Hi Reader!

How are you? I hope all is well in your world this week :)

Do you also feel like it's been 2025 for way longer than it actually has? January is crawling, but I'm okay with not feeling like time is flying by for once.

Let's dive into this week's email.

Adventures

Just as I was starting to think it's alright to go back outdoors after the wildfires, I got sick. I'm on the upswing as of today, so I'm already planning where I want to hit the trails as soon as I can!

We'll hopefully 🤞🏻 be getting some much needed rain in Los Angeles this weekend (for the first time since May!), which makes next week the perfect time to get out and enjoy the refreshed trails.

Since I didn't make it out for my New Year hike this year, I'm planning to claim a do-over next Wednesday for Lunar New Year. I fully support giving yourself a clean slate if you've already flubbed any of your resolutions. 😌

In the meantime, I'll be thinking of all the traditional foods we'll be eating for the holiday.

Longevity = noodles 🍜
Good fortune = dumplings, spring rolls, and oranges 🥟🍊
Family togetherness = sweet rice balls 🍚

We're entering the Year of the Snake, which means renewal, new opportunities, and change. That's a sentiment I can definitely get behind.

& S'more

I didn't send out a newsletter last week partially because it feels so weird to be putting out content like normal when the world is in such chaos. It hits especially close to home with the fires in Los Angeles. This reel captures some of my thoughts around this whole thing.

Part of me knows how completely inappropriate it is to be going about business as usual in times like these. Another part of me has a dozen reasons why we should.

People need a break from the terrible news cycle.
As a content creator, it's my job to post online. I wouldn't expect someone with a 9-5 job to stop going into work until the world's issues are resolved.
And there's no end to the crises we could -- and perhaps should -- be posting about. To spread awareness, to fundraise, to show support.

Perhaps I'm insensitive or coping or making excuses. I know I could be doing more to help others and save the planet. I also know I'm a compassionate person who's trying their best to do good and not become overwhelmed.

Maybe that's enough.

I had a couple teachers in junior high (a married couple who both taught English), who had a wonderful philosophy around philanthropy that I still think about. Even back then, they recognized the never-ending conveyor belt of tragedies. They encouraged their students not to get bogged down in all the problems of the world, but to each choose one topic we were passionate about helping solve -- and mostly ignore the rest.

Their point was that it's better for each person to make a small difference in a way of their choosing, than for any person to feel like all the problems fall on their shoulders. This latter mentality makes it much more likely that people will do nothing. Not to mention the bystander effect means people mostly look around wondering who else is going to take action on anything. Making yourself "responsible" for contributing to one thing puts the power back in your hands.

My "one thing" has always been the environment. Regardless of what you believe about the fires (conspiracy theories have been running rampant), it's pretty apparent that natural disasters are being more frequent and probably more extreme. As a population, I believe we're all contributing to the conditions that have brought the world to this state, some more than others.

As Lauren mentions in that reel linked above, it's also important what we post when we're not talking about some current disaster. There's a massive disconnect seeing creators post one day showing support for those who lost their homes in the fires and the next day trying to convince people to buy a bunch of crap they don't need from ever cheaper and cheaper websites.

I might not always be active in posting about recent events, but I do always apply an ethical standard to anything I share. I do share clothing, camping gear, and random items I genuinely use in my own life and love. You won't find me pushing any unnecessary or low quality products just to earn a quick buck.

It's times like this that reconnect me to my mission of inspiring people to spend time outdoors, adventure safely and responsibly, and lead meaningful and mindful lives. Thank you for cutting me and other creators some slack as we figure out how to navigate these tricky waters. 🌊

For some additional reading, I've linked a couple new blog posts below. I appreciate you tuning in this week and I'll catch you in the next one ✌🏻

Happy adventuring,

💚A