My name is Sarah, and I’m so glad you’re here in my little corner of the internet.
This is a space for people who want to travel more intentionally but don’t quite know where to start. It’s also a space where I share my own journey, how I began traveling, what I’ve learned along the way, and how both movement and stillness have shaped my life.
Alongside travel, I run a coaching business focused on burnout recovery. I help people recognize burnout, adjust before it takes over, and reconnect with themselves in gentler, more sustainable ways. I also share how intentional travel can be deeply healing, especially for burnout and trauma, offering perspective, space, and room to breathe.
So… why 30 Sets of Keys?
As of now, I’m living in my 30th home here in the Detroit-metro area of Michigan.
I was born in Michigan, but at just four months old, I began what would become a lifelong relationship with movement. My family moved to Maine, then bounced around the East Coast. My dad was in the Navy, so relocating was simply part of life. By the time I was four years old, we had already lived in six different places.
I don’t remember much from those earliest homes, but my first clear memories are from our house in Virginia, and then from a move that still feels surreal to say out loud: Cuba.
We lived on the Naval base in Guantanamo Bay, and honestly, it was amazing. I started school there and completed kindergarten through second grade. I learned how to swim, spent weekends at the beach, and experienced a kind of freedom that, at the time, I didn’t realize was shaping me.
Then came Wisconsin; right in the middle of winter. That move sparked a long-standing dislike of snow and cold that took years to soften. We stayed there while my dad completed additional duty stations nearby, and my mom, tired of moving, decided it would mostly be just the two of us while he finished his service.
After Wisconsin, I spent a short time back in Michigan before joining the Coast Guard, where I served for four years.
When I separated from the military, life picked up speed again. I moved to New York City, then to London, and then back to Michigan. That was all in just over a year. It was chaotic, exhausting, and also one of the most freeing periods of my life. For the first time, I felt like I was choosing movement instead of being carried by it.
I stayed in Michigan when my parents eventually returned to Wisconsin, only to move back after my dad passed away. Suddenly, it was just my mom and me again, much like it had been years before. I went back to school, earned my undergraduate degree, and while working in an International Education Office, met someone who had gone to graduate school in Vermont. On a bit of a whim, I applied.
I was accepted, moved to Vermont, and completed my graduate degree in Teaching English as a Second Language. While studying there, I interned in Boston, and one of my housemates told me about an internship with the State Department working in passports. I interviewed, moved even farther north in Vermont, and worked at the agency for several years.
Eventually tho, I missed home. I moved back to Michigan, and have been here ever since.
After so much movement, choosing stillness felt radical. Building community, putting down roots, and allowing myself to rest has warmed my soul in ways I never expected.
What all those moves taught me
Trying to summarize all of that is hard, and no, I won’t list every single place I’ve lived, at least right now. I’ll share much more over time in future posts, but what matters is this: I’ve had the privilege of living in many different cultures, communities, and seasons of life.
That kind of movement changes you. It teaches you adaptability, empathy, and how to see the world through more than one lens. It also teaches you how deeply humans need both exploration and belonging.
What you’ll find here
This blog is a place where I share stories, reflections, and practical insights on how to navigate life in all its glorious, beautiful, and sometimes messy ways. I write about intentional travel, burnout recovery, healing, and what it means to feel at home, wherever you are.
If you’re curious about using travel as a tool for healing, learning how to recognize burnout, or simply living with more intention, you’re in the right place.
I’m so glad you found me, and I can’t wait to share more with you.
-Sarah