Post Thailand thoughts
We have been back from Thailand now for two weeks. This time frame has allowed me to get caught back up on life and truly process and appreciate my experience there. I was going to say our experience but I am going to be speaking solely on me here, so my experience is fitting.
First and foremost this was an experience of a life time. I never thought I would be so impacted by a vacation. The experience was absolutely life changing. I want to touch on the group travel first and then get into Thailand.
The group.
The group experience was nerve wracking at first. There was a lot of concern and stress that we were going to let people down. Trying to navigate large groups and make sure that everyone is having a good time is really daunting. The reality is however you know you will never be able to please everyone. So the goal was to simply make ourselves available. Be authentic and hope for the best. Everyone just kinda meshed right off rip. There was no strange feelings. No one was super fan girling. It allowed us to have a vacation with friends, which we did. We made real connections there. I am grateful for it. We also learned a few things. Mainly that even though we see ourselves as normal everyday people, people who have parasocial relationships with us on the internet do not. They think we are famous. In a way we are, however it doesnt feel that way to us. Something we have to adapt to. We also realize that our time needs to be spread around a bit more and that people going on these trips want to connect with us on a deeper level and that means we need to read the room a bit everyday and see where we need to focus.
About Thailand.
The Thai people are hands down, culturally the nicest people I have ever come across. It didnt matter what we were doing, what they were doing there was always a politeness to them. A gratitude and they had this feeling of peace and love about them. Now I am sure that wouldnt be the case with everyone in Phuket. However that was the case with everyone we met. At first I thought it was because we were at a resort and they were being paid to be nice to us. However it was like that every where we went. Everyone was just chill and polite. I think that because roughly 90% of Thailand practices Buddhism they have a way about them that is unlike most.
There was also a crazy wild animal population there. Dogs and cats were everywhere and they did not fear people. Again I believe its because of their respect for life. They animals would approach us like it was no big deal. Here they will run from you. It says a lot. This left an imprint on me that I hope never fades.
The post trip adjustments and reflections of self.
Coming home was hard. I realized when we landed how glad I was to be back in the states. I was looking forward to being home and able to decompress. To be near my stuff. To edit and get back to the podcast. Being glad to be home was over before we left JFK for Tampa. New Yorkers are some of the nastiest people in the states in terms of attitude and going from a place where everyone was compassionate and happy to be alive, to being in New York where everyone is in a hurry and miserable about their existence was a huge shock. One I wont forget. I do NOT want to ever be like that.
Integrating back into the work and grind was a lot of playing catch up. Which I feel like we did exceptionally well. We were well rested and excited to get back to it. The seminars there went very well and we were eager to help people again. So naturally we hit the ground running. Came back and got right back into the studio. We have talked a lot about our experiences and what we want for the future of 2BB and what we want for ourselves and are actively working to make everything play out long term.
Now for my final realizations in life.
I dont want to ever quit the podcast. I am fulfilled in helping people and truly believe this is my calling. I realize I have to work on my tone and compassion when recording and I am working on it. I realize I do not want to live here any more. I have zero love for Florida. My house feels like a prison more often than not. We are chained to businesses, schools, content etc, and I truly believe there is a better way. I am dreaming of a nomadic life on the road. We can record anywhere, work anywhere, and we could actually LIVE life instead of simply existing in it. And I want too. The smile on Peaches face every time I looked at her out there was everything to me. It was light. We were living and experiencing the world. When I meet my maker and have to explain my life. I will be able to thank him for this world. The little bit of travel I have done has made me appreciate this creation in a way I never had. We get so comfortable living in our cubicle of life. We work, sell our time, breed and find ways to anchor us to a location. Home. Time passes and we hope for moments when we can live. We fall in love and experience excitement in any fashion we can, deeply wishing to break up the monotony of our day to day. We are more depressed than ever in human history, we are sicker than we have ever been and our food is literally killing us. We are the assembly line of existence and as we get sick and die we are replaced to keep the chain going. Very few of us ever stop to really see whats going on. I have seen it. I can see whats around me and I want to explore it all. I want to take my wife and kids and let them experience the world in a way most never can. I want the kids to experience life before starting their own as adults so they have experiences that will lead them to a fulfilling life.
My life as a business owner and tattoo artist provided me with financial freedom. Which allowed me to do a lot of dope shit. However it never filled my cup. I never felt like I was doing anything that would leave a mark on the world. 2 Be Better is leaving a mark. I believe the podcast will be our legacy and will be here long after we are gone. I believe it will continue to touch and impact others lives and I feel for the first time in my life that the work I am doing actually matters. There is a peace in that. Now that the work life is fulfilling and something I truly believe in. Its time to iron out the rest of our life.
Dont be the walking dead. Lift your head up. There is a universe around you that is screaming to get your attention.
