Posted on September 29, 2022 by Reed Naliboff
Balance looks different for everybody. For some, it looks like finding 20 minutes to breathe deep in the morning, and for others, it looks like reaching the top of a new summit, making sure every step of the way is in balance. For us, it means all of those things.
At the core of our mission, our dreams for the future, and joy on the water, is the pursuit to live better in balance. You can find the phrase on the side of our boards, on our packaging, and often within the conversations we have with each of our customers. It is the essence of finding a balance between mind, body, and soul, and realizing that we were meant to find balance in every area of our lives. Sometimes that looks like slowing down, and at other times, it looks like amping up the adventure, but the balance for our lives can be found in the tension in between. And best of all? Everyone can find balance.
Adventure is not a distinct invitation that is handed off to a select few individuals—it is inclusive and welcoming. It is for those that work a 9-5, those that are living the van-life, those who have never paddled before, and those who have a full quiver of surfboards lined up for their daily outings.
Now, we’re introducing the Better in Balance series: a video series of stories and first-hand accounts of how our customers find balance in their lives. For Jeremiah Young, that looks like working a typical 9 to 5, 40-hour work week… while also living out the van-life. In his story, he shares all the intentional ways he seeks out adventure, exploration, and a sense of balance in his life.
Jeremiah shares that when he’s out paddle boarding, he realizes just how small we are in comparison to the grandeur of the ocean around him, which helps him to reframe his thoughts, and overall outlook on life. We think he says it best when he says: “you don’t need to be larger-than-life to have an experience that will just knock you on your butt… there’s something out there for every single one of us to experience.”
So what if instead of trying to be larger-than-life, we reframed our experiences, thoughts, and daily practices, to see everything around us as a large life? What if this large life included looking at the sunset on our paddle boarding sessions as unique and vibrant—specifically painted for us in the sky. What if the little mundane experiences we lived, suddenly weren’t seen as mundane, but extraordinary?
As we continue to define balance in our lives, with the help of our paddle boards and surfboards, we hope the stories in this series will inspire you to reframe and redefine what balance looks like in your life. We can assure you that no matter your profession, age, stage of life, and skill level when paddle boarding—a life that is lived better in balance is meant for you too. So here’s to living an unhurried life as we breathe deep, paddle out, and embrace all that the water has to offer us.
For over 20 years, ISLE's mission has remained the same - to inspire & equip for a life that's Better in Balance™ through adventure on the water.