Jessica Zalewski - Adventurer by Train
How can you arrange your life to make living possible?
The benefits will outweigh the fear.
Many women reading this article will recognize the societal threat that “solo female travel is scary.” They will have heard numerous times that they “shouldn’t be on their own.” Jessica Zalewski has heard it over and over again, but has decided that as a strong woman, she can make safe, smart choices for herself AND still live the life she longs for. Her recent foray into solo train travel shows proof of her choice to live for adventure rather than fear.
Though Jessica spent significant time in Massachusetts earning her bachelor’s degree from Smith College in History and French and a Marketing MBA from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, she missed living in Wisconsin and near Lake Michigan. Milwaukee felt like the right-sized city, and the Racine Art Museum became her work home for 19 years. As a photographer, Jessica enjoyed the beautiful lake surroundings and community work that southeastern Wisconsin offered. As time went by and her passions grew, she focused her career toward photography, pet care, and social media marketing so that she could spend more time hiking and solo traveling. With that change came opportunities to grow like walking over 20 miles on summer solstice, taking a trip to walk the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, and utilizing both walking and public transportation to really enrich her travel experience. Jessica has most recently taken to solo train travel to explore the country at a slower pace, allowing more time for reflection, photography, and personal growth.
We at Strong Girls Travel love not only Jessica’s tenacity in moving forward into a new career, but also her reasons for doing so. When Jessica decided she wanted her life to look different, she made the conscious choice to make it happen. She remembers, “I started rearranging my life over a period of time to get there.” So many times, women feel “stuck” in where they are and don’t feel the freedom to make the necessary changes for a satisfied life. Jessica knew that health insurance and financial logistics would be hurdles - but not impossible ones. She just knew she wanted to travel and experience more of life that the world had to offer.
She would have to arrange her circumstances to make things happen and not use her current situation as excuses to not move forward.
When I asked Jessica how she goes about making those changes, she said that she first takes an idea, and then does the research on how she can make it happen. But even more important than that, she states that she first had to “not look at my salary or wage as the estimate of my value.” Jessica had to learn to place her value not in a company’s decision of how much to pay her, but in other elements such as levels of empathy, sympathy, self-worth, and awareness of the world and needs around her. Once she started to value herself apart from what a pay stub stated, she could start reducing expenses to find more value in herself. Deciding what was truly a “need” versus a “privilege” allowed her the room to grow and prioritize what was necessary for a richer life.
Jessica admits that rearranging one’s life to fit your personal goals is not always easy. Money and resources will always be an issue that must be tackled pragmatically. She also realizes that health can be a concern as we plan. Jessica has had health issues delay her plans before, too. However, instead of using that cancellation to drag her down emotionally, she chose to rearrange her trip and give herself something to look forward to. Choosing to remain flexible in your plans allows you to evaluate what is really important. But ultimately, Jessica reminds us that if we want our lives to look different, “How can you arrange your life to make it possible?” Question what is important and whittle down the rest.
Many of us also know the hesitancy that comes with solo traveling or taking a leap to change our lives. Jessica says, “Don’t wait too long. Someday might not come.” If it is important enough to you now, prioritize making it happen. As women, we’re often taught to be afraid of travel and of being on our own. However, we know that we can make safe, smart choices and use our knowledge to help each other out. Jessica’s tip for us here is to “act like you know what you’re doing.” Don’t be afraid to ask for help from those who’ve done it before, but don’t let fear tell you that you’re incapable.
Where will we see Jessica next? She has more solo train trips coming up this summer, including using her USA Rail pass to travel from Seattle to Milwaukee. That gorgeous trek through the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains is sure to provide her with motivation to set more goals for her new lifestyle. And Jessica teaches us not to be afraid of solo travel. She reminds us, “the benefits far outweigh the fear.”
