THE WANDERLUSTERS MIND PODCAST

Abby Lewtas 4/9/18 Abby Lewtas 4/9/18

Finding adventure and adrenaline in the extreme with Kirsten Alexis.

Kirsten Alexis is an outdoor adventure and travel enthusiast who strives to explore the world and document her travels through content creation and media. She is the Founder of This Adventure Life, an online adventure community that strives to inspire people to get out and live their dreams. She is an avid traveler, high-altitude hiker, skydiver, paddleboarder and photographer.

Fuelled by travel, adventure and adrenaline, Kirsten now lives 'This Adventure Life' and inspires others to do the same.

About Kirsten

Kirsten has been travelling extensively since she graduated from UCLA back in 2010. She spent months travelling to different locations and then returned back for a moment to regroup before stepping out onto her next journey. Some of her travels have been months, some weeks, but she has been travelling the world for the past eight years.

“You get to the summit and you see how far you came, from your starting point. Its such a metaphor for life.”

— Kirsten Alexis

When coming home...

Emotions and changes Kirsten faced - Changes for herself in that she is more confident and will challenge herself, even more, she feels accomplished. Life is too short to not follow your passions and dreams. Say yes.
Biggest stress - Her finances and how to can I make more money so that I can have these experiences. Not knowing what to do outside of travel and adventure. Changes that she was faced with when coming home such as rising rent, increasing traffic and different quality of life.
How Kirsten used her mindset - Stay focused on your goals at the moment, if you don't you will stray from them. Keep putting on foot in front of the other. Stay positive and learn from your experiences.
3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock

I am able to do whatever I set my mind to. Confidence and level up my mindset.
The world is a better place than we all think. Its full of opportunities and amazing people.
There is a lot more to life than just to pay bills and exist. The more people travel and adventure the more they realise this. You might not have as much (in material things) but you will have the experiences and the memories.

Advise to her 16-year-old self to - Follow your dream life, its ok to be you, its ok to have different dreams and goals to other people, its ok to live your athentic life even if others don't agree with yourself. Trust yourself and follow your heart. Happiness does take some work, beleie in yourself, beleive in your adventure and beleive in your purpose.

“I’m capable of making a quick decision and that things happen but as long as you are prepared you really don’t have to worry about them.”

— Kirsten Alexis

Michelle Steele - 2 time Olympian living and competing in the Northern Hemisphere.

2 time Winter Olympian Michelle, was the first Australian woman to compete in the event of Skeleton at the Olympics. Following a 10 year career in the sport Michelle retired in 2014 and now lives in Brisbane with her husband and 2 daughters.Michelle transferred into the sport of skeleton in 2004 at the age of 18 from Surf Life Saving and Gymnastics. Her first overseas experience was in Calgary with a team of Aussie girls learning to slide skeleton tracks. Michelle then followed the world cup circuit each northern hemisphere winter for 10 years. She spent a lot of time in Europe and North America, also raced in Japan and Russia.

Racing Skeleton in the northern hemisphere Winter Olympian Michelle spent half a year (for 10 years) living and competing abroad.

About Michelle

Michelle transferred into the sport of skeleton in 2004 at the age of 18 from Surf Life Saving and Gymnastics. Her first overseas experience was in Calgary with a team of Aussie girls learning to slide skeleton tracks. Michelle then followed the world cup circuit each northern hemisphere winter for 10 years. She spent a lot of time in Europe and North America, also raced in Japan and Russia.

“You cant have what you want, on the day sometimes, and thats how it goes.”

— Michelle Steele

When coming home...

Emotions Michelle faced - Eger to return home, intense and burn out but good to come home.
What had changed - Came home to work, starting a family.
Biggest stress - Missing the sport, setting herself up financially.
How did her mindset change - Continually reflecting on the ups and downs and learning from that.
3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock

Everything comes to an end - ebbs and flows, highlights and lowlights.
Be open to new things - you can always find another way of doing something.
Life is to be enjoyed.

Advise to herself for returning home - know that there will always be another adventure, and it may look and taste and smell different and I may come about it differently but there are always good things to come if you apply yourself if you keep an open mind.

“You always through life pick up a little bit more insight and I always try to be reflective. There are so many benefits from the ups and downs from travel and racing and the good hard looks at yourself, the things that you have to get yourself through when there is no one else to help get you through.”

— Michelle Steele

Links

Australian Olympic Committee: Michelle Steele

“Everything comes to an end... there are always ebbs and flows. You cant expect life to be highly exciting and special and the ultimate. There are always times in between and those times are needed, it doesn’t need to be emptiness but it does come back down and normalise.”

— Michelle Steele

Source: Alex Livesey/Getty Images Europe

(Header photo source: Adam Pretty/Getty Images Europe.)

(Photo Source: Alex Livesey/Getty Images Europe)

Abby Lewtas 2/2/18 Abby Lewtas 2/2/18

Mike Richardson - Adventure sports athlete cultivating unshakable self belief.

Mike spent a year in NZ at the age of 12 years old. He lived secluded in the forest and mountains with his Dad. Mike travelled solo for 2 months in the UK , has lived in Thailand and Vanuatu training as a scuba dive master/instructor and dived with tiger sharks in Florida. Mike had a near death experience on a skydiving trip to Europe and has been on expeditiones to Costa Rica living in mountain tops and in tiny houses.

Living remotely in New Zealand, skydiving through Europe, scuba diving in Thailand and Vanuatu and becoming a wing suit pilot.

About Mike

Mike spent a year in NZ at the age of 12 years old. He lived secluded in the forest and mountains with his Dad.

Mike travelled solo for 2 months in the UK , has lived in Thailand and Vanuatu training as a scuba dive master/instructor and dived with tiger sharks in Florida.

Mike had a near death experience on a skydiving trip to Europe and has been on expeditions to Costa Rica living in mountain tops and in tiny houses.

“We love to have steps (set out for us) in front of us...and a lot of us dont question them.”

— Mike Richardson

When coming home...

Emotions Mike faced - Rollercoaster of emotions, difficulty, struggles.
How Mike supported himself - Tapping back into support groups of close friends and family. Find the next project and adventure.
How did his mindset change - Go with the flow.
3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock.

Resilience.
To have an open perspective on life.
Believe in what you do and follow that relentlessly.

Advise to himself for returning home - Its ok to ask for help.

“I dont really believe in a plan B. I believe in relentlessly pursuing what you’re passionate about and there will always be detours but allow yourself to experience those detours.”

— Mike Richardson