The advice to 'just go somewhere big alone' skips the real on-ramp: a comfortable short trip in a manageable city. Solo travel competence is built in steps, and the first step can be a long weekend.
Start with a city, not a wilderness
Choose a compact, walkable city with good transport and an established accommodation strip. The infrastructure does the supporting you will not have from a travel partner on day one.
Book the first night, plan the first day
One hotel night booked in advance and one easy first-day plan removes the two moments solo travellers most often find overwhelming: arrival and the first blank morning.
Build visible routines
The same breakfast café, the same morning walk, the same corner for reading. Solo travel feels less lonely with touchpoints, and strangers recognise you sooner than you expect — which is surprisingly pleasant.
Leave 'what if I get lonely' alone
Loneliness happens in waves and passes; it is part of the deal, not a failure of it. The other feeling — total, unbothered freedom to change plans — tends to show up more often.