When we begin questioning the path we are on, oftentimes it is because we are in downtime, or are not seeing the results we had expected. The fifty questions below are a way to work through these downtimes and remind ourselves of what we are capable of doing, remind ourselves of the successes we have had, and to begin pointing your compass towards your true north.
Read MoreJust Outside My Window
This poem was written with the intention of encouraging others to step outside of thier comfort zone and start engaging with their dreams. I use the motif of watching your dreams go by, season after season, from a window. This idea is pulled from a quote I learned while I was working as an outdoor educator (teaching backpacking, rock climbing, etc.) for Outward Bound that goes like this: “A ship in harbor is safe, but that isn’t what a ship is for.”
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The Balance of Fire | Learning to Recognize the Cycles in Life
Cycles define our lives. We ebb and flow, much like the tides pulled by the moon’s gravity. Some cycles are short, while others last a lifetime. Our relationships, our work, our creativity all require attention (the flowing) and withdrawal (the ebbing). Recently, I have been wondering what would it take to control these cycles. Are they controllable? Well, my intuition lands on a simple answer, no. No, I do not think we can control these cycles, but we can learn to recognize and embrace each orbit.
Read MoreRelease your Inner Child
In the world of taxes, mortgages, car payments, student loans, utility bills, etc. we—or at least myself—fall into the trap of forgetting to play. I don’t mean going out with friends or surfing your favorite break. The play I am talking about is the kind you enjoyed as a little kid. Growing up in a rural place, I often played naked in the backyard during a rainstorm with my GI Joes or I was pretending to be Tarzan climbing trees. While I keep my nudity to a minimum these days, I hope you get what I mean.
Read MoreSnowy Morning in Joshua Tree
Stepping out of the van, the temperature is 29 degrees Fahrenheit, there is a fresh layer of snow in the desert. Quickly closing the door in hopes of keeping my partner’s warmth within, I begin to wander. The goal, return with a few images I can be proud of on this unique morning. I mean, how often do you get to see snow in the desert?
Read MoreA Name for Everything: Tips for Becoming a Digital Nomad
Until this past weekend, I had no idea the term “Digital Nomad” existed. Turns out, earning a living through a digital medium, like photography, and living on the road or in a nomadic style, makes you a digital nomad. Low and behold, I can call myself a digital nomad. Thank goodness I have another box to fit within! As I scrolled through the wiki page, I realized the box which fits me best is a sub-category of nomads called Van-dwellers. For some odd reason, I like the term van-dweller more than van-lifer. I wonder if anyone else has these same thoughts? Anyways, I digress. I wanted to share some tips and tricks I’ve learned as I dawn this fancy new Digital Nomad title from these past 4-years of roaming.
Read MoreMy Perfect Day: Tea Time on the Side of a Mountain
Then reality hits me and I’m brought back to the present. My hands are relatively warm, my feet hurt, but my heart is filled with joy. Not far off, I can see the tents. Once there I will sit with others, and share a cup of tea.
Read MoreIt's Never Enough Time | A Weekend in Big Sur
The sixty-hour weekend clock had begun, the van was packed, we were eager, but understood it wasn’t enough time. It’s never enough time. Headed north from Pismo Beach, we took the PCH to the iconic, rugged coastline of Northern California, Big Sur. Leading up to us cranking the tunes and rolling down the windows to let in the ocean breeze, Big Sur had a mystical feel told to us by those who had visited.
Read MoreWarming Rays
Warming Rays
Warming rays beat down through the crystal-like sky,
upon the everlasting grassy plain, where you lay.
Exposed, your delicate body rests in the thick green grass
shimmering from the reflection off the beads of sweat
which trickle down your brow, across your chest, and down your elegant stomach.
Absorbing the rays of heat, like a butterfly preparing for flight,
your beauty radiates. Blinding all those
who look at your body, and not at you.
For your true beauty lays below the skin,
In your mind which creates and destroys
everlasting thoughts of love, harmony, and solidarity.
Read MoreLife’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Growing up I was constantly reminded that, “life is a marathon, not a sprint.” My mom, coaches, teachers, and other adults would tell me this almost daily. At times, I thought they were all in on a cruel joke! I hated these reminders! They did not make sense, why would you tell somebody that has a goal to slow down? Devoted to a pool, putting in 3 hours a day staring at a black-line does something to your mental state. I just wanted to go faster.
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