Life Lessons Learned from Kayaking

Since I moved to Hawaii, I have really pushed myself out of my comfort zone and tried to be more adventurous. It’s so crucial to make the most of my time here and enjoy all the amazing activities the island has to offer. In general, I absolutely love it! I’ve become a fan of snorkeling and hiking, and tried stand up paddle boarding, swimming with dolphins, riding a submarine, and even got into a shark cage. The time finally came to try kayaking, something I had been so excited to explore as it’s a huge local favorite. A friend of mine from work had some extra kayaks and luckily they’re the kind you pedal with your legs rather than paddle with your arms, making it much easier to operate. One of the most talked about things to do here is to kayak out to the sandbars in Kaneohe Bay, off the East Coast of Oahu. So we finally made plans to make this happen, and it all went down this past Saturday.

At first it’s a little weird learning to balance and not topple over, but me and my friend did well for our first time and were really enjoying it. So we pedaled out to the first sandbar, which took over an hour since we were going against the current and the winds. It was a lot farther than we ever imagined it would be when seeing it from land. When we finally got there, we were so delighted. It was gorgeous! I had a waterproof box I had bought just for this occasion, and in it were my phone and small wallet. I took out my phone to take pics of the beautiful scenery and of course some selfies. As I reached back over to put the phone back in the box, I leaned over just a bit too much while a bigger wave hit me and my kayak capsized, flipping upside down and knocking me, my phone and wallet into the ocean at about 20-30 feet deep.

At first, I kind of panicked because I was trapped under the kayak and had my life vest on so I couldn’t swim under to get out. After a few moments, I was able to escape. I was hoping and praying I had closed the box just in time to save my stuff, but the kayak was too heavy to flip back over to check. Finally, some guy in small sailboat came over to help me flip it back around and of course everything was gone, including my snorkel gear set which was bungeed down to the kayak, so that surprised me and just added insult to injury. I remember frantically swimming around trying to see if I could find anything floating on the surface, but the current was so strong and it was wearing me out. My friend who was still upright in her kayak was moving around and looking, but couldn’t find anything either. I was just trying not to imagine the sharks I’ve heard about in this area. Finally my other friend came to rescue me and pull me into the sandbar.

I was devastated, not because I flipped over because thank god I was okay and all that happened to me is I got wet and exhausted. But because I felt so defeated since I just lost my entire life, both my wallet with my state ID, Maryland driver’s license, and military ID, as well as my bank card, credit cards, and all my gift cards. To make matters worse I scraped the hell out of my foot on some sharp coral and then got the worst sunburn I’ve ever had on my face, I guess due to my sunscreen washing off and the sun being so much stronger where we were. But like everyone kept reminding me, it could have been a lot worse. Some people pass out from things like this, which could have led to drowning. It literally happens all the time on the news here with hikers and swimmers dying from freak accidents. So I felt really thankful.

I will admit this had me pretty depressed at first. I spent the last few days getting new IDs, cancelling cards, and getting my life back in order. However, I met with my friend and life coach yesterday, and she reminded me that everything happens for a reason, and asked me to list the lessons I had learned from this unfortunate incident. It made me realize a lot so I’d like to share the four main things I actually gained from what originally appeared to be such a great loss.

1)     I have some amazing friends. It’s easy to feel kind of isolated and lonely at times when you’re so far away from home. But on this day, the 5 people I was with were so good to me and had my back. One friend bought me dinner afterwards, and the other loaned me cash and ordered me a new phone. Plus they were all very concerned and comforting. I can't imagine how much worse this would have went if I was not surrounded by great people willing to help, so I am truly grateful.

2)     Material things can be replaced. Yes, it cost me $175 to replace my phone, $50 to order a new snorkel set, plus the cost of all the gift cards I’ll never be able to replace. But that monetary value plus the effort it took to get everything replaced does not compare even slightly to the value of my life and safety. Life moved on and everything is back in order. I beat myself up over this since I have never, ever lost my wallet or phone before. But what seemed initially like my world had ended actually wasn’t even that big of a deal in retrospect.

3)     Life without my phone for the past three days has actually been quite liberating. It’s made me realize just how glued to my phone and addicted I really am, and that living in the moment is so much more important. I’ve been more productive, slept better, and have spent time cleaning, watching movies, reading, and resting. Being connected to the world via smartphones is SO distracting and I never truly understood how much until now.

4)     I should have never had those items with me to begin with. While I thought I was being smart by not leaving my valuables in the car, it was actually a mistake in hindsight. Yes, the pictures probably would have been gorgeous and made great memories, but do I really need to always capture every moment? Aside from posting pics on social media, I am a very sentimental person and I love to look back on old pics and reminisce on old memories later on. But honestly, being present and enjoying the experience is all that really matters.

The reason I wanted to post this is because it is proof that you really can see the positive in any situation. Something that seems like it couldn’t be worse can always teach you many lessons. This is an awesome example that I will never forget. And guess what? I would (and will) do it again! Besides this unfortunate circumstance, kayaking was a great time and a lot of fun. Next time will be a totally different and a better experience with these positive lessons learned!

XOXO ❤️

My Big Move to Hawaii

So it’s officially been a full five months since I made a major life change and moved to a place rightfully known as paradise, Hawaii. It is truly a scary thing to take a leap of faith, leave everyone/everything you love behind, and move 5,000 miles away on your own. But it has been truly liberating and turned out to be the best decision I’ve ever made. Career-wise, this was a very strategic and smart move for my future and will bring me great opportunity. However, on a more personal note, I believe this is mostly a huge stride for me and my spirit. 

In Maryland, the place where I was born and raised, I had an amazing apartment, a busy social life, a great career, just got my Master’s degree, and was taking trips almost every month. I felt pretty comfortable and content with my life. Yet, deep inside, I knew something was missing. Even after just accomplishing so many huge goals, I felt complacency looming around the corner.  My soul was calling me to make a big change. I am a firm believer that 1) listening to your intuition is important and 2) nothing good ever comes from comfort zones. It was time to spread my wings and push myself to truly live life to the fullest. 

I always knew I was destined to live in faraway lands, since my love for travel extended far beyond just visiting places I dream of. Traveling somewhere for days or weeks is a far different experience than actually living there. I have never been the kind of person who wants to live in my hometown for my whole life. And I have definitely never been afraid of taking risks. I do not think everyone is cut out to make such a big move like I did, especially on their own. But I think it’s something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. Picking up and moving somewhere new really helps you to find yourself. It’s the ultimate test.

It also doesn’t hurt when you’re moving to a place like Hawaii, where it’s kind of hard to see yourself unhappy. Perhaps it’s harder to move to other places that are either less enticing or more extremely drastic than what you're used to, but I figured Hawaii was great for my first move. It’s a U.S. state, yet far enough away and such a different culture that it still feels like a foreign country. I had never even stepped foot on Hawaiian soil, yet had no doubt in my mind that this was somewhere I could really see myself and would be able to do the soul searching I knew was necessary.

So when this opportunity presented itself, I had a big decision to make. I had a good thing going at home and other job prospects to debate over. I talked to everyone I could about Hawaii to gather as much info and as many different perspectives as I could. It seemed like a no-brainer, but there were lots of cons to consider. I had to do diligent research and prepare myself by considering how high the cost of living was, how small and far away Oahu is, and how bad the traffic/bugs/time difference/expense of coming home is. I weighed out every possible aspect, but it didn’t take long for me to figure out that this is what I wanted and needed to do. 

When my mind was set, I used the law of attraction and asked the universe to help me make this happen. I applied, interviewed, and despite very heavy competition for this position, I got offered the job. It all happened so fast. Before I knew it, I was hurled into the very overwhelming Permanent Change of Station (PCS) process, and had only months to get my entire life ready to relocate to a tiny little volcanic rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It was a lot to purge all my belongings and plan what would come with me, what went to storage, what needed to get sold, and what needed to get donated. Especially since I took a 3 week trip to backpack across Europe in the middle of it all. However, everything miraculously worked itself out. The biggest point of stress was probably the House-Hunting Trip (HHT). I had 10 days to find, apply for and sign a lease for a decent, affordable place where I’d be living for probably three years, among a notoriously unfavorable rental market. I researched and examined prospects for months so I’d have an idea of what to expect, and honestly it did not look too good. Some people came back from their HHTs with nada, and ended up having to live in a hotel until they found a place. I did NOT want this to happen, but I was NOT willing to settle. Amazingly, I effortlessly found a place that overexceeded my expectations on just the 2nd day of my trip and got approved the same day. No one could believe my luck! But as cliche as it sounds, the universe works things out for a reason and I could only believe this was a sign to confirm that this was all meant to be! 

Everything else fell into place and was a piece of cake after that. I shipped my car and got a rental for my remaining days in Maryland. I arranged several farewell events to see all the important people in my life before I left. I packed everything up, sent boxes to my HI address, spent 3 days with movers to ship my household goods, and then finally that last day in Maryland came. I will NEVER in my life forget how it felt to arrive at the airport with a one-way ticket for the first time in my life, and kiss my mama goodbye not knowing when I’d be back or when I’d see her again. It was bittersweet, and I was truly overwhelmed with so many emotions. But as soon as I left, I never looked back!

In a place like Hawaii, it’s super easy to fall in love and forget what you left behind rather quickly. I swear that during my first month or two, I would walk around smiling, trying to convince myself that “I LIVE HERE! I REALLY DO!” My days were (and still are) filled with so much fun and adventure exploring this gorgeous island, being immersed in such diverse and foreign cultures, and learning more about the fascinafing Hawaiian people and their history. I actually surprised myself with how well I did adapting to my first relocation ever in such a new setting. I also fit in very easily, since I’m mixed and my whole life people have questioned whether or not I was Hawaiian. Here, everyone assumes I am, even the Hawaiians! So being able to blend in with the local people has also probably enhanced my experience tremendously. While I missed my loved ones back home, I still have yet to actually feel homesick or even slightly question if I made the right decision. It felt right from day one. It feels like home!

Fast-forward to today, after five whole months of living this #hilife. I must say, life is GOOD. I'm still brand spanking new here, but I definitely feel like a local now! I’ve acclimated enough to know the island pretty well, yet still have so much more to see, do, try, and explore. I go to my choice of the best beaches in the world every single weekend, sometimes even on the weekdays or after work... Something it's a dream come true to be able to say. No matter how many times I see my beautiful surroundings, it never ceases to amaze me or make me feel so unbelievably appreciative and grateful. I realize that many people only dream of visiting, let alone living, here and I am extremely fortunate. So I can promise you that I enjoy and cherish every single moment. I also recently realized that I love it so much here that I no longer feel the urge to travel so often. Of course, I still get a wanderlust bug here and there, and plan to travel to other islands and countries in the Pacific. However, there’s so much to look forward to here so I’m extremely fulfilled with my time here and don’t have to look forward to leaving to visit somewhere else just to feel the same fulfillment or get a thrill, like how I felt in Maryland. Even when I took a short trip to neighbor island Maui, I was homesick to come home to my island. I’m pretty sure that’s a telltale sign that you’re genuinely happy!

Honestly, I feel a new sense of joy and excitement about life. I tell everyone that this is truly a magical place, and not a day goes by that I don’t feel such a connection to it with my soul. But aside from how incredible Hawaii is, it’s also so exhilarating to be here and to be totally free to experience everything on my own, at my own pace, at my own leisure. This is about ME, discovering myself, and enjoying the fruits of my labor. All of this was possible because of ME. I overcomed so many obstacles and worked so incredibly hard to be here and live my dreams, so I know I deserve every bit of it. And that alone feels more amazing than anything else.

I proved a lot to myself by moving out here on my own and flourishing. I now have no doubt that I could move anywhere else in the world and do the same. I’m proud of myself for having the courage to do this, something lots of people questioned because they could never imagine doing it themselves. Now there are no limits for me and my future. I can totally see myself as a wanderer, moving from place to place every few years to conquer them one by one. This nomad lifestyle totally fits me and satisfies my soul. But for now while I’m here for the next 3-5 years, I’ll make the most of each day until I’m off to my next destination.