When Being Too Much Is Not Enough

Read that again.

I show up every single day. Sometimes I’m not proud of who I am or what I’ve done, but no one can ever say I didn’t try. If you think otherwise, you don’t really know me.

There’s a bit of anger in my tone—trust me, I notice it too. If I’m too much, go find less.

I know my life isn’t traditional. I don’t care for a traditional life as you know it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t crave certain traditions. Can you have both? Maybe that’s still to be determined. Maybe it’s not possible to have it all. But one thing’s certain: I won’t settle.

Last week, wandering around Belfast, Northern Ireland, I came across a sign that read:

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”

Few sayings have ever hit me—or stung—like that one. I read it over and over. Each time, it revealed a new nuance, a different truth.

Another thought that’s stuck with me lately:

You’ll never regret asking questions to get more clarity.

You’ll always regret making decisions based on stories you’ve created in your head.

Words have meaning. Words SHAPE meanings. Actions have consequences. So do silence and inaction.

I’ve grown incredibly close to some of you. My cruise ship family has become a cornerstone of my life. To my “land-dwelling” friends and family, and those cheering me on from afar—I’ll be forever grateful.

And to the naysayers? Keep naysaying.

Until I find a reason to stop spinning around the world, I’ll keep spinning. Interpret that however you want. That’s on you.

—Cole

From a place of mental clarity and focus