I travel alone all the time. There's one thing everyone should do before taking their first solo trip.

When it comes to seeing the world, some people don't want to wait for someone to go with.

Burned out by the stresses of work and life, more and more individuals are traveling solo to take a break and reconnect with themselves, especially millennials and Gen Z, as Business Insider previously reported.

From startup founders and finance bros to parents and social workers, individuals across backgrounds are getting in on the solo travel trend.

I've been at it for a while. Since I began working as a reporter in NYC seven years ago, I've traveled to 10 countries, three Canadian provinces, and dozens of cities and suburbs across the US all by myself.

Traveling solo is my norm, and I love it, but it certainly took some getting used to. Being alone in a new place can be daunting for first-timers. That's why I recommend one thing to everyone who is even considering traveling by themselves — practice.

So, how do you practice for a solo trip? Treat your city like a destination. Explore it on your own. Get used to planning and executing days of activities and excursions without anyone else to rely on.

You can start small by visiting ticketed tourist attractions, so most of the planning is done for you. For example, before I started traveling solo, I visited observation decks atop New York City's tallest buildings.

Then I started planning more independently. I'd spend a whole day exploring one neighborhood. I even got creative by mapping out my own themed walking tours. I spent one day visiting the skinniest homes in the five boroughs, and another photographing historic carriage houses across the city. One December, I visited the iconic shooting locations from my favorite Christmas movie, "Elf."

I've also taken day trips to nearby off-the-beaten-path attractions, like an abandoned castle on the Hudson River and a Civil War fortress in Queens.

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