I am a firm believer in pursuing passions. I don't think that we are put on this earth to struggle through life and try to dig out an existence. I think that as we grow, we find things that resonate with us at a perfect pitch - like a tuning fork against our souls - and we HAVE to go do it, find it, experience it for ourselves.

For me, my passions are art and literature, both appreciating what others have created as well as creating it myself. I can become absorbed in just about any environment that has either of those two themes. Give me a museum with a bookstore attached and I can lose myself for an entire day.

But one special thing that we often overlook for solo travel experiences is quite simply a conference or retreat - a special vacation where you can expand your mind, your awareness, your thought processes or even your joy. The next time that you're looking at those two weeks of vacation that you know you need to use this year, ditch thinking that you absolutely need to spend all 10 days with family and friends, and step back for a moment and think about something that you've always wanted to do.

Have you always wanted to cultivate your creative side? Look at camps that cater to adults, like these at Idyllwild Arts. Have you always wanted to just learn how to meditate? How to take 5 minutes and turn it into an opportunity to enlighten yourself? Consider something like what the Shambhala Mountain Center has to offer. Are you interested in cultivating an Aruyvedic practice or incorporating yoga into your life? Check out the Kripalu center. Are you into arts and crafts? Many cities have centers for the arts like this one in Asheville that offer classes and workshops.

Now is the time to really zero in on a goal for this year and make sure you follow it! Save for it, plan for it and make it possible this year.

Safe Travels.