My Life

I tore down the posters from my wall, moved out of a beautiful apartment four blocks from the beach, quit an amazing job that I had enjoyed for three years, packed up all of my belongings, put them into storage and traveled to South America for six months.

Why? I realized that life is short and I needed to live my passion. I had been climbing for the past eight years but I never was able to fully immerse myself in the sport because of other obligations. I had an amazing life, but for some reason it didn’t seem real to me—-something was missing.

I had become too comfortable. I needed something fresh and something different. There were parts of my life that I didn’t like and that I wanted to change. I knew the only way to change was to restart. So I decided to commit first and figure everything else out later. I said goodbye to beautiful, sunny Santa Monica and booked a flight to South America.

The plan was simple: Pack up all of my mountaineering geer and spend six months traveling and climbing throughout South America. I knew the only way to find myself was to get lost. I had no structure and no obligation. I cut the cord and took off.

I had a life-changing trip. It was filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. I spent entire weeks worth of time vomiting out of both ends, I lost 15 pounds of weight from my already skinny body, I failed trying to climb my first two objectives, I was stuck in my tent in a horrific storm of negative 40 degrees and 100km winds. Most tragically, I had two friends die while climbing in the same mountain range.

But the tragedy pushed me to dig deep inside. It forced me to reflect on my own life and see how ephemeral and precious it is. It made me realize that life is about living now. I knew that some opportunities would only come once. So I seized the moment.

The remainder of the trip was filled with dreams to last a lifetime. Climbing 20,000 foot peaks in alpine style, technical ascents of 2,000 foot big walls high in the Andes, soloing an 18,500 glaciated mountain and journeying back to the US to climb the 3,000 foot granite monolith known as El Capitan - just to name a few.

I climbed all over the country stopping in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil. Over the next six months I realized that life is about the people you meet and the things you create with them. I created life-long friendships and sacred bonds along the way. I didn’t know what I was missing until I stated doing the things I loved.

In the end, I realized that life is simple.

When I arrived back, small things began to confuse me like, what month is it again, why are people going to work, why can I note relate to my friends’ Facebook status updates, how is it possible to have one stick of toothpaste last six months, how do you say that in Spanish, why are stores closed on Sunday, what’s a siesta, what is that cow doing in the middle of the road and many other unanswered questions.

But I realized that continued travel opened my mind and heart to so many differing cultures. With everything realization comes remarkable insight into my life and others as well as amazing friendships and experiences.

If I never took the chance, I also never would have found love: she was sitting across from me at my local cafe and I was inspired to tell her she was beautiful. We are still together to this day.

I came back a changed man. I tossed my smart phone in the trash, stopped watching TV and moves, vowed to check email only twice per day, made sure not to work more than 40 hours each week. And always saved time to live life with passion. What’s your passion?

- Jared Vagy

1 month ago

It was around two years ago, shortly after we were married, that my wife and I seriously started wondering: “What would our lives be like if we quit our jobs and set out to travel the world for a year?” Once the idea was in our heads, we couldn’t get it out, so we started started socking away as much money as possible. As our scheduled date of departure got closer, we started getting nervous about everything we were walking away from. Then she discovered the Holstee Manifesto online and I immediately ordered a print. We framed it and kept a copy on our desk for the next month before we left to remind us that we were making the right choices. Then, finally, on the agreed-upon day, we both reluctantly walked away from our successful Silicon Valley careers with one-way tickets to the Philippines and backpacks full of photography gear.

Now, the trip is winding down, we’re living in London, and we’ve had a lot of time to reflect about the incredible experiences that we had while traveling. I put together a short (5 min) video with some of the highlights from our trip and I used the text of the Holstee Manifesto in the video to help tell the story.

- Adam Brill

1 month ago 1 note View high resolution

Last spring, I travelled Europe alone for 3 weeks in the hopes of finding my direction in life. During my journey, took photographs, blogged, sketched, and - upon my return to Canada - turned it into a book, complete with inspirational quotes. The book is about defining the moments in your life as opposed to letting those moments define you and stepping out of your comfort zone to discover new things about the world around you as well as yourself.

- Amanda Weedmark

3 months ago View high resolution

“Travel often. Getting lost will help you find yourself. Some opportunities only come once, seize them. Life is about the people you meet and the things you create with them. So go out and start creating. Life is short. Live your dream and share your passion.” - Holstee Manifesto

I recently traveled to Africa, which has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. There was always something holding me back from achieving this goal. Not enough time, not enough money etc. And then it hit me that this was an opportunity I needed to seize! And I am so glad I did. I could not have been more sad to leave or happier that I went. Throughout my travels and time volunteering, I learned more about myself, about others and about life more than any other single time, thing or event in my life. Africa will forever be a part of who I am because of the people I met and what we created together. I can already hear my call back.

Thank you Holstee for celebrating life. :)

With love,

- Anna Brooks (dreamer, doer, mover, shaker, lover)

4 months ago View high resolution

A year ago this time I was flipping through cyber pages and came across the Holstee Manifesto. I read it, bookmarked the page and found myself coming back to it again and again over the next few weeks.

“Live your dream and share your passion” jumped out at me as if to say “Hey Lynne, this is what it’s all about.” It was at that time I made the decision to make a move to a city I visited back in my college days. 30 years earlier, I stood in New Orleans, Jackson Square to be exact, and promised myself one day it would be my home. That one day is fast approaching and after a marriage, children, divorce, Army career and now corporate career, I am NOLA bound and life could not be sweeter.

Life is so very short in the grand scheme of things, so now I am heeding the words, taking my passions and dreams to a place that has never left my soul. My children support me just as I have supported their life choices and on that note I will say, I’m one lucky gal.

Hey Nola, I’m coming for you and together we will dream of more things!

- Lynne

6 months ago 1 note

I found out about your poster/manifesto through a friend and I immediately wanted it. There are a few lines that rang true to me, the first being “This is your life. Do what you love.” and “If you don’t like your job, quit.” To me, those are interchangeable. I hated my job for years and wanted out. I went back to grad school to change directions. While in school, my professional position was eliminated and I finished my MA without a job. For a while I tried going for jobs in the field I began my career, when I realized I didn’t want that anymore. So, I stopped applying for those jobs and started volunteering where I wanted to work. I have been fortunate enough to currently work where I started volunteering doing something I love. I am hoping to eventually move up and go full-time, but for now I am doing something I love because I was able to “quit my job.”

I was also drawn to the “Travel often” line. While unemployed, I finished graduate school and we had been saving for two years to travel to Europe. Many said we shouldn’t go because without me being employed, we should save the money. My husband and I discussed it and decided travel is just as important as employment. Fortunately even with one income we can afford all our bills, so we weren’t as bad off as many who have lost their jobs. This trip made us realize how much travel means to us and how much we do not want to give up the opportunity to see new places, experience new opportunities and meet new people. As a child, my family rarely traveled. Since being married, my husband and I have been to Jamaica, Canada, Italy, France, England, 10 states, and hope to visit Ireland in 2013.

The last line that jumped out at me is the “Some opportunities only come once, seize them.” In a sense, this ties back to “Travel often” to me. When we determined we would go to Europe we realized we could not see everything in the cities we would visit. We had people suggesting places for us to go and of course we had places we wanted to go. We made the decision to be happy with what we were able to see and do while there and not take for granted the opportunity we had in even going. That ideology, if you want to call it that, is something I am trying to keep in mind every day. Take advantage of what comes your way, do not stress what doesn’t and be happy for what is.

To me, the lines all lead to one another, the all build to one another. They are all simple sentences, but put together they encourage thought and reflection. They are things we all know, but with the craziness of life need to be reminded of. I am looking forward to framing it and hanging it up where I can see it and be reminded to get out of my own head and live life!

- Chris Stetler

7 months ago 1 note

LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE.

My childhood was spent doing what most kids do – school, holidays, swimming on Sunday, reading mills & boons or loitering at the malls. Nothing was out of the ordinary until I turned 22. I was deep to the waist in life as we know it. Working 2 jobs and going to night school in the UK – the envied but misguided “life abroad”. Don’t get me wrong, this was an opportunity I had been pining for, what with our culture’s esteem for higher education especially in the west. But there was a constant nagging in my subconscious telling me that there’s so much to experience in life and the opportunity afforded to me provided great potential. But I was the only one who could make it the adventure I wanted it to be. So, in the spirit of Steve Job’s young and foolish mindedness, I dropped out of college, quit my jobs and went backpacking around Europe. I literally packed a bag with a few clothes and took the night bus to my first stop, Paris – at the very least I’m glad I finally got to make up for all the years of French classes. It was an extremely exciting experience, my biggest test of independence and now a constant reminder that all I ever need is within me.

Having had the courage to take that bold step remained with me even as I got back into to the humdrum of life—only this time, I can’t help but ask, “How I can make the most of every situation I’m in?” So it comes as no surprise that when I wasn’t getting from my new career what I needed to grow and flourish, I resigned from my ‘prestigious’ job, of course followed by some travelling – this time to South Africa. What was I thinking? Blame it on the new age philosophy of following your bliss and pursuing your interests and there’s also last born syndrome – apparently I can’t help it. So now I’m a project coordinator for a coaching company and moonlight as an event organizer for what I like to call experience activities. I spend the rest of my free time with family, a few close friends and as a member of Rotary which is a voluntary organization focused on professional and community development. I currently serve as the PR and fundraising Director for Nairobi Central. I still swim on Sundays, try to read lots of books, dabble in blogging and my visits to the mall are now usually purpose driven.

My vision is to build solid relationships through service and learning for growth and personal development. It’s how I connect with myself and others to make sure I’m continuously living a mindful and authentic life. I believe it’s important we learn how to love ourselves – be our best selves – and in so doing encourage others through action to do the same. That’s why my life motto is: Live, love, learn and leave a lasting legacy.

- Wangari Mwaniki

http://about.me/wmwaniki

http://www.linkedin.com/wangarimwaniki

http://twitter.com/evemwaniki

http://lifesatori.wordpress.com

8 months ago View high resolution

People find it odd that, for me, airplanes have always been a source of comfort. I guess I’ve traveled so much that they’ve become a constant of sorts. This snug approach to air travel changed dramatically when the activities manager at my hotel in Zambia asked me if I’d like to see the Victoria Falls from a microlight.

The thing is that I’ve always wanted to fly. Entering in a giant, metal capsule with food and television doesn’t exactly make you feel like you have wings and I was definitely not brave enough to skydive. The main factor, that held me back from going on a microlight, is that I despise that feeling of not being in control. In an airplane, there’s an element of safety, as if nothing can go wrong. Surely flying in a machine that reminds me of Hagrid’s motorcycle can’t possibly match that level of security.

In the end, I decided to go on the micro light anyway. As the Holstee Manifesto says, “Opportunities come once, seize them.”

As I hopped onto the flimsy-looking contraption, I tried desperately to keep it together. My voice was a little lost for a while because words just weren’t getting past a certain lump in my throat. I finally managed to utter to Pascal the pilot, “Don’t kill me okay?” I think I heard a chuckle before he retorted, “Alright, just relax and enjoy the view.” Upon takeoff, my stomach sinks in as if it’s resisting the journey upwards.

Then, everything became all right. From up there, Victoria Falls looked absolutely beautiful. There was even a rainbow that seemingly reached down to try taste the crisp water. I became completely at ease. Within five minutes, I was leaning forward and pointing at elephants, crocodiles, impalas, and zebras! The pilot kindly (but worriedly) asked me to “please sit back and hold on”.

In short, I owned that microlight. “Getting lost will help you find yourself.” I’d like to think I found a braver Ailsa somewhere between admiring the waterfalls and almost falling out of my seat at the sight of zebras. Maybe skydiving is next on the list after all!

-Ailsa Sachdev

8 months ago View high resolution

When I graduated university in May 2010, I was absolutely lost with no clear direction of what I wanted to do, or where I wanted to go.

The economy was terrible at the time, and the many jobs I applied for I’d never hear back from.

So as a self-proclaimed wanderer, I ventured out to travel.

Luckily in that same year of September, I was able to snag an All You Can Jet airline pass to travel all over the United States for one month, flying 16 times to various cities.

From that point on, travel was injected in my blood, and I’d see the world from Europe to Central America to the Caribbean … Couchsurfing, meeting people at hostels, and doing work exchanges.

While traveling, I picked up a new passion … surfing.

Surfing would be my obsession, and to this day, still is my favorite thing to do. Riding waves and being with the ocean has taught me a lot about patience, being close with nature, and simply living life.

While living out my lifestyle, I came across Holstee’s Manifesto, and was glad to see that I could connect with others who lived similarly … an unconventional lifestyle, doing what we wanted, when we wanted.

It’s interesting that many past people have always mentioned living your life to the fullest, or taking risks in life … so many times that it may seem cliche. But it’s only a cliche if you don’t actually try it out … or if you aren’t bold enough to do something extraordinary, out of your comfort zone.

So going forward in life, I intend on making the most of all the time I have while I’m alive, well, and on this beautiful world.

I’ve created a long bucket list … many things I still need to try, and I encourage you to compile your bucket list of things, and tackle each of them.

Even if dreams may seem out of reach or not popular with the times, always go after them!

- Harrison Tsai

http://www.hustletoparadise.com

9 months ago 1 note

“Travel Often” is my personal motto. I came across the Holstee Manifesto about a year ago when I was looking at travel blogs, and it was mentioned often. Travel connects me to my family, career, and spiritual life.

It was through travel with my family that I found a connection with relatives that don’t live “down South.” I’ve visited family all along the East Coast, up North, and to the West. I love being around family, no matter the destination. For me, it’s an opportunity to see life differently from the slow pace lifestyle I’m accustomed to living in South Carolina. I’ve also traveled a lot with my twin sister. We have a special bond, and an international trip three years ago was mind blowing. We’re hoping to experience international travel with our parents, brother, nieces, and nephews in the near future.

I’ve also been able to see this great country (USA) through my travels associated with work. I have enjoyed meeting people at professional development conferences, and gaining a new prospective in the work that I do. This is true for both my “day job” in education and my “moonlight job” as an independent filmmaker. It is also through my love of travel that my sister and I came up with a webshow concept entitled “Take A Leap,” where we’ll chronicle African-American expats who live and/or work extensively abroad. We’re excited about this venture, and currently using an array of fundraisers to get the show into full production. We have several interviewees already contacted who are willing to talk and share their lives with us. We share our progress in a blogsite at http://wcptakealeap.blogspot.com and fundraising site at http://indiegogo.com/takealeap.

Finally, travel has awakened a true piece of my spiritual life. It was during my visit to Italy in 2009 that I was able to connect the teachings of the Bible with the Roman history. The journeys of Paul are chronicled in both Acts and Romans, and I have enjoyed recent Bible classes on the subject matter. I plan to visit Rome once again in a few months, and will have a more spiritual understanding of the historical relevance.

- Sharee Washington

10 months ago

When I first read the Holstee Manifesto it was during a time of significant personal change. I hadn’t lost my job, fallen ill, or endured any specific thing that prompted the change. For me, it was just deciding that “someday” was never going to come unless I made it happen.

“If you don’t like something, change it.”

It was difficult to explain to people the need to make big changes in my life. The Holstee Manifesto, however, perfectly articulates all of the thoughts that prompted my action and outlines the way I want to live my life.

“Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself.”

So my wife and I got started on our plans to get rid of everything we own (aside from our two travel bags) and head out for indefinite foreign travel.

We’ve been at it for a few months now, and the more we travel and meet people, and discuss our personal goals and values, the Holstee Manifesto pops up just at the right time to provide inspiration and remind us why we’re doing what we’re doing.

“Live your dream and share your passion.”

We also started a blog (pathhacker.com) to showcase people that have made personal change to live the life they want to live in an effort to inspire others to do the same. Thanks team Holstee for inspiring me and millions others!

www.pathhacker.com

- Mike Vallano

11 months ago 1 note View high resolution

I’ve been on the road since I was 18, I am now 22. At first I left after high-school because I had no idea of who I was or where I wanted my life to go. But I slowly learned that it’s not about where you take life, but about where life takes you. I gave into the road and traveled off and on, throughout Europe and North America for 2.5 years until returning to Canada when I was 21 and was convinced (somehow) that the ‘right’ thing for me to do was settle down, go to school and seemingly make something of myself. After being in Canada for 8 months, severly unhappy and not advancing being solitary, my friend sent me the Holstee Manifesto one night and something clicked inside of me.

My true passion and love is being on the road, constantly up to new adventures and following my chronic wanderlust. I’ve learned and am constantly reminded from the words of the Manifesto that life is too short to be anyone other than your true self and to follow you passion, no matter the cost.

I am now in England, working odd jobs and creating amazing friendships, but I feel the restlessness start to kick in again now that summer is returning. I leave England next month to hitch Europe again and see who else I can find. After that, who knows? Perhaps South America or volunteering in Asia.

At the end of my life it doesn’t matter to me what University I got accepted at or how much my clothing cost. What only matters is the mural of my life put together by dreams, adventures, lovers and friends that makes for a real story. My story.

-Amie Grant

11 months ago 2 notes

Life… it is not an audition, it’s the real deal with MY name on the marquee. The Holstee Manifesto was the casting call luring me back into the starring role where I belong.

It was all right there in front of me in black and white telling me to stop waiting for tomorrow; start living my life today. And, so began the evolution from “I can’t do it” to “I will do it” and most importantly “I AM doing it.”

I learned to stop waiting around for the perfect time and circumstances because they may never come. My life won’t begin when the student loan is paid off, or when I meet the man of my dreams and finally get that corner office. My life is happening RIGHT NOW, so it’s time to stop waiting and start living.

I started surfing, sailing, fishing, fencing, glass blowing, cooking, paddle boarding, hiking, guitar lessons, yoga, running half marathons, belly dancing and pole dancing (for fitness!).

No travel companion? No problem, book the trip anyway. Iceland? Portugal? Been there, done that. Hello South Africa, you are looking mighty fine. I can’t wait to see you next year.

I’ve loved and lost? Ok, so has everyone else. Stop feeling sorry for myself and just keep LIVING. I had a good love with a good guy, but it just didn’t work out. Life is giving me a second chance to find a better love with a better guy that WILL work out. Until then, I will just keep my head up and doing the things that I love because you have to be happy with WHO you are and WHERE you are in life before you can truly be happy with anyone else.

Positivity spreads like a wild fire. So, smile at a stranger and ask them how their day is. And, before you know it, you’ve made a new friend.

I want the story of my life to be rich with great people & awesome experiences. While I didn’t quit my day job, I did take on a new role… “Life Enthusiast.” An optimist dedicated to wringing every last enjoyable drop out of life (to fill the other half of that glass). My mantra, be genuine, be honest, be unique and live your life “outside the box.”

And, when the credits roll on my life…they’ll definitely say a life inspired by Holstee.

Thank you.

-Stephanie Cunha

11 months ago 4 notes View high resolution

“The core of man’s spirit comes from new experiences” - Christopher McCandless. Travel has helped me do a lot of spirit-building and soul-searching by enabling me to step out of my comfort zone and experience new things, thereby making my life a lot more enriching and fulfilling!

I had always been a sheltered, focused individual, a straight-As student with a long check list and a set 5-year and 10-year plan. “Getting lost” was never on the agenda but living and working in Europe for 1.5 years completely changed my view of life. Life wasn’t a check-list of things to do any more but more like an open map of possibilities and opportunities. Getting lost helped me find myself.

I wasn’t living for the future but making the most of the “now” and carpeing every diem life had to offer in Europe! I got back my child-like sense of curiosity, I developed an appreciation for the smaller things I had taken for granted and tried to make the most of every opportunity that came my way.

There is a Moorish proverb along the lines of “he who does not travel, does not know the value of men” and I completely agree. Travel has helped me see how wonderful people can be and understand the essence of humanity. Travel is not just about the places you go to and the things you do and see but is about the people you meet. Each person I met during my travels left and indelible impression on me, strangers became friends, friends became like family. Travel helped me become a citizen of the world, a cultural chameleon and helped me learn a LOT from the people that I met and find myself.

Today, when I look back at life as a 24 year old trying to make my way in the world, I think of what life could have been had I stuck to my check-list and then I think of what I would have lost had I not ditched my check-list and lived it up in Europe for eighteen months…and I smile. I wouldn’t have had all those amazing experiences and met all those people, including the “real me”, had I not ditched my check-list! Living in Europe, just after graduating from University was just what I needed. You only regret the things you didn’t do and I’m mighty glad I did travel and lose myself only to find myself and my mark in the world!

I read this quote on the internet which said that don’t tell me how educated you are but how much you have traveled and I completely agree. Travel is the best teacher and the best way to experience and learn about life. Noone returns “home” as the person who left it before they embarked on their travels. I certainly did not!

We are raised in a society where we are supposed to know where we want to go and also know how to get there. I understand the sentiment, I understand the motivation behind it but I also think that getting a bit lost on the way to where you want to be can be highly rewarding. The discovery of America by Columbus, the Eureka moment that Archimedes had in his bathtub, the establishment of Pixar by Steve Jobs would have all been pretty hard to do if they hadn’t gotten slightly lost, slightly off-track from where they were going/what they were doing.

So travel, get lost, stray off the beaten path and who knows, you might just find yourself!

-Rucha Sarma

12 months ago 6 notes

I made it my laptop cover. I put it on my refrigerator. I gave it to friends.

It is a poignant statement that I take along with me on my travels. I have run into others that have the Holstee Manifesto on their walls. I know when I see it that we share the same values.

I read it to calm me down.
I read it to put a smile on my face.
I read it for inspiration.

-Meghan Asha

12 months ago View high resolution

My Life

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