It’s fitting that this quote showed up on my Open app (meditation and breathwork app) this morning; tomorrow, we head to Jamaica for New Year's in what will be our last warm New Year’s trip for a while—next year, Roman will be in high school and his basketball season will keep us homebound for at least the following four years.

I’m excited for this next week—this time two years ago that I started writing the Daily Note while down in Marco Island, Florida.

It’s crazy to reflect on that decision to start writing to process my morning meditations and then the random decision to publish them on my website. Looking back, I realize it was an intuitive decision to start writing, and while I had no idea at the time what the Daily Notes would lead to, it just felt right.

Fast forward to today, over 2,000 people are getting my Daily Notes via email and LinkedIn, and 200 are getting the Weekly Notes via email. Those numbers blow my mind because I haven’t promoted my writing–I just write, hit publish, share it in the morning, and let the Universe handle the rest. It’s been so cool to read the replies that come in when a Note resonates with someone–I’ve shared this before, but the Notes have evolved into writing to my Self (either to tell my Self something I need to remember or to process what I’m learning) and hope that they might resonate with someone else from time to time.

I’m excited to have a little more time for the Notes while we’re away—there will be no morning rush, I’ll be able to meditate by the ocean, and hopefully will be able to share some really insightful thoughts with you.

I didn’t intend for today’s Note to become a trip down memory lane and a little celebration, but that happened when I started writing.

As I get back to Jon Kabat-Zinn’s quote, it’s important to keep in mind that your Pursuit is going to provide challenges, surprises, and obstacles along the way, but if you can keep the perspective that each of those is merely a wave and that you’re going to use them to learn to surf, you’ll be able to eventually smoothly ride any wave that comes your way. I’ve tried surfing in California a number of times and have never stood up on a wave; I’ve been beaten up by the ocean, and yet, I’m excited to go out and try every chance I get because I know I’m eventually going to figure it out.

Waves are going to come.

Don’t let them beat you up, or if they do beat you up a little, at least let it be as you are learning how to use the wave to help you back to safe waters.

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See you tomorrow and keep pursuing,

JC