Thoughts from the Arctic

Thoughts from the Arctic

Hello Reader,

I wasn't planning to get a newsletter out today. I'm writing this from EastFjord in Svalbard, two days away from finishing another incredible expedition in the Arctic. But this place does something to you - strips away the noise, leaves you with clarity that demands to be shared.

We've had eight days of pure magic. Seven polar bears, including one unforgettable moment where a bear walked straight into a group of around 300 walruses. The kind of wildlife interaction that reminds you why you push to the edges of the world for these experiences but more on that when I'm back. This place remains absolutely spectacular, one of my favorite places anywhere on Earth. A place that will change you if you let it.

In two days I'll be traveling back through Oslo, hoping to pick up some expedition gear for my Greenland crossing next year. That's a whole different story - something I'll dig into more soon. But for now, I'm stealing a few minutes of satellite connection to share some thoughts that only seem to surface when you're this far from everything that doesn't matter.

Here's a few thoughts from the Arctic that I hope lands for you:

Travel is one of the best ways to get to know yourself.

Most people spend their entire lives avoiding themselves.

Being out in nature isn't always comfortable, but it's always worth it.

Your comfort zone is a prison you built with your own excuses.

Photography as a medium for exploring creativity and self-expression is something most photographers completely miss.

If you're not uncomfortable, you're not growing.

Hiding behind your own bullshit and lies will never get you anywhere.

The stories you tell yourself about why you can't are more dangerous than any polar bear.

Growth only happens when you allow it to.

You know who matters by who reaches out while you're gone.

Most of your "problems" disappear when you step away from your phone.

You always get a better view of something back home - relationships, work, family - when you step away from it.

The people who love your success are not the same people who love you.

Being present is more valuable than we ever realize.

Your anxiety lives in your phone, not in your life.

Being off social media for a week and actually talking to real people is where life happens.

The version of yourself you show online isn't the person people need.

The cold strips away pretense faster than anything else I know.

Silence isn't empty - it's full of everything you forgot while drowning in noise.

Most people are drowning in noise they mistake for importance.

Real adventure starts where your comfort zone ends.

You're not as fragile as you think you are.

Nature doesn't care about your schedule, your stress, or your excuses.

The world doesn't owe you anything, especially not comfort.

The best conversations happen when there's nowhere else to be.

Distance gives you perspective that proximity never can.

The things that scare you are usually the things you need to do.

You can't think your way out of problems you behaved your way into.

The edge of your map is where your real life begins.

Missing something isn't the same as losing it.

Geography changes you more than you change it.

The person you become in wild places is who you really are.

Your limitations are more mental than physical.

Isolation reveals who you actually are when no one is watching.

The wilderness doesn't lie to you like civilization does.

What you avoid reveals what you fear about yourself.

Adventure is discomfort with purpose.

The places that break you also make you.

The map is not the territory, and your plan is not your journey.

You don't find yourself in wild places - you lose the fake version.

Every expedition teaches you something you didn't want to learn.

The hardest terrain is between your ears.

The weather doesn't care about your feelings.

What doesn't challenge you doesn't change you.

Endurance isn't physical - it's choosing to continue when everything hurts.

Home is where you return to, not where you stay.

And that's it for this week.

Thanks for reading, and I'll catch you from the other side of the world when I'm back home. As always, if you would like to connect, please reach out:

If you know of anybody who might enjoy this newsletter, it would be amazing if you would forward it to them.

Have a great week and stay safe.

And as always, don't forget to be awesome.