growth

The People in Your Life

You proven, you’ve been tested, and you’re welcome in this brotherhood. Doesn’t matter the color of your skin, doesn’t matter where you’re from, none of those things matter because you’re now part of this team. Everybody treats you with respect.
— Chriss Smith Jr.
This past weekend at a gathering with friends, BBQ and sunset at Sycamore Cove

This past weekend at a gathering with friends, BBQ and sunset at Sycamore Cove


This week I want to talk about the importance of community and relationships on your overall health and wellness. I have two short videos for you as well. The first is from the CrossFit Journal and the second is from my surf adventures this past week. 


As most of you know I have been in a long distance relationship with a girl that is very close to my heart, Elizabeth Lutz. In the time we have spent apart from one another I have learned a tremendous amount about the importance of community and the importance of "solidarity". The ability to belong to a community who cares about you as a human, who wants you to pursue your best, and will be there along the way to help you back up and encourage you when you are less than your best. 

I find that this group of people does not have one name or one place or even one goal but you can find communities that you can plug into who invest in who you are and who you will be. One of these examples is clear from the video that you are going to watch, a CrossFit community is one where you can be completely vulnerable and receive tremendous benefit from the people who share in their passion to stay in shape.

Another one of these communities is a small group or a church gathering group. A place that you can meet and share your greatest accomplishments and your biggest inadequacies to a group of people who will invest just as much in your well being as they will in their own.  You can find accountability and desire for growth.

The last community that I want mention is your co-workers and your work community. When placed in the right situation for a well ran company, people come together and strive for common goals and push each other to realize dreams. They see potential in you when we don't always see it our self. They make the understanding that life is greater than the company you work for and that who you are is not the same as what you do. 

I believe that each of these groups interlace and intertwine so that the each can provide all the things I've mentioned through community and not just the obvious.

They say that you are the average of your five closest friends, now go out there and surround yourself with amazing people, dive into their lives and be vulnerable. You will thank yourself. 

With the help and support of several communities that I am a part of, I have learned so much about my relationship with Elizabeth Lutz and I firmly believe that even though we have spent months apart, we are closer than we have ever been before. 


Surf all Day


Last Tuesday night I got to stay on a friend's sail boat in Ventura, wake up with the sunrise, and surf all day. We drove north early in the morning with tea and bagels in hand to try to find where the swell was the most exposed. We stopped at a spot in north Ventura called Pitas where we spent 4 hours surfing before getting out on a bed of rocks in low tide, and scambling to the car to get some lunch. After lunch we drove back down the coast until we met up with another friend and surfed at Leo Carrillo for 2 more hours at sunset! what and amazing and exhausting day. I captured just a little bit of the day at Leo, enjoy! 


Don't forget to subscribe and enjoy new stuff every week!!