Tracee Ellis Ross has a message for you, and it involves leaving your baggage—both literal and emotional—behind.

The actor, entrepreneur, and certified style icon recently sat down with PORTER to dish on the highly anticipated second season of her Roku travel show, Solo Traveling. But while the show centers on navigating the world alone, Ross’s insights prove that the most important journey she’s ever taken is the one within herself.

From her masterclass in carry-on packing to the lingering ghost of her most famous TV character, here are the biggest takeaways from Tracee’s latest chapter.

1. The 12-Year-Old’s Trauma That Changed How She Packs Forever

We’ve all experienced the dread of the airport baggage carousel, but for a 12-year-old Tracee, a trip to the Bahamas turned into a fashion tragedy. After packing her most prized possessions—including rhinestone bracelets and a beloved yellow Guess holdall gifted by her mother, Diana Ross—the airline lost her luggage forever.

I will never forget those things because they're gone. Forever, Ross shared. And I still want them back!

The silver lining? It forced her to develop a packing strategy that is practically a science: she can now fit a full week’s worth of high-fashion glam into a single standard carry-on. For a woman known for her maximalist, bold fashion choices, that is nothing short of a miracle.

2. Solo Travel is an Internal Roadmap (Not Just for Single People)

With Solo Traveling returning this summer, Ross is quick to point out that the show isn't just a travelogue of beautiful destinations like Morocco, Mexico, and Spain. Instead, she views solo travel as a metaphor for building a lifelong relationship with yourself.

• Your Happiness is Your Responsibility: One of Ross's core mantras is that you have to engineer your own joy.
• It’s Not a Single Standard: Despite being celebrated as a phenomenal example of a fulfilled single woman, Ross notes the show is for anyone looking to explore their inner landscape.
• The Dating Myth: She’s also here to bust a major stereotype. There’s this odd myth that enjoying your singleness means you're not looking for partnership and it's not true, she says. I date.

3. The Fashion Rules She Willingly Breaks

If you've been scrolling through social media thinking you can never wear the same outfit twice, Tracee Ellis Ross is here to tell you to stop.

Unlike the standard celebrity culture of wear it once and trash it, Ross is a proud wardrobe builder. Her closet features pieces she has owned for years, and she actively rejects the idea that repeating outfits is a faux pas. When she travels, she uses the streets of cities like Paris to live out her editorial dreams in her favorite clothes.

Her ultimate style philosophy? "Don't wait for events to wear your pretty things. You are the special occasion."

4. Healing From the Ghost of Joan Clayton

For eight years and 173 episodes, Ross played Joan Carol Clayton on the hit 2000s sitcom Girlfriends. But playing a character who was constantly desperate to be chosen took an unexpected emotional toll.

When the 2008 WGA writers' strike abruptly canceled the show without a proper finale, Ross felt completely unmoored. I felt like my identity was gone, she admitted. When I looked in the mirror, I couldn't see me because I saw Joan.

It took time, but stepping away from Joan's shadow allowed Ross to choose herself. The abrupt ending gave her the space to focus on her wildly successful haircare line, Pattern Beauty, and step into rooms as an entrepreneur who is unafraid to take up space or stand up for herself.

The Takeaway

Tracee Ellis Ross’s life is a masterclass in living boldly, playing fiercely, and remembering that nobody else is going to hand you your happiness. Whether you’re booking a solo flight across the world or just pulling your favorite designer dress out of the closet for a Tuesday morning at the office, remember: you are the special occasion.

Solo Traveling Season 2 premieres this summer on Roku.

Read the full Porter Magazine feature here.