New Year, New DECADE

January 1, 2020 is not only the first day of a new year, but also the magical start of a new decade!

This is a great time for a fresh start — a re-launch in the fearless pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.

REFLECT

This past decade was one that most of us could not have imagined 10 years ago. In 2010, the iPhone had only been on the market for 2.5 years and Instagram hadn’t even been launched! At no time in history has there been more distracting voices and opinions at just the click of a button.

Reflecting on all the amazing experiences that have shaped us into who we are heading into this new decade is more important than ever before. I could not have imagined where this last decade would lead me in my journey. Ten years ago, I had just shifted from a big career and let go of all the stuff that came with it. There have been exciting and unexpected successes, but also many hard lessons learned.  The fresh start of a new decade is a great time to reflect on what you’ve learned, let go of what did not go as planned because it is written and finished, and focus on all the possibilities that the next decade can bring!

In the past decade, I was able to experience living in Kenya, which took almost a decade.  I switched from Canon to Nikon – which was not a quick, short process.  I switched from shooting 100% in color to using Infrared, allowing me to finally offer an IR workshop in 2020. I am excited to retrace my footsteps through Africa and passionately capture it differently.

A new decade calls for shifting your thinking from setting goals for the next 12 months to dreaming about what experiences you want to look back on when another decade comes to pass.

MIND SHIFT

Allow this decade to bring a mind shift for greater growth.

Simply life and fill it with more enjoyment.  You may find as I have that clearing the clutter and focusing on living to the fullest will enrich your life in ways you never expected. Looking back, I have NO regrets on downsizing and driving the same jeep I was a decade past. I continue to try to simplify my surroundings. Things require maintenance, time, and resources, which I find generally creates stress rather than adding value.

My first experiences in Africa were before a tented camp was luxurious with WiFi, running water showers, charter flights, and all the comforts of a modern world.  For me, the rough dirt roads mean an exciting adventure lies ahead. This commercialization is what drives me to go deeper in search of Africa’s last hidden treasures, such as Southern Angola, Mana Pools in Zimbabwe, and Northern Kenya – places where life is still rugged, exciting, and the focus is on the experience and the rawness of nature.

Spending time in these simple, wild places continuously reminds me how little we need to live, smile, and enjoy. When I am back in the US, I often begin to feel that pull of materialism = success. I like to tune into podcasts such as The Minimalist, or pick up a book such as “The Art of Simple Living, by Shunmyo Masuno  –  these help keep me centered and on track.

We are lucky to live in this transitional movement of tiny house living, discard one item every time you purchase a new one, grow your own food, etc. I encourage you to take advantage of the trend to embrace a growth mind shift for a simpler, healthier and enriched lifestyle. 

Our planet needs us to consume less!!! And our soul needs us to be more fully present in the moment.

INVEST IN YOU

Invest in creative aspirations and cultivate your passion.  

Having a passion is wonderful, but it also requires work to hone your ability. You don’t know what your abilities are until you make a full commitment to developing them. Discovering something new is always exciting, but excitement comes and goes. True passion rises after you invest valuable time in really developing your skills.

Photography is where I have experience, which happens to be a great example.  More people have cameras today than ever before. Most people think a good digital camera is all that is required to make a good photograph. Well, I can certainly testify to looking back at the images I took 10 years ago and wishing I had the skills I have now when clicking the shutter.  This was the drive behind creating the Spirit-N-Light skill building workshops. I have seen the powerful impact and growth in the passion of photographers who make the time and investment to learn the craft beyond hopping from one destination to another with new gear in-hand.

I often like to make the comparison to a young boy committing to years of hard work and practice to pursue his dream of being drafted into the NFL. When he is drafted, he does stop practicing, he works harder than ever before.

I encourage you to invest time to cultivate your passion, and then see where it may take you. You are worth the effort.

FIND VALUE

Value is more than a price in print. 

With the digital decade there seemed to be a greater shift in pursing price over value.  Shopping online became quick, easy, and cheap – but what about the value of us?

I love to support local camera stores, coffee shops, small restaurants, and business because it aligns with my beliefs, values, and ethics. I find immense value in what they bring in the personal relationships developed, the programs/events they offer that bring the community/tribe together, and the inspiration I feel in supporting someone’s dream and passion. I find a lot more soul goes into the choice of product carried and created in relation to the people who support their business. Their value cannot be calculated into a type price.

I’ve watched this trend filter down to travel. Safaris have been shortened, inclusions stripped out to an “add on”, and multiple locations narrowed to only one location — a more generic product, but at a price. The reverse also happened, more locations, but only one in multiple countries, which only skims the surface to check more boxes.

I don’t want “the look for less,” so I can have more. I prefer to have less and invest more in the value something brings over a longer period of time. This is what inspired the Signature Safari Africa designed after my first safari experience that was so enriching it changed the course of my life. Yes, it takes more time to plan, more experience to custom design the logistics, and it means offering less trips annually — but the value of creating it is much more rewarding.

My token of wisdom: believe in what you value and follow through. It may take more time, work, and investment, but it will bring a more meaningful life.

MAKE TIME PERFECT

One of my favorite quotes is from Daymond John –

“There will never be a perfect time, you have to make time perfect”

It is a new decade, so don’t rush and pressure yourself to accomplish goals over a short time span. Breath in deep, allow your mind to wonder across the next decade, and think about where you want to see your footsteps when looking back on the 20s.  Allow yourself to make plans over the next few years and start off this new decade with a fresh perspective in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.

Cheers to a healthy and enriching New Year!!!