The World I Know to Be True

I live in a world of go. Go forth, go on, go in, go for it. It’s this constant go that gives me speed and strength. It’s also this go that gives me impatience, and a desperate need to discover the world at a rapid pace. At 31, I’m still learning, breaking, bending, growing and sharpening. But here are the greatest lessons I have learned along the way.

1. Attack every day with vengeance - a vengeance to inspire, both others and yourself, and a vengeance to do better than your best. To some, this vengeance can seem harsh, and well, it is. And if it seems all too serious, that’s because it is. The energy I put out into the world, the heart I put into my work, the lengths I take to inspire and learn from others, is no laughing matter, because I have made a choice for every moment to matter.

2. Passion is one of the most powerful tools we have - because taking risks requires heart, and it’s with this heart that I have fought to achieve my goals, and conquer them with fury. Whether it’s hiking in Nepal or building a kickass team, I bring a lot of energy and passion to my life and work. By being inspired, you will inspire others.

3. Not all connections are created equal - in life, there are residents, and visitors. All those that come into my world serve a purpose. I cherish them for who they are, the gifts they bring and the lessons they leave me with. I’ve learned not only to say goodbye, but that how I say goodbye is in my power. Be thankful for those who are simply passing through. It will provide you with peace.

4. Turn poison into medicine - the greatest challenges offer the greatest gifts. It’s only through the toughest of moments that we learn and truly expand. Dark days are inevitable, but how you respond to them is a choice. Approach each experience as a chance to challenge your beliefs and strengthen your values and courage. In such strength, you will realize that you are unstoppable.

5. Life is nonlinear - there is no such thing as work-life balance. I believe in building a life you love, inclusive of family, friends, work and travel. Make it work for you, don’t settle for less. Live life fluidly, and allow all of your passions to coexist.

6. Build a bird’s eye view - in time, I’ve developed a quiet confidence and calm in both my own acceptance and ownerships of self. I’ve grown to be more mindful about who I am and what I do. Every day, I lean into my strengths, and proactively work on areas for growth. There’s a lot of power that comes from knowing who you are and being able to see yourself from 30,000 feet without judgment and acceptance.

7. Be fearless, and take risks - going after what you want is an art form, and being fearless is a gift — both are attainable and accessible if you allow it. It’s about standing your ground, and fighting for what you believe to be true; only questioning yourself in hopes to learn and come back with a better game plan; only wondering if you can handle it, in order to handle it better. These are the pillars that I build my life on. The ones that push me in the direction of discovery: ready, set and fearless.

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it”

— Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

GO FOR THE ADRENALINE

It may be chilly outside, but an adrenaline-fueled experience can keep you cozy and warm in the winter. From soaring through the thermal currents to snuggling down on a bed of ice, here are five heart-warming experiences to push your limits, and body temperature. Hold on to your Avid Grom R2D2 helmet…

Board.

Nihao! Let’s just get this out of the way… I love all things Japan and Mt. Fuji is at the top of the list. Post-tsunami Tokyo needs your tourist tips so take your board bi-continent to this little country across the way. Access Trips’ Japan Mainland Snowboard Tour takes powder hounds to experience the snowy side of Japan — you get to ride the best of the country’s mountains, which regularly get 450-plus inches of snowfall a year. And you get expert instruction from local guides who know the terrain, plus insider tips on apres nightlife. Secret slopes and Sake…. Say no more.

Fly.

I love nothing more than dressing the part, especially when my outfit comes with a harness and a hawk. Parahawking (possibly the best sport ever after dating) bridges the extensive training of badass birds and the experience of paragliding. Crazy kids can Parahawk by day and set up shop at Maya Devi Village by night – a traditional lakeside guesthouse in Pokhara, Nepal. It’s home to some of the worlds largest raptors like Himalayan Griffon Vultures, White Backed Vultures, Egyptian Vultures, Black Eagles and even Peregrine falcons… similar to a bar full of broads in NYC. So snag your very own Egyptian vulture and soar over Lake Fewa. Just don’t fall in love… these aren’t the type of vultures you bring home to the parentals.

Sled.

Watching the Northern Lights from your private yurt with the sound of huskies howling in the majestic Yukon… Moments like this are more common than not on Uncommon Journey’s Aurora Classic dogsledding adventure, a seven-day excursion through the Yukon. First, the team gets suited up for a “Mushing 101” lesson to learn the rules of the dog sledding road — breaking, steering, you know, the usual. You’ll navigate steep hills, tight turns, deep valleys, and frozen lakes — and through it all, your team of huskies won’t stop wagging their tails.

Sleep.

Sleeping on a bed of ice has always been on my to-do list… no, seriously, it has. And since The @ICEHOTEL Sweden went punk on us last year with it’s Tron Legacy Suite, it’s been given VIP bucket list status. Using only frozen water from the Torne River, artists from all over the world gather in this small Swedish village, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle, to create an exclusive art exhibition… that you can snuggle up in. Add a furry blanket, a hot chocolate and an Eskimo. Sold.

Glide.

So I’m not super profesh (yet, wink) but I figure the best way to learn, is via a helicopter. Take to 11,000 feet in over 200 square miles of high alpine basins, cirques and summits around Telluride, Colorado with Telluride Helitrax Heliskiing. You can stay for the day, or in a cozy cabin you can call your own… avalanche terrain included.

FEARLESSNESS.

Lost and found in Khajuraho, India. 

You have to be fearless in life. 

This is usually what I say to myself before taking a leap or a risk or a jump. What I say to myself before a life altering moment or an earth shattering experience, one that will ultimately change the way I see the world. 

Many years ago my best friend Patricia gave me a necklace. It reads fearlessness in Sanskrit (points to @Pattymayo116). So I had a definition — a strength in a word. I take this word with me wherever I go, packed neatly next to my passport, inside my Burton backpack; Hidden under my pillow next to my Swiss Army knife. As a shield, protection, from outside eyes but also, more importantly, from inside ones.

I create, but I am not an artist. I climb, but I am not a mountaineer. I fly, but I am not a pilot. I write, but am I a writer? (Rhetorical question, don’t answer that). I try, and often I don’t succeed. But sometimes, sometimes, I do and it takes more to accept those moments, and let them sink in, than all of the failures in the world. It takes strength to understand your strengths and know what you’re capable of. For me, that part can be excruciating. It can be terrifying, and why? I do not know. 

But there’s one thing I do know. In this life, you have the chance to be whomever you want. You have a chance to do whatever you want. And in truth, the only thing stopping you, from being you, is you.

I’ve seen scares in my life. I’ve visited jails (not for me, I’m not that badass); I’ve been face-to-face with a gun (I flirted my way out of that one). I’ve seen addictions and jealousy and stories that unfolded before my eyes, stories that I was merely a small, inconsequential part of. I’ve had my ass kicked, and I’ve been forced to let the fear in. And I let it in, but only for a second, just for a moment, before I kick its ass right back out. Maybe these moments have made me tough (yeah, what!) but mainly, they’ve made me smarter, more open, more capable and aware of what I can handle. 

And I always under estimate what I can handle. That’s a fact. 

See, no matter where I go, how far I travel, it’s always doubt that stands in my way. It makes you question yourself, second guess yourself, get down on yourself. But doubt can also make you take a step back, take a closer look, and come back with better answers; question your own decisions, but then let your gut lead the way. And it’s in these moments, when we #shownofear, that doubt fails its mission.

Fearlessness, as you will, will always win… on the river with a Jack and a 9, but still a bloody victory. 

Going after what you want is an art form, and being fearless is a gift. But both are attainable, and accessible if you allow it. It’s about standing your ground, and fighting for what you believe to be true; only questioning yourself in hopes to learn and come back with a better game plan; only wondering if you can handle it, in order to handle it better. These to me are the pillars that I build my life on. The ones that push me in the direction of discovery: ready, set and fearless.

Jumping out of a plane is not easy. Trekking through the Himalayas is not always fun. Running, sprinting down a dark and lonely path is often terrifying. It’s a challenge; every second of life is a challenge. So rise to the occasion. 

Let’s do this. 

HOW TO: Not Get Fired as Foreigner, Tokyo Edition

I rarely hold anyone to any standards. How can you know the rules of the road if you don’t drive on it? Like cab-cutting in NYC, spitting in the TLV, bringing pastries in the DAC or looking down in PVG, every place should come with a list of manners, or in some cases, maneuvers. 

In Tokyo, tradition is a tall order… so here’s how to not get fired as a foreigner

Slurp Yo' Noodles

Do exactly what your mom told you not to do. The whole point of slippery spaghetti is to eat them super fast, and very hot. So get on with your loud self and embrace the slurping sound. If you’re silent, the Ramen master might take it as a sign of dissatisfaction – so beware and be loud.

Saved by the Subway

Don’t even think about taking a cab; Japans rail system is nothing short of sheer brilliance. The uber effecient subway and train system in Tokyo is quite possibly the best invention on earth. For those traveling to more than one city, opt for a Japan Rail pass (7 days, 14 day etc.). It’s worth it. 

And unlike the swipe and go systems in the US, the JR machines check-point you twice. So save the stub for the way in, and out. Most likely at some point you’ll pay the wrong fare – the Japanese machines can confuse almost anyone. Just go to the Fare Adjusment counter, you cant miss it. And believe me, the guards won’t miss you.

Go for Nude

Nothing does it for me quite like a warm body of water, and Japan is full of them. Onsens, or hot springs, are a huge part of the tradition and culture. But don’t even think about that tankini; Onsens are for nudist only! So strip and sit down (sorry, no nude photo of me here).

Killed by the Cell

Despite being super tech savy citizens, Tokyo can be eerily quiet. You will rarely hear a cell phone conversation, and certainly not one on the train. When riding the rails in Japan, you should turn your phone off when near Priority Seats, keep it in silent mode when in other areas, and refrain from talking on the phone at all times. After all, thats what sexting is for.

Kick Your Shoes to the Curb!

Some eating and drinking establishments in Japan offer “zashiki”-style seating where you must remove your shoes when entering. Don’t ask, just remove yo’ shoes.

Noteworthy Notes:
Cab doors close automatically, so refrain from slamming them shut.
Eat all of your food – which isn’t exactly difficult when it’s uber delicious.
Don’t tip, it can often be seen as rude.
If you’re not an adventurous eater, learn the word for vegetarian. But honestly, just don’t be a vegetarian.

CONSISTENCY OF TRAVEL.

Consistency. That word is something of a foe to me. It seems stale, predictable, and nothing like the world of words I live in. 

And yet there’s something to be said for the understood, familiar or dare I say, comfortable… (my latest piece for Burton Snowboards)

Appropo, my recent crush on consistency developed last month in Japan. I arrived after a full 8 hours of sleep, charged through the all too familiar Narita airport and grabbed the first bus to Roppongi. I was home, in less than an hour, which is almost impossible thanks to Tokyo’s terrible traffic. Not a bad way to start.  

The first time I visited Japan was on Semester at Sea, over 5 years ago. The sheer adrenaline of the adventure, the bliss of purposeful yet free-to-be travel was inspiring in itself; But add a week of backpacking, train hopping, internet-cafe sleeping, photo-safari-ing (sans cell phones!) to an already exhilarating experience… Now that, makes magic happen. I felt that magic when I ate Toro – true Toro – for the first time at 4 am in Tsukiji Fish Market, laughing over every bite. I felt that magic wandering through the nostalgic streets of Kyoto and falling in love with Fushimi Inari. I felt that magic sitting in Shibuya, stunned and thankful to be there in that moment, when the light turns green, in the world’s largest intersection.

The second time I visited was en-route to Thailand. Japan was a welcome stopover, with just enough time baked in to stock up on Vintage t-shirts from Harajuku, and once again, melt over Omakase.

The third and fourth times are a bit of a business blur. Work took precedence over exploration. But on my day off, I trained, bused and cabbed it 5 hours to Nagano, to hang out with some Snow Monkeys and make the 5-hour trek back. And with my humbling West to East jet lag, I took 5 am runs through Meju Shrine. So it wasn’t completely useless.

Needless to say, the past time, lucky number 5, was different. 

In life, in all major decisions, you can choose the old or the new. Instinctually, I always go for the new: new lessons, new perspectives, new challenges and new dreams.  Needless to say, at this stage in my life, with an ever-burning need to see, hear, taste, touch and smell all that I can (it’s a blessing and a curse), a repeat performance is not common. 

But for the first time, newness took second place to familiarity. For the first time in a long time, a foreign place felt comforting and easy to digest. I could understand the language (enough to get applause from many Japanese colleges and friends); I could navigate the city (enough to know where we were at almost all times); I could order my own meals, (most of which were in true Japanese fashion and style). 

But mainly, I could relax. I could release the pressure of adventure, and note to self: the first, second, third and most definitely fourth times of tourist touring will suffice. You’ve been to the Imperial Palace four more times than the Empire State. And what this did, was allow me to live in the moment.

As travelers, we invest in our itineraries. And often you get so caught up in the planning and schedule that you lose sight of the minutes, seconds of detail that bring the most inspiration and awareness. As a photographer, I get lost behind the lens. I express myself through the shutter, the need for that spirited shot. Could it be, that in capturing the moment, I am missing it?

So forgo the phone, camera, headphones, map… and look up.

Because if there’s one thing I know, the world is always inspiring. And that’s a consistency you can count on.