Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Bradford.
Hi Jordan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am an introverted, type-A personality who doesn’t like change or spontaneity. So naturally, I run a solo travel blog! These facets of my personality may or may not seem at odds with a love for solo travel. But I mention them to show a bit about how I started traveling solo, and I have a feeling there are others like me out there.
Growing up, my family moved a lot due to my father’s job, and these early experiences shaped my general dislike of change or new places. But in my mid-20s, these feelings started to change. I realized I wanted to explore different places but hesitated to go alone. I held back for a long time, waiting for a friend or family member to travel with me. But one day I thought, “Why am I waiting? If I wait, I may never actually go anywhere!” Thus, my first attempts at solo travel began.
After realizing I could actually embrace a newfound love of exploring the unknown, I made the decision to move to the Washington, D.C. area, where I knew no one and my closest family was 300 miles away.
This move spurred an entirely new love of exploration, from my new city, new friends, 2 new jobs, and tons of new places to travel to. From this major life change, I realized that others may be going through similar feelings, urges, and decisions to strike out on their own. I wanted to offer a resource for other solo travelers or those new to the DC area. I wished I had a resource like that when I first started and hoped I could be that for someone else.
Thus, The Solo Life blog was born, hopefully, a place for people to learn something new, ask for advice or recommendations, or get inspired to explore, either close to home or farther away.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned has been to not wait. Don’t wait for others to take that trip. Don’t wait to change your career if fear is holding you back. Don’t wait to get out of your comfort zone. The scariest decisions can sometimes lead to the best things, and you’ll never know if you don’t try.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
While my day job is as a Membership Manager at an association for laboratory medicine professionals, the work I would love to talk more about is my blog. I focus mostly on a mix of solo travel and local adventures in the DMV, such as weekend trips to Baltimore or how to enjoy a solo trip to Vegas. I also enjoy highlighting hidden gems or spots that tourists may not know about yet.
But the best (and sometimes worst) part about this blog is that I can put as much or as little into it as I want or need. This is a passion project for me, so I work on it when I feel most inspired.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I am equal parts overly conscientious and utterly oblivious. Don’t ask me how these two opposing personality traits co-exist, but somehow they do. I am very good about thinking of others’ feelings in some situations, like noise levels, awkwardness, or inclusivity. But I also am oblivious to flirting and the bluntness of my conversation.
Contact Info:
- Email: jbradford@thesololife.com
- Website: https://thesololife.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgiagirlmeetsworld/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgiagirlmeetsworld/
