The Life Coach School Podcast · Brooke Castillo

Ep #517: Doing It Alone with Alessia Tenebruso

March 14, 2024·29 min·1 clip

I was so afraid of being alone that I traveled alone to find myself.

Alessia Tenebruso, a certified life coach and travel coach with 12 years of solo travel experience, founded One Girl Travel after a transformative epiphany in Paris in 2019. She began solo traveling at 26 to recover her identity after leaving a mentally abusive relationship that had left her shy, self-conscious, and dependent on her partner for happiness. Her first trip, a solo week in Florida, immediately reinforced her decision when spontaneous conversations with strangers revealed her capacity for connection. Brooke Castillo draws parallels between Alessia's journey and her own experience using solitude to overcome emotional eating in her twenties. A recurring theme is the discomfort of being alone with one's thoughts, which both hosts frame as the actual work of self-development. Alessia explains that loneliness during solo travel is real but diminishes over time as travelers learn to enjoy their own company. The discussion covers practical safety concerns, addressing fears with research and mindfulness rather than avoidance. Alessia emphasizes that solo travel is not exclusively for single people, as many of her clients are in relationships with partners who simply do not share their travel interests. She advocates for leaving room in itineraries for organic, unplanned experiences, crediting these unstructured moments as the most transformative. Alessia describes Scotland as her favorite destination, citing the history, the Highlands, and the magical atmosphere as deeply personal draws. Her current offerings include one-on-one coaching, the One Girl Travel Club membership, and group trips such as an upcoming Germany Christmas market tour. Both hosts discuss the value of bringing lessons from travel back into everyday life. The episode frames solo travel as a form of self-care that yields lasting improvements in self-talk and confidence. Alessia notes that positive self-talk is a prerequisite for a beneficial solo trip. The tone is warm, confessional, and experiential, with both women sharing vulnerable personal stories alongside practical advice. The conversation is especially well-suited for women who feel held back by fear, guilt, or lack of a travel companion.

As heard by us

Solo travel is treated as a practical route to self-trust and confidence.

Brooke Castillo frames solo travel as a lesson in self-trust, with Alessia speaking from lived experience. The episode starts from a place of damage after a mentally abusive relationship, then turns to a plain case for doing more things alone, whether that means dinner out, a…

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