My Travel Philosophy - Five Things To Take With You

After doing quite a bit of travelling recently, I wanted to share some of my thoughts with you about being a fat travelling girl. 

So here’s the thing, I truly believe that everyone should be able to do what they like with their life regardless of their size – it is not up to someone else and their insecurities to stop you from accomplishing a goal or realizing a dream. I say this because I see posts on social media everyday where fat people express their major anxieties and down right refusals to travel (among other things) because of their fear of what others will say, do, how they will react etc.

I completely understand this and those worries – I have been there and can sympathize, but I’m happy to report that I am also at a place where it is a lot less of a concern. Since January, I have visited six new countries and flown countless times, and have had no comments or mention about my weight in a negative way. I’ve been grateful to have pool side conversations with other women about embracing your size, body and everything in between and to bring up just how few people genuinely are looking at you or care about your size or insecurities.

On my holiday last month to Turkey, I had a good ponder and decided that I would share my thoughts on how to stay positive while travelling fat.

1.     Embrace your size – you will be the size that you are regardless or whether you shrug, sulk and cower within yourself so you might as well stand tall and take charge. If you do get a comment or a remark, acknowledge it, let them know it’s unnecessary and rude and move on. Negative energy and attitude belongs to those that dish it out and you do not have to accept it.

2.     Wear clothing that makes you feel good – There is nothing brave about wearing a bikini on a beach or by the pool, just as it’s not shameful to choose a one piece, we all have different comfort levels and we should, while remembering to push the right boundaries, remain comfortable. If going to the beach or pool for a swim is already a massive step on your road to confidence, then wear something that makes you feel good, not what you think is brave. Bravery is not the objective but the act of swimming itself is.

3.     Accept challenges and live your life outside the box – I see so many people saying they can’t or won’t travel because of low self-esteem or even due to not having someone to travel with. Imagine what you could accomplish on your own, the places you could see, and better yet the people you could meet. The very trip you are frightened of taking could sort out so many of life’s woes, simply by going solo.

4.     Travel somewhere that you truly want to go. Every trip should have a purpose, even if that purpose is simply to relax. Plan a trip to Italy if you want history and food, a trip to a warm beach spot for relaxation (if that’s your thing) or head to a local spa for the weekend and simply treat yourself.  If you are afraid to travel, try building up to it – start small and work up to something special. Putting a focus on where you want to go and planning will help you realize it. If you are somewhere that fascinates and excites you, you will be so busy thinking about what you are seeing that those body negative demons won’t have time to creep in like they sometimes do at home.

5.     Smile, and laugh whenever possible – confidence comes from within and even if you aren't feeling it everyday, making an effort to look happy will attract happy, and therefor will come back to make you feel the same. If you travel, smile everywhere you go, it’s infectious, people will see and feel this beam of good and it will open you up to positive interactions.

The point I am trying to make is that I wish everyone to find ways to feel as liberated as I do when I travel. Don't ever let the opinions of other people or your own negative thoughts stop you from going somewhere!