Opportunities for the Privileged and Dream Chasers

I’ve wanted my own horse since I was old enough to talk. I was never able to make enough money to own one. Even to this day. But once I get my life together, I will get myself a horse baby.    
When I was younger, I would get so peeved to see people that would buy horses just because they had money to blow. "Lawn ornaments". The friesians (really expensive, beautiful horse breed) with Grand Prix level dressage training (basically a horse trained to do ballet) that go to their mansion home just to decorate the pasture in the front. I vowed that if I ever got a horse, I would never take it for granted. I would ride it and spend time with it as much as possible.    
Then I got the next best thing (to me). A paddleboard. I saved all my money for two years before I bought my first paddleboard. After paddling on that for a couple years, I got the offer to be a team rider for Hala Gear. This meant that I got to ride Hala boards whenever I wanted. What a dream!

And even though a paddleboard isn’t quite a horse, I understand that equipment for these sports are not cheap, and that I am so blessed to be able to be a paddle boarder. 
When I lived in Florida last winter, and now Mexico this winter, driving around with the boards on my car rack, I feel so guilty because I had such expensive (for me) gear loaded on my crappy car and was able to enjoy a life where I got to paddleboard in a beautiful place every day. I drove past a ton of people that just didn’t have that opportunity like I did. I realize that I am privileged. I have opportunities that other people don’t. Granted, those opportunities came after I put in the work.    
With this opportunity that has been given to me, I want to make the most of it. I ride my SUP as much as I can and do the most I can for the company that has granted me such an amazing opportunity. I love to teach people how to paddle and it’s so gratifying to see their passion for the sport unfold.
I AM privileged, and I hope to be able to give back and create opportunities for recreation for less-privileged people down the road, because I know that recreation is such an important part of my life. Plans for this have been devised, working on putting it into action.

With that being said, here’s my advice for anyone that wants to take advantage of their opportunities to get out and be more active/badass (because let’s face it, we all get opportunities, you just have to recognize them and take advantage of them):

PRIORITIZE.

-If you don’t “have time” to do things, examine how much time you’re spending sitting around and watching TV or staring at the computer. Save some money and consider eliminating your TV subscription, or whatever it’s called. NEVER SETTLE FOR NETFLIX AND CHILL.
-Jobs are not excuses to not get out. You are capable of waking up early and doing something epic. There are lots of hours in the day. If it’s hard to get the energy to do anything more than work, just do it anyway. Examine what kinds of food you are eating, your sleeping habits, or if you are doing too many recreational drugs that slow you down. Regardless, increasing your activity will always be hard at first. But it gets easier with time...
-Adjust your attitude. Know what activities make you happy and say yes to them. I have spent some of the best days of my life being crazy busy and going out and doing the things that I love with different friends that I’ve made as well as doing things alone. I try to do something that I like every day, preferably the entire day, and since it’s pretty difficult to find someone that can keep up with me I’m used to doing the things that I love doing by myself.

Even if you feel like you don't have opportunities now, I know that I have gotten the opportunities I have because I have been in the right place at the right time. I met the right people and had the right conversations. I let go of the strings and fears attaching me to places and embraced a nomadic lifestyle.  It doesn't look the same for every person, but people ask me all the time "How do you have this lifestyle?", "Are you rich?!", so this is just what I have done and over the years it's added up. 

It's all about relentlessly pursuing your dream and being a good person to the people around you.

Sincerely,
Someone who doesn’t have kids to worry about <3