Seeds of self doubt

How often do we let the seeds of self doubt keep us from reaching our fullest potential?  I read a quote today that talked about how intelligent people are held back by fear and doubt.  I know that as a creative soul, and as a sensitive soul, doubt and over thinking are the two greatest impediments to my reaching for the stars. 

I vow, from this day forward, to consciously be aware of these self doubts and these internal fears, and recognize that they are simply manifestations of my own mind.

Words of Wisdom

Messages are found all around us.  This one, at the end of the Lost Coast trip, rings loudly in my ears, especially this time of the year.  I know for many, we turn to introspection as the year comes to a close, a way to review what we have accomplished and sort out what is still to come. 

For those attempting to live in the moment, this ritual becomes somewhat of a challenge. On the one hand we must believe strongly in the now, which by its very nature means we accept where we are as some form of perfection.  And yet, we also believe that we, as humans, have the inherent ability to in some way, shape, or form, decide to alter our projected paths. We have the ability, to in some small way, alter our destiny -- or do we?

These two, somewhat conflicting thoughts, way heavily on my mind these days.  To deep to write in depth about, but worthy of tossing it out to the universe and seeing what comes back.

And So It Begins

D800E waiting to be shipped

I wrote the other day that making this switch and waiting for its arrival was akin to being back in High School when you asked out that beautiful girl in your class, over and over again, until finally she says yes.  Will she be everything you dreamed she would be, or will it be a bust... Well, that is about how I feel right now as the switch to Leica from my beloved Nikon gear is now complete.  I have sold off everything, all my Zeiss lenses, my Nikon D800E (sitting in the background waiting to be shipped) and any other of the myriad of small bits and bobs I had laying around of value.

Today, she arrived, all dressed in black, devoid of any tell tale markings, especially that bright red dot.  The ultimate in stealth, shooting only shades of gray, I take my last color picture for a while as I begin the journey of shooting solely in gray scale and with the simplicity and elegance of an all manual rangefinder camera.  To say I am excited is an understatement. 

Road trip begins in a few hours and the batteries are charging and I am ready to go.  The first 7 days will give me a chance to shoot people, landscapes, the coastal regions and some city scapes.  All in all it will be a great introduction to life with the Leica Monochrome.

Finding Inspiration

Sometimes we find inspiration in the strangest of places, but almost always, when we need it.  As I begin this transition, back to B&W, and away from Nikon towards Leica, I stumbled upon this video which is so inspiring on many fronts. Take  10 minutes out of your life to watch it and tell me what, if anything from it inspires you.

Be The Source - Past Journal Entry

The following post took place on my life changing trip, kayaking up the Inside Passage, from Seattle to Glacier Bay.  It was this trip that saw my life move from complete and utter darkness to the light of present day.  I am forever indebted to the Universe for helping me through those difficult and dark days. 
 

After the trip, the phrase "Be The Source" became so important to me that I had it permanently tattooed on my wrist as a constant reminder of where I was and where I am.

Journal - Inside Passage:

I got this quote yesterday from a book I was able to read  in a single sitting.  It was one of those books that caught my eye and drew me in right away.  The idea behind this saying is  found in many religious and spiritual teachings.  Give of that which you wish to receive.  If you desire love; give love; if you desire compassion, give compassion; if you desire money, give money; the list goes on and on.

While I choose to simplify the message and meaning today, I throw it out there in hopes that anyone reading this will take this challenge.  Go forth today and give of these things to those that you meet.  You will be enriched in ways you can not begin to imagine. 

The waters are calm today and the sun is shining.  The seals were out early playing in the water with the sailboats and ocean as their back drop.  These islands are magical, drawing you in, not wanting you to leave.  The simplicity of life here is as amazing as it is rich.  I will sit for one more day here, relaxing, loving, living.  Tomorrow I paddle for points unknown, someplace not thought of today.  I look forward to that which will be found.

Here is a small extract from a journal entry on my way to AK:

August 6, 2009 Sturgess to Adams Inlet

I woke at 4:30, got up by 5:00.  I love this time of morning.  The calmness is overpowering, you have no choice but to relax.  The whales were out feeding with the otters. The grey of the wild fires is still in place, making the bay seem even more mysterious.  You can only make out that which is close to you.  All else appears without detail, just dark forms. 

The morning paddle is exquisite.  As I work my way to the shore, I get my first look at the glaciated landscape.  Simply amazing.  I can't wait to see the peaks.  I work my way to Muir Point for an early lunch.  I was just reading about this spot last night.  Oh, how I am sure it has changed from the time John Muir wrote about it.... I push on for Adams Inlet while the flood is still strong.  Stop for water, then loose my MSR coffee filter :-(  Oh well... The current is like a river and it wisks me down the inlet.  Simply breathtaking views.  I don't even have to paddle, just steer. 

The views are amazing even with the haze. I turn back into the large  and am greeted with views of White Glacier.  I want to camp at it's feet, so I set course for the shore and find a pleasant little nook to camp.  The ground is so interesting, sort of crunchy, mossy, as if things were trying to take root.  I push up a little and set camp on a field of green and dandelion.  Higher, where the glacier once was is so hard to describe.  It looks as if a huge bulldozer and rock crusher has cleared a winding path down from the top of the mountain.  Now all that is left is a creek running down and tons of rock and debris, obviously left when the glacier retreated.  Very exciting!!

Read more about the trip in the Archives section of the site and follow a visual tour in my Image Archive

Inspiration and the power of a bike to heal

I watch this every week because it helps me to put everything into perspective.   His journey and battle with Cancer has been one of the most moving real life stories I have ever experienced. 

Inspiration .....

It comes in all forms and often out of the blue when we least expect it.  Last night and this morning I had the honor of meeting Bob.  Bob is a 4 year survivor of a Leukemia and a bone marrow transplant.  When telling his story to me, he pointed out that in the early days of learning about his illness, something discovered on a random visit to the doctor, that the message was clear and simple -- "You need to get your things in order".  The odds of survival were less than 30% because they were going to systematically destroy his immune system before giving him the transplant.​

Bob must be an anomaly because not only did he have no side effects from the Chemo or the Radiation, but 18 months later he was back on a bike, riding a century.  Then he rode his bike from Boston to Key West.  Now he is in the process of completing the remaining stretch of the East Coast, Lubec Maine back to Boston.​ (many people choose to stop in Bar Harbor Maine, but the true East Coast route should be from West Quoddy Light House, Lubec Maine to the Key West marker)

His message was don't stop fighting, and don't stop living.  Like many people who have had these life altering experiences, he finds much to be grateful for and now treasures each and every day.  I have said it before and I will keep on beating the drum.​

Live your life the fullest, each and every day. The only moment that is guaranteed is right NOW.​

P&L, travel safely Bob.  It was an honor and an inspiration to have met you.​

A look back

This was one of the last posts I made on my Inside Passage trip. It is fun to look back as I begin a new year of adventure travel and a path of simple living. Enjoy!

I have been off the water now for about a week. The first several days of my exit were spent in the suburbs of Seattle. Warm, friendly, woods, water, fall, winds, chill, water, all things that come to mind when I think of those few days. They were nice and slow, giving me an opportunity to begin some level of readjustment from life on the water, alone with nature for 147 days. See, even the suburbs of Seattle carried a sense of warmth that permeates that entire area. A certain level of slowness and peacefulness with nature. People willing to help a perfect stranger get done what was needed.

I left Seattle 3 days ago via air for the busy city of Chicago, wow, what an adjustment. People, cars, noise, more people, TSA, lines, waiting for things versus waiting for nothing, new friends, anxiety, anticipation, all sending the senses into overload. Re-uniting with family is beautiful but bound by small mine fields. Expectations flowing both ways; change occurring both ways; a constant dance all amidst an environment not conducive to peace. Breathing is interpreted as sighs; Silence for issues; The list goes on... It is all good but perhaps requires a 24K topo map of it's own

People are busy, rushing by. Cars go fast, coffee shops are loud. Dog parks replace the wild. Trees are in concrete boxes, flowers in pots. Cement replaces sand and trains replace the shrieks of the Ravens. Where are the birds and the otters and the seals and the whales and the gulls and the .....

Challenging to say the least, finding center is difficult. The wild allows you to sit, it encourages your silence. You are rewarded for being one with the moment in the bliss that surrounds you. I do believe that these things can exist in the city, but it requires work and effort. In the wild, it just arrives if you are open to it. The simplicity of the paddle, the serenity of the water, the stillness of the air and the ebb of tides. All serve to reinforce the openness and one-ness that exists amongst all of us.

There are those that say it still arrives in the city if you are just open to it. I believe this, but the challenge is great. You spend so much time in the wild and you come back to the chaos and you can see why people are so stressed, you can breath in the negative energy. Why smiles on the street are returned with down turned heads or an ever so slight recognition.

Beautiful time with my amazing daughter. I am so proud of her and her accomplishments. She is an amazing woman, I am so proud of her it brings tears to my eyes. I will spend a few more days here, searching for center, relishing time with her, then on to other family and new challenges. Lake Michigan tomorrow with friends, and then on to warm southerly waters for a bit.

The water calls, I hear my paddles vibrating. My boat soon to arrive, I look forward to time on the water.

Peace & Love,

G-

Breaking the Rules

John Paul Caponigro is one of my favorite modern day photographers and teachers.  His work and teachings are among the finest you can find.  I occasionally peruse his site and blog to see what new work he has posted. Today I was looking at some of his material and I read this quote and wanted to share it with you:​

Freeman Patterson offers excellent advice. List all of the rules of photography. And break them. If you do this, you’ll develop a better understanding of the medium. I recommend you take this advice one step further. List all of your rules of photography. And break them. You’ll either find confirmation that what you’re doing is right for you or you’ll make new breakthroughs. ​

​While JP was referring to photography, you could take this quote one step farther, especially with regards to how we live our lives.  Those of us in our 40's, 50's, and onward grew up with a set of rules that formed the foundation for how we thought our lives should be lived. 

I believe that in the modern day world, 2012, those rules no longer work.  That it is imperative for each of us to seek out new ways to live our lives -- new ways to find peace, happiness, love and yes, even prosperity.  So, go break the rules, change your life, find a way to Live.

​P&L, G-

View fullsize

​Photographically speaking, one of the ways I am trying to break the rules of late is to show motion in what would normally be a static landscape image.  You can see what I mean in the photo of Annabels pub that I posted a few weeks ago, or this image below, the lighting of a memorial for lost Fisherman.  I patiently waited to take the picture until a boat was leaving the harbor.  I knew that the addition of that streak of light  would make my image unique and different from what others might have seen.

Paddling the River Thames

I had an opportunity this weekend to go paddle on the river Thames in London with my good friend Harry.  Harry manages a waterfront community center that works with high risk kids using adventure as a way of helping to inspire them.  It is organizations like these, all throughout the world, that make such a tremendous difference in the lives of kids.  Here are a few pictures that I really enjoyed.  More can be seen on my Flickr feed.

Inspiration of the Day

I stumbled on this video today and it really moved me, not only visually, but also emotionally.  Below the clip I have extracted some of the messages from the video.  Really beautiful stuff!!

• DO what you love and DO it often
• If you don't LIKE your job, quit
• If you don't like something, CHANGE it
• If you don't have enough TIME, stop watching TV
• If your are looking for the LOVE of your life, STOP ... They will be waiting for you when you start doing the things you LOVE
• STOP over analyzing
• Life is SIMPLE
• Some opportunities only come ONCE, seize them
• TRAVEL often
• Getting lost will help you FIND yourself
• All emotions are BEAUTIFUL
• When you eat, APPRECIATE every last bite
• Ask the next person you see what their PASSION is and share your inspiring dream with them
• Life is about the people you meet, and the things you CREATE with them, start creating
• Life is short LIVE your dreams and SHARE your passions