Paying Attention While Traveling.

When you travel, you are truly awake and vividly paying attention to everything that is around you. Your mind is completely open and your eyes just survey the foreign landscapes with intense curiosity of what you might see around every new corner.

There is no stronger feeling of being alive, in my opinion, and it's what we are meant to do while we have the health and freedom to do so.

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How I Ended Up In Carnivale.

One of my favorite stories so far.

While leaving Budapest, I had planned to go to Ljubljana, Slovenia and spend some time in a place I knew nothing about. I was running out of my hostel to make the train and miraculously ran into a friend just outside (thank you!) who asked me where I was headed. When I told him, he informed me I was headed to the wrong train station. He quickly told me where to go, I hopped on several trams to get there quickly but I still ended up missing the train by 7 minutes.

As I sat there for a second, I saw there was a train going to Wien, Austria. I hopped on it and got out there to see where other trains were going. I found one going to Ljubljana so I hopped on that one. But, after an hour or two, I noticed on the screen in the train that it was ending in Venice, Italy. I was desperate for some warmer climates so I decided to just stay on.

I booked a hostel on the way and showed up later at night, only to realize my hostel was on an island that you could only get to by boat (I knew very little about Venice at this point!). I spent the night on the mainland then took a boat to this island the next day to stay at one of the most beautiful hostels of this trip.

The next day, I noticed the prices went up significantly. When I asked why, I was told I had arrived at the beginning of one of the largest Carnival celebrations in the world. A dream situation for candid photographs.

I ended up spending 4 nights there, meeting friends that will surely always be in my life (Miss ya!) and getting some of my best photographs of the trip.

These things only happen when I throw myself into pure spontaneous travel. It sounds cliche but I really do always end up where I am supposed to be.

(P.S. There's only one way to start Carnival and that's with a nice dip in 45 degree water!)

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It's The Simple Things.

Right after I took this photograph at a primary school in Poland, they all ran back inside and I could hear loud cheering, yelling and excitement.

I asked my friend and translator what they were saying and she said "They're all saying 'We just met an American!!!"

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Bringing A Smile.

Me: "Sir! Sorry to bother you but I photograph people everywhere I go and I think this is such an incredibly beautiful picture with you in it. Would you mind if I took it?"

Him: (He keeps walking away from me) "I don't know. What's in it for me?"

Me: "Well, I've heard from people all over the world how much these photographs mean to them and, for many of them, that they bring a smile to their faces when they see them."

Him: (Stops right here) "That's good enough for me. Go ahead."

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After the TED Talk.

I am beyond humbled. There's not a single word I could think of to describe how I have felt since pouring my heart out on the stage last week. The response has been worldwide and the things that I have heard have been the EXACT reason I do what I do.

I knew I just wanted to put myself in that position of vulnerability and allow myself to only speak from my heart. It could have just as easily gone wrong, and I could have rambled, stumbled on words or even frozen up there. On my heart, I truly had no idea the words I was going to say up there.

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On the rehearsal, all the main TED curators were there to make sure my speech was ready. This was obviously unrehearsed also and, in the middle of a story, I looked down at the clock at saw 17:33 (My speech was only supposed to be 13 minutes long). I apologized to them but they said they liked the story so much that they were going to find 17 minutes for me the next day. I felt it was too easy to say the same story again the next day so I showed up early and asked the AV guys to take out 5 of my pictures so I didn't have that story to depend on (there was many curious faces).

So not me, not the TED curators, not my coach... No one knew what my speech was going to be.

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Before the speech, they told me I had to be in the green room for the entire set before. I didn't want to just sit on the couch so I stood behind the stage and watched the other speakers.

Finally, the stage director said '5 minutes Adam!' and it was honestly the first time it hit me that I had no idea what I was about to say. I asked her if I could have a minute and she (with a look of bewilderment) said 'No!' and told me to sit so the stage hands could mic me up.

Then she said '3 minutes Adam!' and I said 'I really need 1 minute' and I walked to a ramp a few feet away. I just wanted to think of how I was going to tell the Rick (Vietnam vet) story.

But there was no point. I was completely feeling the pressure and my brain was mush. I couldn't think of anything at all.

'1 minute Adam!'

...

That was it. I couldn't put a thought together. I had no idea. And you hopefully could see that the moment I walked out.

But I just made a promise to myself to just speak from my heart. To just pour out my emotions. And I am so grateful with how it came out.

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And now, my mailbox/messages/voicemail, etc are filled from people all over the world that saw my vulnerability and realized that THEY could too do the same thing. That we are no different at all.

I am told new stories every single day of how it gave people the courage to go out and just try the same thing... and how they instantly felt closer to the world, and less alone. I have been told that people who are trying this have lives that are fuller, richer, and more beautiful than ever before. I have already ran into people that recognized me from the speech (that I have never met) that were literally out doing it (and doing it successfully) when we ran into each other.

So I am beyond humbled. There is not one word. This is why I poured every bit of my life, my heart, my vulnerability into the passion I felt from this project. The passion I feel every day from connection.

The world is not changed from one single act. It is changed by making a small difference that has a ripple effect and inspires others to do the same. When others do the same, the ripple effect hits those around them and they do the same. And slowly, lives are changed on a global scale from just a small idea.

We cannot be cynical. We cannot be closed off. We cannot be negative.

We need to bleed with passionate attempts to inspire and love all those around us, so we can continue this ripple effect around the world, and start to reverse what has been happening.

But I cannot do it alone.

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I love and appreciate every single one of you. Thank you so deeply much for every message (It will take a while to get back to them all but I promise I will!).

Now, please go out and find the stories and ask the questions to all those that you meet. Fill them with joy, with love, with connection. And let's change the world for the better, together.

I love you guys.

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Instilling Joy.

If you instill joy and love into your children, as often as you can, it will hardly matter to them what they have or do not have. I have seen many of the most joyful children in some of the poorest places I've been.

To them, the only thing that matters is the comfort and love you give them. To feel safe and know they are cared for.

So please don't think your children needs more stuff to be happy. In actuality, that is telling them that happiness is something that can be bought... and will make it a tough lesson to learn when they get out into the real world.

Instead, give them something that is free: Your time.

Do things with them that grow the bond you have for one another. Go on experiences. Eat at fun restaurants (and don't bring your phone). Play games with them. Laugh with them. Take long walks. Read books together. Have ridiculously long meals.

For it is such an important thing for a child to learn early where true joy comes from. Because, if they learn it then, they learn also that nothing in this world can take that away from them... For it came from simplicity, and nothing more.

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Behind Every Restaurant.

Behind every great restaurant are people that work incredibly hard to give you a great experience. Chefs are incredible artists who usually work under very stressful and difficult situations.

Many times, these are dads, moms, husbands and wives... Who are away from home during the holidays to meet the demand, and make money to give their families a great Christmas.

This holiday season... Be kind to those working in the front, and always remember those working in the back.

Tip well and have gratitude.

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What Did I Learn in Cuba?

How do I sum up Cuba?

The truth is... I don’t know yet. I saw many different sides of it, in the different cities I went to. From big cities to small little towns in the countryside.

But one thing is constant - it really is a special place.

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Cuba was a very difficult country to figure out on the move... I won’t sugar coat that at all. Spontaneous travel there takes a lot more than just hopping on a train or an airplane. Sometimes you get to a city and every bus leaving there is full for the next two days, so you sign up on a waiting list and can do nothing but just wait and enjoy. You walk through the town to find an area you'd like to stay in... And then knock on a door of a house you'd like to sleep at. You're not using your phone, and internet is many times difficult to find for help when you need it so you really get to build your confidence in your intuition.

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Now, the difficulty in traveling is only because it’s a very primitive culture, which is also why I love it so much. You know what you’re going to get. The humanity is perfect and people treat you with the utmost kindness, and love to host and take care of you. They love to tell you about the special parts of their towns and what they are most proud of. They welcome you in immediately as family. When there’s a baseball game on, no one's doing anything but watching the game.

The culture is devoid of many opportunities that they would like to have but it simply does not hold them back from putting one foot forward every day. They wake up and make their beds, sweep their doorsteps and prepare for the day.

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There is no rushing. And I mean no rushing at all.

I mean, when you see it the way they live... It makes you even wonder why we are always rushing so much. There’s always time for them to stop and give you a kiss/hug and ask about your day. Always time to help someone out with a flat tire, or have a drink with.

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It is a culture that is very, very dependent on community... In the best way possible. On helping each other in any ways that they can. When you have that, you see a lot of poverty but you don't see the struggle as much as you might expect to. They might need to wait two hours for bread but the line is full of lively conversation.

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And, on that note... Cuba is LOUD. Especially Havana. In the absolute best way possible.

It feels so incredibly alive.

There's very little technology so almost everyone is outside... Just living. People aren't looking at their phones... They're talking to the people around them or just staring off into space. Musics blasting in the open windows. Cars are wonderfully loud. And kids are playing in the streets... Barefoot and many times with anything they can find to make up games to play.

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Conversations are long. People really care how you're doing... and they really want to hear your stories. The full length stories. Meals aren't rushed. There's always time for another cup of coffee or glass of rum.

The people of Cuba are pure. They are proud of what they come from, yet I never saw any ego. They just love to share the home the special parts of their towns, and their home.

They can be trusted. They can be photographed. They are gracious. They are kind.

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It’s very clear that, yes, they are in a very tough economic spot and they are very aware of it. They will talk about their frustrations with it... Realizing it will take a lot of work to ever see their economy in a better place.

But they will get through it, and they will get through it together. And not a second of life will be missed along the journey there.

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Sorry Guys, We've Been Lied To.

I'm sorry to say it guys... But we've all been lied to.

If there is one major lesson I learned from Cuba, it is this:

Nothing you own will give you happiness... Not your home, not your job, not your bank account. Not even your surroundings can give you happiness.

It can only come from inside of you.

For I have seen the most vivid and genuine happiness in the poorest places my eyes have ever laid eyes on, and it was because of one thing: Relationships. Their families and friendships. Their husbands, their wives, their children. These are how they measure their success and how they determine their happiness. And their hearts overflow with joy by just spending intimate moments of life alongside them.

So, when you think you don't have a single reason to be happy... Please try to simplify your life enough to focus on the things that really matter. By paying attention, you can start to notice how many things (that cost absolutely nothing) give you long lasting joy and love in your heart.

Then be grateful for them.

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A Story From Cuba.

When driving across the countryside in Cuba, I noticed these three standing next to these massive bulls tied to a tree. I was very intrigued and asked the driver to stop to get their photograph and say hello.

They were very kind and happily posed and when I was leaving I asked "Is there anything I can do for you? Any way I can help?"

They didn't hesitate and quickly said "Do you have any shampoo?"

Literally just that morning, I had bought a bottle of shampoo because I knew I would be traveling. I ran back to the car, got it and gave it to them.

It was a $3 bottle of shampoo.

They held it and stared at it for a minute. I just stood there next to them and watched them keep staring at it. Finally, the mom came over from their yard, took the bottle from them, looked at me and said "Because of this, we will be able to wash our children's hair again."

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Never underestimate the small things we can all do for others that can make a big difference in making their life better. All it takes is asking to be surprised by the humble requests and appreciation that comes in just sharing in their lives with them.

Let's make this world a better place together.

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