ABOUT SUSAN

On a whim, I checked my email one last time. I was on the top bunk of a hostel in Arusha, Tanzania, the night before a safari. There wouldn’t be wifi for days.

There it was. My heart was immediately in my throat.

I held my breath as I clicked on the email. Two and a half years of planning had gone into this moment. Without even realizing it, I shrieked.

“We are happy to inform you that you have been accepted…”

But it was so much more than an acceptance letter into a graduate school program. It was a career change. An open door into a life I had dreamt of. It meant never working 70 hour work weeks again. It meant finally living life on my terms. I wondered if this risk would pay off.

Little did I know at that time that this career change would be one of my life’s greatest and most rewarding adventures.

Me wearing a warm hat a jacket while on a hike on a bridge.

I’ve always been a *calculated* risk taker.

Doing flips off of my swing set.
Driving fast. (Sorry, Mom.)
Diving with bull sharks.
Moving across the world by myself (and then doing it again… and again).

Adventure isn’t a place or activity, it’s a mindset. That means every single one of us can be adventurous.
Our lives are meant to be lived out loud, pushing our boundaries, and being curious about all that this big wild world has to offer.

WHAT'S MY STORY

I am an adoptee. I’ve spent years searching inside of myself and around the world to discover my story. From an early age, I discovered that I felt strangely at home in faraway places.

When I travel, I see myself in every face I meet. I am everyone and just one person all at the same time. I am every culture and no culture.

This has made me curious about people whose life experience is different from mine because in each person I meet I see a little bit of my own story.

Nature is where I go to have big thoughts. It’s a place to wrestle with big decisions that sit heavy on my mind. It brings me peace and it reminds me of how small I am in this big wild world.

Adventure, to me, is saying ‘yes’ to new experiences, stretching outside of my comfort zone, and inviting play into my adult life.

My mission is to help you see yourself as an adventurer, whatever that means to you. Because, life is better with adventure.

9 Facts About Me:

  1. I wanted to hate Minneapolis when I moved here 13 years ago, but I’ve fallen hard for this city I now call home.
  2. I love cold weather outdoor adventures!
  3. I recently achieved my goal of visiting all seven continents!
  4. My first career was as a chemical engineer.
  5. But now I am an organization development consultant and leadership coach (when I’m not blogging).
  6. Hank, my dog, is my Chief Treat Officer and, honestly, runs the show.
  7. I’ve lived in three countries (USA, Australia, and England) and five states (Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, California, and Minnesota).
  8. I take great pride in balancing being prepared and a minimalist approach to packing for any adventure.
  9. I love coffee, tequila and full-bodied red wine. Not together. That would be weird (or genius).

LIFE IS BETTER WITH ADVENTURE

That’s kinda what This Big Wild World is all about.

From epic hikes around the world to adventures closer to my home in Minnesota and a whole lot in between, I am on a mission to ignite your sense of adventure!

I BELIEVE…

There’s a sense of adventure inside of everyone, waiting to be discovered.

Adventure means something different for each of us.

In approaching places, people and experiences with curiosity.

That kindness breeds kindness.

All bodies, voices and perspectives should feel safe and welcome in the outdoors.

I make a whole lot of mistakes

And laugh about them, before dusting myself off for the next adventure.

But honestly, life should be fun. Growth is good. And adventure doesn’t have to cost a fortune. So let’s get out there and be adventurous.

I invite you to join me in connecting with our inner adventurer as we explore this big wild world.

Are you in?

Come join the fun wherever you hang out on social media!

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Preview of my Instagram feed