half an hour, or an hour, doing something that you are little fearful doing alone, something socially.
Maybe it’s dining at a fancy resturant.
Maybe it’s going to a movie or that art exhibition you’d love to see.
Whatever it is, make the time, plan and action for you.
Going solo isn’t about being lonely — it’s about freedom.
The freedom to enjoy what you love, without following someone elses expecations and agendas.
If this resonated with you, take a moment to think about where you’ve already proven your confidence — maybe at work, in your home life, or in a challenge you’ve overcome. Those same strengths can carry you into your next adventure — solo or otherwise.
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Until next time—enjoy the journey, every moment of it, and go solo. stay safe. – Linda
Linda Marie Travel 