“Maybe there’s more than the treasures we secure
That become heavy chains, to sink us in tidal waves.”
~Brian Fallon

It sounds cliche so often when people say that life is more than money. It’s more than just accumulating things and what you do for a living that defines who you are. The reason it’s a cliche and said so often though, is because it’s true. Little does as much for one’s self in life as truly following where life calls you to go and following your passions.

For me, that calling is still to the water. It’s still to the people, friendships and places that have inspired me for more. That drive that is pushing me to live for the adventure and guide my days by holding my faith 1st and trusting everything else after that will fall into place, is what keeps me motivated. With being off the water, I’ve found that calling more then ever, and I can’t wait till I can launch my board and inch closer to my dream of completing the Loop!

Thanks to a few great friends, family and my amazing sponsors, especially Goal Zero, that day may be just around the corner.

When adversity has crept up on this trip, I’ve come to realize it really hasn’t slowed me down…only it has put me right where I should be at all times on the adventure.

Did I want to have to worry about replacing gear?

Heck no!

But that’s life!

Just as with any job, or goal you go after in life…it’s about perseverance. It’s about never giving up and fighting through any hurdle that stands in your way. No matter if it’s something like replacing gear or even a person standing in your way telling you to rethink your dreams, never stop going after something YOU want. This time off has made me want to get back out there more then ever!

Since coming off the water, I have had people back home tell me maybe it’s time to give it up. “It’s your gear this time, maybe that’s your warning it could be you next time.”

Yea, maybe.

Or maybe it is just telling me to dig deeper. Keep relying on the friends, family and supporters who believe in me, while aiming to change the minds of those doubters.

One of those doubters and skeptics when I 1st started this journey was my own mom. Sure, it was probably due to the fact that she was nervous to let her son go on this crazy adventure. And as a mom, it might be a hard thing to get behind when you tell her less than a handful of people have ever been successful in paddling around the Great Loop. But flash forward to now…she is and has been one of my biggest supporters since I started. I walk into her work and feel like a celebrity, because of all the support from her co-workers, thanks to her sharing each and ever story with them. She may still think I’m dumb at times for going on these crazy adventures, or for things I do, but no one supports me quite like a mother can. Now she can’t wait to get me back out on the water…hopefully that’s a good thing she’s that excited to get rid of me again!

Truth is though, I’ve never cared about what people have thought about me. I enjoy being different. I enjoy following my passions and most of all, I enjoy challenging myself to truly live life to the fullest.

I’ve come back to the “real life” to hear and see others who are still so consumed with material goods. Disillusioned by the fact that money, gifts, parties, or whatever else one uses to try and obtain happiness, is what they use as their ticket to try and obtain that joy. I’ve seen poeple judge others for what they do and the lives they lead, just because it’s different from their life, because they don’t agree with what someone does, or simply just to make themselves feel better. I’ve never understood those who spread stories about others, just to feel better about themselves. It baffels me that someone could ever find joy in that world. That is the “real world” I’ve come back to see.

And that’s the “real world” I want to continue to do my part to help change.

I don’t care if someone wants to go on some huge crazy adventure, work an 8-5 job they love or follow a music career if that is what they want to do. I encourage everyone to follow their dreams, chase what truly inspires them and most of all, makes them happy. It’s truly isn’t about what we obtain in life, but what we do in the time we are given, that provides us with the tools to find our true happiness.

And while chasing that happiness, there will be setbacks. Setbacks aren’t setbacks though,  as long as you are being true to who you are. It isn’t a setback when it brings you closer to the others around you that support you. It’s not a setback to follow your dreams and live the life you want to have. That is what life is about. It’s about faith, family and then everything else after that. Setbacks are reminders to keep your priorities in order and to always have a positive mindset. Once you overcome those hurdles, it makes crossing the finish line that much sweeter. Everyone gets knocked down at times, but the true test comes from what you do when an obsticle is thrown in your way. If you are being yourself, and staying true to who you are, those times are going to happen, but you won’t be overcome by them. There will be moments you might fail, but are you going to fail and give up or will you fail forward, pick yourself back up and keep going after what makes you, you.

I continue to be inspired by others along this journey. Others who are set on chasing who they are and what they want to be. Their dreams have kept me motivated on my own. It gives me hope that the longer there are people with that postive outlook, the more it can help change those with a negative one. The ones who have lost sight of their own dreams and who they really are. The goodwill and kindness I’ve recieved from others, not only after my setback, but since the beginning of my trip, has given me hope that those amazing people will help inspire others and help them take a look at their own lives to make a change for the better.

The time off has motivated me. It has kept me longing for the day I set out again in my adventure, and has kept me dreaming big. Thank you again to everyone who has offered support, words of encouragement and most of all, kindness in these past couple weeks. Without you all, and the love you show, I know this trip wouldn’t be half of what it has been and continues to be!

Stay tuned for more details as I near my return!!!  A few exciting additions are coming to the Big Adventure and can’t wait to share the news. Until next time…keep dreaming Big!