Taking solo birthday trips abroad taught me that I don't need company to do something meaningful

The author thought she might feel lonely while traveling abroad by herself, but has taken a liking to it after several trips.

Courtesy of Sally Seaton.

I've started taking solo trips abroad to celebrate my birthday.

At first, it felt strange to commemorate an important milestone on my own.

I've since realized that being alone doesn't mean being lonely.

Important milestones are usually celebrated with loved ones, but this year, for my birthday , I decided to take a bucket-list trip to Hong Kong and Japan — on my own.

Originally, I'd planned to celebrate at a rooftop bar with friends, but this trip has been on my mind for years.

Instead, I cancelled my plans and landed in Hong Kong the day before I turned 29.

It wasn't the first time I'd spent my birthday alone abroad .

The year before, I found myself wandering Singapore solo because friends couldn't join me.

What started as a reluctant plan B changed how I view celebrations altogether.

I spent my first solo birthday in Singapore Strolling through the airport alone, in a different time zone from family and friends, nobody around knew it was my birthday.

At first, that felt strange.

Then, as I handed over my passport, a flight attendant wished me "happy birthday," and suddenly it hit me: I was boarding a flight to Singapore alone because I had chosen to celebrate myself rather than wait for the right time, budget, or destination to suit everyone else.