In life: North points us in the right direction. We have found our biggest North when the different aspects of our lives are aligned in a way that we feel genuinely satisfied and emotionally at peace. That isn’t so easy when our personal and professional relationships, career and finances, mental and physical health, personal time, etc are all vying for our time, energy and attention. To keep moving forward, we need to do the reflection and gain the self-awareness to prioritize what’s most important, right now.

En route: Each expedition has an overall purpose, but this expedition is spread out over many days, and each day consists of many decisions. We must align the decisions and days for the larger North to be fulfilled. When we have a true understanding of what we want to achieve, we have the perspective and tools to find the way forward with the variables that arise.

In life: A life well lived is one where we have the courage to make intentional decisions and thereby create the circumstances that direct our life in the direction of our North, not one that is simply a result of the circumstances that appeared along the way. We need to empower ourselves to take control of what we can control, which means doing the reflection, gaining the skills and knowledge, and having the courage to be able to do so. 

En route: We plan our expedition by choosing milestones along the way, which allows us to make the appropriate decisions and/or adapt as needed. If we head out and simply react to what happens each day, we risk not making it to our destination in the time or with the resources we have available.

In life: When we live aligned with our North, our emotional peace lets us live happier and healthier. Not only does this affect our lives but it ripple effects into the lives of others through more positive, tolerant and inspiring interactions with those we encounter.  It’s easy to underestimate how a smile, benefit of the doubt, or helping hand can impact someone’s day or even life. If we are the change we want to create, we can create a better world. 

En route: An expedition isn’t successful if we didn’t enjoy it. Our energy and behavior directly impact the experiences of those on the expedition with us. An expedition isn’t responsible if we didn’t minimize our impact while doing so, ensuring others can have the same magical experience as we did. 

Nature is life. The source of our food and water, the origin of our inspiration, the place we exercise our passions. When we spend more time in nature and learn about what we are experiencing, we understand its importance, its tangibility, and its simultaneous strength and fragility. We must actively protect it through our actions, our voices, our votes, and our spending dollars.