Solo Travel As A
Spiritual Journey

part memoir, part mirror, part map for your own path

A Living Book by Claudia Portilla

Updated: November 29, 2025

The Shift

“I’m going to Peru” I found myself saying in the middle of a conversation as if the words had come from somewhere else...
And right after I said that, a million thoughts bombarded me:
What just happened?
Why did I say that?
I am not even sure it’s happening.
Who am I kidding?
I almost felt the need to tell them I was joking.

But my body knew better.

The mere thought of it felt incredibly exciting, electric and liberating. It made me feel alive in a way I hadn’t felt in a while.
And the more I said it, the more it would awaken parts of me that had been dormant for a long time:
The part that doubted myself.
The part that thought I needed permission.
The part that had bought the idea that I would never be able to go on a solo trip because I was a mom now and there was no way I could leave my daughter to go on a trip.

I mean… What kind of mother is that?

But little did I know that there was magic in having the courage to speak my dream out loud, which was another big reclamation, by the way.


When I quit a job that I truly loved, to move to a different country to follow and support my partner at the time in search for a better quality of life for our family, all my personal dreams and goals were put on hold indefinitely and as a result of that, my voice was softened in such a progressive way that I didn’t even realize until years later.

To even dare to dream again after 6 long years felt rebellious and almost dangerous.

To want something just for me felt like a betrayal. How could I be so selfish?
But every time I found myself saying the same words:
“I’m going to Peru”, I could feel myself in a whole new timeline that was cracking open and becoming more available to me the more I said it and the more I believed it was possible.

The Awakening Before the Journey

What I didn’t know at the time is that the moment I said "the magic words", something deep within me was being activated.

Energy moves first.
Before the flight is booked, before the bags are packed, before you even believe it’s possible.
When you voice a desire that’s been buried under practicality, guilt, or fear… you activate a dormant part of your soul. It’s like lighting a match in a room that’s been dark for years.

That single declaration wasn’t just about Peru; it was about reclaiming my voice, my aliveness, my right to want something just for me.

The Energetics of the "Yes"

Every spiritual journey begins with a subtle “yes” that often feels illogical, inconvenient, or quite selfish.
That “yes” is the soul taking the mic after years of silence.
It’s the body remembering truth before the mind can rationalize it.

And that’s why it feels both exhilarating and terrifying; because something deep within you knows that once you say yes, life will rearrange itself to match that frequency.

For Women, This Moment Is Sacred

We have learned to silence our desires in the name of love, duty, motherhood, or being “good”, suppressing the wild impulse that wants more out of life.

But that wild idea that doesn’t make sense is actually holy.

It's the moment the soul steps forward, after years of waiting patiently to be heard.

And this is where a single YES changes everything.

Not because you’ve gone anywhere yet, but because you’re finally coming back to yourself.

When was the last time you said something out loud that felt impossible but also made you come alive?

What would happen if you let the "impossible" desire lead the way?

This story is alive and it grows & unfolds as I do.

If this stirred something in you and you want to receive the next chapter the moment it births itself, join the circle.

John Doe

Designer

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Jane Doe

Publicist

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John Doe

Writer

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