I watched the movie Snowden last night on Netflix. I probably should have gone to sleep but instead I watched it. Now you can say what you will about him and if what he did was right or not, etc. However, the underlying theme to the movie, and his story in general, is that he saw that something was wrong and he risked everything to do something about it.

Faced with the same dilemma what would you do?

Great movie. You should check it out.

I think that it often does but it doesn’t have to. You don’t have to be in bankruptcy to want to improve your finances, you don’t have to lose your job to want to create new skills, you don’t have to wait until you have a heart attack to do something about your diet.

But, often times, we wait. And the story becomes this growth is going to pull you out of this miserable existence. And then it does and you put growth aside and get back to the status quo.

What if you tried to grow constantly? Even if at the smallest of intensities. What if the goal was to continue to get better, learn, understand yourself, improve your ability to communicate, make stuff, whatever the things are…

I think that we can do that from a place of joy and gratitude. I think that we can look at it more as an additive than a life raft. When I was younger I would pick and choose the areas that I needed to work on based on things I was struggling in.. COMMUNICATION, for example. Now, I am considerably better at articulating my thoughts and being honest with myself and others but that doesn’t mean that I should stop working on that area. If anything it is proof that we should keep pulling on that string.

Keep going. Keep growing.

I think that often times in my writing I portray a lot of the lessons that I have learned from areas of pain or introspection. The most recent one, that I know I have mentioned a few times, is my OneWheel accident. And, yes, absolutely that sucked. But there were dozens of wonderful breathtaking rides that are dismissed from the context of that story. That would be a lot of typing but also, it is easy to take those for granted.

However, that imagery is not fair to the blessings that I experience every single day. To the laughter in the Jeep when I pick the kids up and the doors are off, to the subtle thoughtful gestures from Nat when she orders me a foam mattress pad for our tent or Aiden and I trading new favorite songs on Spotify. These are everyday moments that are just pure joy.

I have big questions. I think about things. I like to think about the big questions. Maybe I should have been a philosopher… I like to share those thoughts and learnings to maybe help someone else better understand something or reconcile what they are dealing with.

I am fortunate to do that questioning from a place of support and comfort. Where my wife and the boys fully support the things I want to explore. Whether that is making videos, writing like this, exploring in the Jeep and camping in our driveway, contemplating the creative dilemma, you name it. They have my back.

Beckett told me the other day that if I wanted to quit my job he would give me his $70. He is 7. Nat has told me countless times to do the things that I want to do and that she will fully support me. That is rare. Carter, although not interested in sleeping in the tent, is game for a short-term adventure. And Aiden and I have more deep philosophical talks about life and the human condition than I think most people ever do.

The fact of the matter is that I am blessed to be able to pursue my interests from a place of balance and love. I am already doing what I want to do.

So today I wanted to mention 3 areas of gratitude:

1. For my wife: for being patient with me and supportive and patient, and also patient. There is no one I would rather go on a cross-country Airstream adventure with (can you please pack the medical supplies?). You fill our house and me with love. I love you.
2. The boys: literally the coolest humans I know. Thanks for teaching me what it means to be a man, a dad and also providing endless motivation and inspiration. I love you guys.
3. For everything that did and didn’t happen. I am exactly where I want to be. I love this life.

Create your art.

-Nate