My Story
I’ve always wanted to travel the world. ALWAYS. Not in that casual, “Oh it would be nice someday” kind of way. I mean REALLY wanted it. In high school, we had exchange students from Denmark, and instead of just being curious about them, I wanted to BE them.. I wanted to be the one packing my suitcase, landing somewhere unfamiliar, and learning how people lived beyond my little Kentucky corner of the world.
In college, I wanted to study abroad. After college, I dreamed about taking an adventurous gap year, traveling throughout Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Seeing all seven continents was one of the very first things I ever put on my bucket list.Travel was never a phase for me. It was a calling. But somehow… it never came.
There was always a reason it couldn’t happen. Money was a big one. Fear from my family—mostly rooted in love and worry about me being far away—played a role too.
And as time went on, my weight made travel feel even more complicated and expensive. Yet the desire to explore this Earth we live on never left.
Plot Twist
Then, just when I finally felt ready to take the globetrotting leap as an adult, life humbled me in a very real way. An injury led to a blood clot and a pulmonary embolism. That diagnosis has been fatal for hundreds of thousands of people, including a close family member. I’m grateful that it wasn’t deadly for me, but I can’t lie, it did kill my travel dreams. FOR A LONG TIME. The fear settled in quietly. Flying felt risky. Being far from home felt dangerous. And even after the immediate crisis passed, I was left living with chronic pain that became part of my everyday life.
So again, I waited.
But one day, the lightbulb came on. I recognized that I was allowing fear and discomfort to postpone living the life I had always dreamed of under the guise of protecting it. The truth is that the pain is going to arise whether I stayed home or traversed somewhere beautiful. I was gonna be fat in Kentucky or fat in a dreamy international location. I was going to have a history of DVT and PE no matter where I was in the world. I suddenly realized that I didn’t need perfect health. I didn’t need to lose all the weight. I didn’t need to wait until the fear completely disappeared. I just needed to decide that my life was worth experiencing now. Not later.
And that’s why I’m here. That’s why Big & Beyond Borders exists.
Purpose
This blog is my way of encouraging and supporting plus-size women over 40 who have put off traveling the world—for whatever reason—to finally do the thing they’ve been dreaming about. Whether it’s money, health concerns, fear, comfort, or simply not knowing where to start, I want this space to help remove those barriers.
What You Will Find Here
You’ll find inspiration but also real, practical support. Tips on how to travel thoughtfully and comfortably. Ideas on where to go and what to see. Guidance on how to plan trips that work with your body, your budget, and your life.
Eventually, I hope this movement of Big & Beyond Borders grows into curated group trips and other ways to help women like us get out there and experience this beautiful world—without apology and without waiting for permission. Because guess what. Tomorrow is not promised.
We only get one life, and I fully intend to live what’s left of mine to the fullest. For me, living the best life means exploring other countries and immersing myself in other cultures. I want that best life for you too, whether that looks like taking a road trip to a remote campsite in the middle of Appalachia or a luxurious month-long Safari in Tanzania.
Welcome to Big & Beyond Borders. I’m glad you’re here!
