#jetsetfarryn

Living the #finca life. 

Written for The Listserve

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.

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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.