The Chocolate Hills consist of over 1,260 grass covered hills that turn a brown, chocolaty color in the dry season.
Photo by Stefan Forster
Photo by Stefan Forster
Photo by Stefan Forster
#9 Reaching the peak of a mountain you struggled to climb
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Epic Moment #9
We all make choices in life which mountains we climb and which we pass up. Once in a while there comes a mountain that might be beyond our physical capabilities but not our psychological strength.
You get hit with a rush of excitement when you make the decision to reach for this potentially unreachable peak. But the feeling doesn’t compare to the moment you’re standing on the summit with your legs shaking uncontrollably knowing that anything is possible.
Flores Island, Indonesia // Surreal Place #15
The Kelimutu volcano contains three separate volcano lakes that vary from blue to green to red.
Photo by Shann Biglione
Photo by Danau Kelimutu
Photo by Danau Kelimutu
Stairway to Heaven, Oahu // Surreal Place #14
It began as a wooden ladder built by the U.S. Military to gain access to a radio antenna. Now the Haiku Stairs are 4,000 steps leading to the Puu Keahiakahoe summit.
Photo by Kristofor Gellert
Photo by Ruidi Wang
Photo by Myk Salonga
#8 Realizing what your life purpose is
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Epic Moment #8
In this moment you feel capable of moving a small mountain if that's what you have to do to actualize this new found vision. Walking the path feels as natural as breathing.
Photo by Ben Canales
Go Hard
To make money is easy. To make money in a way that aligns with the truth of who you are is hard.
8th Day of the Week
Subtle but powerful & a perfect ending.
Waitomo, New Zealand // Surreal Place #13
The Waitomo cave walls are covered in the glowworm Arachnocampa luminosa, which produce incredible blue, star-like formations.
Photo by Aggelou Zias
Cave of Crystals, Mexico // Surreal Place #12
Visitors must wear cooling suits to survive the extremely high temperature of 140 °F.
Photo by Nicole Denise
Photo by Nicole Denise
The Search For Happiness & Adventure
Two films focused on forgoing material things for experiential happiness. With all of lifes stresses and hardships it's kind of nice to realize that you could just stop and start fresh. There is always the option for radical change.
São Miguel, Portugal // Surreal Place #11
Known as "the road to paradise" this hiking trail in São Miguel Island runs through several volcanic crater-lakes.
Photo by Jorge Feteira
THE INFINITE WISDOM OF DR SEUSS
In the pursuit of a life less ordinary we may encounter a raised eyebrow, cynical question or more intrusive line of criticism along the way — the insinuation of self-indulgence or whimsy, lack of commitment or direction.
For someone whose priority is a sense of freedom, whatever that means to them, this may easily sow seeds of doubt in the mind. What say we to the naysayers?
Yesterday I walked past a bookstore and saw this sign. It reminded me of how much I loved the simple yet infinite wisdom of Dr Seuss as a kid — a wisdom that still resonates today.
Written by guest blogger Wendy Millyard.
Photo by Wendy Millyard
#7 Leaving for a road trip with nothing planned
Upolu, Somoa // Surreal Place #10
The Tu Sua trench may be the most beautiful swimming hole in the world. A ladder allows visitors to reach the 100 feet of clear seawater at the bottom.
Photo by Lauren Beasley
Photo by Lauren Beasley
Mount Ai-Petri, Ukraine // Surreal Place #9
On the peak of Ai-Petri two rope bridges stretch to a free standing rock 4000 feet above the sea below.
Photo by Sergey Anashkevitch
Photo by Sergey Anashkevitch
#6 Buying a one way plane ticket
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Epic Moment #6
Ever feel like you live on a one-way street that’s also a dead end?
You’ve contemplated leaving it all behind for a fresh start, a chance to create the life you should have been working towards all along. Every bone in your body tells you to do it but you just can’t commit. Until one day you realize that you’ll never really be ready and decide to just do it right now.
You hit that purchase button and all of a sudden the world is full of possibilities.
Photo by Joana Kruse
Motivation is the push. Inspiration is the pull.
Lately I’ve been finding myself struggling to find motivation to do the same work that used to happen naturally. I try to push myself to keep doing the things that have satisfied my creativity in the past but sometimes it just feels too forced. I ran into this article “Inspiration vs. Motivation” and it states that motivation is required when you’re not connected with your highest values.
“Inspiration is a calling to act because you’re in direct alignment with the luminous marrow of potential that is you.” - Jonathan Mead
So instead of seeking motivation I’m now in the process of re-aligning. For me the first step is to let go of expectations which disturb the flow of my imagination. The flow that takes me to a place where I can create effortlessly without flatlining. Second is to reconnect with why I fell in love with the work in the first place. I do that until I feel the energy and excitement that lights the path ahead.
We Use The Word Suffering Way Too Much
Nothing like a good old adventure film to make you feel nice.
Life Lesson
Definitely take a moment to read this important life lesson that a teacher taught his students!
The teacher filled up a jar with golf balls until he could fit any more. He asked the students if they agree that the jar is full. They agreed that the jar was indeed full. The teacher then picked up a box of small pebbles and poured them into the jar with the golf balls. The pebbles filled all of the openings in between the golf balls. He asked the students if the jar was full. Once again, they agreed. Now the teacher picked up a bag of sand and poured it into the mason jar. The sand filled in all of the empty space left between the golf balls and pebbles. He asked the class again if the jar was full. The students agreed. Then the teacher pulled out two beers from under his desk and poured them into the jar filling the empty space between the sand.
"I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life," he started. "The golf balls represent the important things. Your passions, family and friends. If everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles represent the other things in life that matter, such as your job, house and car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff. If you put the sand in first, there is no room for the pebbles or golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all of your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are most important. Spend your life immersed in your passion and create unforgettable memories with the people you love.”
Before the students left, one shouted out. "You never mentioned what the beer represents!" The teacher smiled and said, "The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room to have a beer with a friend."
Fingal’s Cave, Scotland // Surreal Place #8
Seventy feet tall hexagonal columns of basalt pillars make up Fingal's cave interior and exterior walls.
Photo by Jim Richardson
Photo by Jim Richardson
You can reach the cave either by boat or you can travel to the small island of Staffa and hike into the cave by stepping from column to column.
Photo by Ron Fullelove