...and we are off!

And we’re off... literally. Both Joo and I are not working, and Chloe is not in school. We have no commitments and nothing pending. I have the next 7 months with no work and I get to choose what I do on a daily basis. There is something very freeing about that. So what do I do??? Well, something I truly love but have not been able to do like I’d like is to travel. So, the first thing we are doing is going to French Polynesia... for 2 months!!! That may not seem like an eternity to those jet setters that are vagabonding around the world but it is plenty of time for me to unplug, reset, and relaunch and that is exactly what I intend to do. 

We’ve been planning this for a while. In fact, back in February 2014, Joo and I were in Laguna having lunch when we decided we were committed to taking a trip. We were going to quit our jobs or try and work out a sabbatical and leave the country for 6 months or even a year. We talked about which countries we would travel to, for how long, and what we would do in each place. The only thing we couldn’t do before we went on our trip was get pregnant... we found out about about a month later that we would have a child in 8 months. 

Needless to say, we didn’t take that trip. Since then, our love of travel and value for the experience has not changed. But, just about everything else in our life has. Our perspective on life has evolved substantially and significantly and with it our vision for what this trip is and how it fit in our life. 

This trip provides a unique opportunity to experience something special and different together. Chloe is 4.5 years old and wont start Kindergarten until the fall of 2020. She is old enough to take in a trip like this and help build her foundational perception of the world and life. Joo is now exiting the nurturing phase of her motherhood and the requirements on her time has been morphing. I have been working for almost 20 year and the prospect of an extended period of time to focus on myself and my family as the primary focus of my days is about as enticing as it gets. This time away from work and this trip are a purposeful step to approach life and our respective journeys together as a family unit and see if I can become individual, husband, and father that I aim to be.

Individual

There are things that I want to accomplish that are individual. selfishly, I want to rest and enjoy myself. Ive always wanted to swim with humpback whales and surf in Tahiti and so I’m excited about the prospect of these once in a lifetime experiences. Furthermore, I am excited that these don’t have to be “fit in” to an itinerary. We have 2 months to experience and I have little doubt we will be able to schedule time for these individual pursuits. I am really looking forward to experiencing nature each day. Looking our at beautiful vistas, sunsets, and crystal blue waters.

I’m also looking forward to the personal growth I receive from change. The experience of different cultures, ideas, and norms is eye opening. When I get out of my comfort zone and out of my routines, I find out more about myself and my surroundings and always feel like i have progressed as a person. I believe this time in my life is a perfect time to take those benefits of change and growth and point them towards developing that future self I envision. 

Husband

There are ebbs and flows to any relationship and it is not easy to always be on the same page as you move from dating to married to the ever changing requirements of family. Joo is a world class person who is so far ahead of the curve on being comfortable in being who you are, being present, and prioritizing the right things for a happy and fulfilled life. I have made strides in all these areas over the past couple years and feel excited about the prospect of what this time holds for us. ‘

Travel is our favorite pastime and its when I believe we are the most present together. The beauty of an extended trip for us is that we get the best of the fun and excitement of experiencing all that travel has to offer as well as the benefits from settling into a new life routine in a fresh and stimulating environment. My goal for this trip for us is really to maximize the smiles, laughs, and general stoke together and take some of that individual growth we have both experiences and transform our life as husband and wife into a fully connected and present relationship that has us smiling, laughing, and loving each day.

Father

When I was growing up, I was certain that Orange County was the center of the universe. My first real experience with overseas travel came when I was in college. It was eye opening to see the diversity and wonder through the lens of traveling and it truly reshaped the way I view the world and myself. I am so stoked to have a trip where Chloe gets to build her understanding of the world with travel experiences like this. My hope is that Chloes foundational understanding of what the world is and the beauty in diversity will be built through experiencing another culture, language, and set of circumstances. 

I love that I get to share my love of the ocean and nature with Chloe. We will be able to wake up each day and walk hand in hand to the waters edge and seek out ocean life together in 80 degree crystal clear water. We will get to experience the wonders of tall waterfalls traversing below a beautiful jungle canopy. She will be able to experience traveling by boat and staying in a room over the water. All of these experiences are special on their own but to be able to be there next to her each day to show her the way through it all and see it through her eyes is going to be truly special. I want to build a special bond as father and daughter through the consistent and daily interaction we will be afforded in paradise and I hope I can amplify her positive growth experiences with guidance, comfort, and support. 

There are so many facets to this trip together that excite me from the basic joy received from doing a fun activity to the personal growth gained from experiencing the new and different this world has to offer. The understanding that we have almost 2 months in French Polynesia gives me comfort that I can take it day by day and do all that I want and what I want is to decompress and experience the best parts of life together with my two loves and come out the other end with a more developed perspective on life and a fully engaged and connected family units full of laughs and love and a shared experience of a lifetime. 

Dedicated to those who take the leap

Everybody advances through their professional life the same general way... training, experiences, and taking advantage of opportunities. However, there are two different paths traveled. The first is the one I take and I think of it like a ladder. You can see where you are going, take small steps to get to the top and if you have the time, talent, and/or inclination, you will get there. The other pathway is very different. In stead of a straight line that is well defined, the people who take this other pathway use their training and experiences in preparation of a leap. It is those people whom I respect the most. My reasoning is this... on the ladder, you can always see what is in front of you but you are limited to your ladder. These other individuals have not only the endless possibilities that comes from being able to leap in any direction but also contain the fortitude to take a leap in their direction of choice having taken into account the potential for a fall. These people also find many detractors along the way who want to protect them from the fall and are quick to point out the safety of the ladder. Although people fall sometimes, their leaps can also find themselves beyond the furthest extent of the ladder the others cling to so desperately.

There are people such as my mom with her EC2 and other ventures, my brother with countless projects and a mind that is incapable of anything less than grandeur, Eric Paine who always seems to be two steps ahead of everyone else, as well as others. The person I thought about while writing this, however, was my wife. Joo has both an undergraduate degree in applied ecology, a masters degree, and a background in environmental work that could have provided a comfortable ladder to scale. She has shifted her focus to follow her passion around service and food and has already taken her first steps in getting a degree in restaurant management, working at Tommy Bahama's in Laguna while they opened their newest restaurant, and getting an offer to manage at another place. It is my 30th birthday today and there are many things I am proud of in my life. One of the things I am most proud of is that I have a partner in life who inspires me by showing me that you can take hold of your life and truly pursue your passion and take "the leap".

Recalibrating...

Over the last few months... probably more specifically over the last few years, I have changed my exercise routine. Some for the better but mostly for the worse. The positives are that I started running a little bit which is brand new to me. I also got into paddle boarding, basketball, racquetball and hiking which I didn't really do that much before. Some of the negatives are that I have paid less attention to my diet and commitment to regular exercise. I have been lulled into a slight decline in my commitment to my own health for many reasons. I have an amazing wife who cooks me great food so I have not cooked a lot so I have allowed myself to stop being proactive about my diet. I have only worked out in spurts and done not enough cardio. I have blamed work, scheduling conflicts, fatigue, and other things for this. I have let myself get away with this mind set because of how my life was changing compared to how it was.

Today... I am changing this mindset. Today, I will begin to compare my life today to how I anticipate it changing from today on... How my work schedule will become more and more demanding and stressful... How scheduling commitments will become more frequent and more important with more responsibilities and our family and friend's family growing everyday. How I am getting older and the concept of "mind over matter" will be increasingly relevant.

My plan... a diversified plan that is trackable. I will approach activities by frequency. For example, I plan on going to the gym 3-4 times a week but I plan on hiking once a month. My focus... the gym, running, basketball, hiking, paddle boarding, and racquetball. Below is my plan and I will try and address each one as I progress.

-Monday is the easiest day to be motivated so I will plan on going to the gym at lunch and running with Kona when I get home. My workout will focus on a major muscle group like chest or back
-Tuesday, I will plan on a light workout focusing on stomach/lower back and a short run with Kona when I get home.
-Wednesday, I will plan on being an off day but filling any gaps I have from Monday or Tuesday.
-Thursday is basketball day
-Friday will be workout only and will be focused on arms and legs
-On the weekend, I will plan on at least one outside activity (running, paddle board, basketball...) and one gym. It is important that I use my mornings to get this done
-At least once a month, I will want to get the dogs out for a hike or outside play time
-At lease once a week, I will be on or around water. This is swimming, paddle boarding, running, or walking.
-I will also plan on going grocery shopping at least once a month and cooking a HEALTHY meal once a week. I need to plan this ahead because it is easy to be lazy

This is important to me. This is about feeling good and living well. I am used to approaching these goals on my own and I will definitely be self-motived but I am also writing this so that others push me. To know that this is something important to me but that it is also easy to let go. Wish me luck