It's that first day on skis or a snowboard. It's that first mountain you summitted. That first time you packed your backcountry pack for an adventure and strapped it to your waits. It's the money down on the Avy 1 class. It's the kiteboarding lessons. The pow days - all the pow days, and ALL THE FRIENDS on a powder day. The tree skiing. The smell of ocean air. The toes in the sand, the warmth of the sun, the refreshing rush of water over your head. It's catching your first wave or gliding down the face, or the rush of being churned through the washing machine knowing full well your going to get back up on your board. It's the fear of heights, and that first pitch you climb. It's that time when the knots finally clicked. It's your first belay. The first scratch, bruise, twisted ankle. Peddling uphill till your lungs hurt. The first time you successfully rock hopped your bike, and hero turned down a trail. It's those dawn patrols, sunrise wake up calls, and those sunsets that turn into dusk. It's laying under the stars, letting your eyes adjust to the dark. It's the laughter, the hooting and hollering, the apres, that cold beer, shot of whiskey, celebratory dance. It's that mellow walk to get outside when you can't get away. It's that jog to get that taste of fresh air and the possibility to push yourself a little longer, faster. It's the people around you, who support you, encourage you, teach you, show up, cheer for you - give you the confidence to take the next step.

You can feel yourself getting stronger everyday. With every first, comes a second. With every YES, comes a HELL FUCKING YES. With every acknowledgment of who you are and where you are and where you want to be all the insecurities drop away, and then you are right where you need to be.

The STOKE shines through, so much so the next person who sees you can feel the pull of your inner stoke. Feed off that energy and continue down the path of confidence - push through the fear that you'll never live up to the standards, constraints, limitations you or others put upon yourself. Let go of the stories you tell yourself - change the rules, break them, keep learning, yearning, striving to be the best version of yourself building upon all your firsts as you create your brick wall of stoke that no one not even your self can break down.