PALAWAN TRIP GIVEAWAY!🏝 Win a 2021 island-hopping dream trip to Palawan, Philippines for you and a +1 (including RT global airfare!) - all from my friends at matadornetwork!  To enter simply:  - Follow matadornetwork  - Share this post to your story  - Tag a friend in the comments below  *Each tagged comment counts as a new entry (enter as many times as you like!) Photos by Emmett_sparling from our last trip to the Philippines! To this day it’s one of my favorite countries and trips I have EVER been on so I’m so excited for you. Pristine beauty, amazing people, and such great diving. GOOD LUCK! Open globally.🥳 Winner announced on matadornetwork (12/22). Terms and conditions here: (https://bit.ly/3mshfco) #sponsored

Life lately♥️ Short version: samkolder surprised me for New Years and has continued to surprise me every day since. Had some weird health issues. I’m moving! — ...A lot has happened. I’m so happy, but I also felt like I couldn’t show up on here and be fully present with the moments I wanted to have in real life. So I chose🤍. Moving through life without trying to capture and contain it and share it or worrying about how something might be interpreted felt so freeing. I had a point where I thought maybe I’m not even built to have a life that’s so visible because I’m just so damn sensitive about everything and I overthink and it’s exhausting. I don’t have a big answer for how to find balance but just more awareness around how far the pendulum can swing in either direction :) Every moment here has been so special because a few days into the new year I found out the owners are moving back into my house. We are in the process of going through two years of accumulated life to move out in a few weeks. Last photo: I also thought I fractured my hand doing acro (I didn’t and it’s getting better now!) and had to get bloodwork done for a thyroid issue. Everything is healing and I’m feeling blessed to step into a new chapter. There 21 days into one post. And so time continues and so the pendulum swings.

Happy 25th birthday samkolder. You set my soul on fire and feel like coming home all in one. I hope I never let you forget that you are so extraordinary and silly and capable and I am always celebrating you. Exactly as you are. ♥️ - Photo estherscanon

Finally made it to our new home!!🤗 samkolder and I will be out of service highlining and hiking for the next few days but my heart is so happy to be here in Cape Town and getting settled in. Edited with chelseakauaipresets Earthy Warmer☀️ Side note: We took Covid tests between each country and chose to live here for the foreseeable future (even though the move was kind of massively stressful for me lol). I know I’ve been hopping around a little finishing my last two jobs in the states since I have no plans to go back anytime soon. Just wanted to clarify that a bit and not ignore it.🤍 See you all next week! #capetown

32 today. Feeling all the things. So human. So grateful. I wrote this on my birthday last year to myself and it seems like a good wish to continue with. Less ego, more love, grace, and acceptance. More connection. More meeting depth with depth. May I be so full that I may give without expectation. May I see the blessing behind not getting what I think I want. May I make more art. May I see beauty everyday, in all things. May I be truthful, honest, and act with integrity. May I bring light to those around me and be the person who brightens their light as well. I love you all. Be kind. More surprises!♥️

Underwater free fall. No fins dive today to 45 ish feet/15m on day 6 of filming with josiahwg. Grateful to be part of such a rad team who are all exceedingly capable at what they do. You guys makes me feel so supported it pushes me to bring my best as well. tulum.breathtaking samkolder mattfreediver camitorresph sashajuliard.

Their waddle and the noise they make when they jump🐧🙈❤️❤️ this colony is one of very few in the world. 🔻After an 80% decrease of the population in the last 50 years the African penguin was officially reclassified as an endangered species in 2010. This is likely due to human caused activity such as oil spills, marine pollution/overfishing, and climate change leading to habitat loss. They’re dang cute (and curious) but don’t touch or feed the penguins or prevent wildlife from moving freely to where they want to go. 🐧 Want to help? Contact or support sanccob 📍 Boulders Beach is part of South Africa’s National Park system. 📸 - Photos by piersonx #bouldersbeach #Penguins #SouthAfrica

Life lately. Good music, good food, good friends, working hard, finding ease in what used to feel overwhelming :) Photos piersonx

Strange to think down there is an entire city thinking it’s a gloomy, cold day while we’re up here mind boggled and getting a sun burn :) Grateful to get some perspective and experience the sheer delight of being above the clouds the other morning. Seriously for someone who loves clouds and inversion layers Cape Town is a DREAM. Every day I wake up and go ohhh what are the clouds doing today?! Usually it’s something epic. Simultaneously also a very big threat to my productivity but I’m ok with that🙈☁️☁️⛰☁️☁️ Photos by piersonx w/ chelseakauaipresets. Thanks for the motivation to go up brendon_wainwright excited for more missions!

Be present to the everyday things that make your heart sing. Postcards from South Africa shot by piersonx 🤍

Day 5/7 Trust the process. In any given moment I have two choices: challenge -> uncertainty -> avoidance OR Challenge -> uncertainty -> perseverance -> growth. One of the big things Piersonx and I have noticed in doing these daily creativity challenges is how much resistance there is to starting (honestly each day we would be going should we just do it tomorrow instead?) and how we feel like we’re sort of failing in the moment. I would think to myself is this even working? Why am I making myself shoot indoors? But then once we’re in it or editing the photos later I’m SO stoked and grateful. And it’s not even that great images always came out of it - two of the concepts so far didn’t work AT ALL - but I learned something in the process and ironically feel more motivated to try again :) For this shoot of creating from home I took words from my journals, painted places and phrases that I love onto the pages in the background. I took a few of my favorite pages from books I love. So welcome, literally and metaphorically, to my mind.

There are so many improbable things that came together for this moment that I can’t begin to summarize them here. I had my first time listening to a singer whale (so loud and creaky!) I actually didn’t know this photo was even being taken. I had slipped into the water before everyone and had a moment of complete awe as a mom baby and escort came swimming straight up past me then slowly continued on. I turned around and pierretlambert had swam up and caught the exact moment. I got back and cried of course. Such a privilege to see a moment of this mom, baby, and escort. PS: It’s been so fun seeing my story templates out in the world. They are designed to creatively work together to reveal the next image. You can get a free 7 day trial if you want to check out all the packs there’s a swipe up in my story highlights 🌞 - Amazing Tour kahaiatours Rain photo emmett_sparling #storytemplates #moorea #mosaicstories

Open air. Wild ocean. Running free until the light runs out. The second to last is my favorite I think :) swipe for video. capewinelandsriding thank you for such a beautiful evening. Amazing photos by 1: naude_heunis, 2-5 by piersonx at 85mm #horsebackriding #southafrica

Day 4/7 Sinking in. Water in any form has always been my sanctuary. Day 4 of creating everyday with piersonx. I was looking at images on Pinterest trying to get an idea and I saw a photo of a milk bath. Definitely a more challenging shoot (in general I find it much easier to shoot outdoors) but it was so fun to create something surreal. To play with the idea of sinking into a quiet space. Swipe for Behind the scenes :)

Anyone else really overthink captions?🙋🏻‍♀️ There were just some photos I really liked from our last few days in Tulum while wrapping production on our underwater film. I remember being super stressed from a call with the producers the night before but shooting architecture is strangely therapeutic for me :) I guess that’s half the reason I overthink it - to talk about what was happening on the outside or on the inside? That’s it oh my gosh I wrote this in less than an hour😂 logging off to watch sunset bye! fosiltulum // terreostudio First two by josiahwg All edited with Earthy All Around chelseakauaipresets #tulum #mexico

It’s all fun and games until the last slide😂 ludusmagnusfranschhoek your property is the best playground! Edit by piersonx ccc: samkolder roberthill @ Stan the 12 year old tour guide and the puff adder snake who decided to swim along #tubing #franschhoek #ludusmagnus

Forever a hopeful romantic at heart. I love seeing conscious love stories that give me an example of what healthy relationships can look like. I love seeing dedicated athletes who remind me of what the human body is capable of. I love experiencing the realized dreams of big dreamers who have “achieved” more than me because it expands what I think it is possible to do in a lifetime. This whole weekend felt like a dream - from arriving by helicopter to inner tubing a wild river to the smells of lemon and lavender in the garden. When given the opportunity I love having these luxury experiences that feel wildly out of reach. Yet when I speak to the owners this property started out a few years ago as “a lot of sand” and a vision. A completely off-grid property, a running track, rugby field, an Olympic training pool, and 168 kinds of fruit trees later...they have built something truly remarkable. Thank you ludusmagnusfranschhoek for having us and being such an inspiration for what an adventure sanctuary could look like🤍🤍✨ Photos piersonx || edited with chelseakauaipresets #ludusmagnus #franschhoek #vintagecar

Creative sanctuary🤍✨ These were just from a quick test shoot samkolder took of me the first day at santamonicaproper but I really loved them :) He sees the world in such a unique way. It’s been fun experimenting with light and all the little libraries and nooks. Grateful to have had this space to stay cozy, inspired and safe during our time in Santa Monica. *photos were taken with permission - 📷 samkolder 📍 santamonicaproper Shot on 24-70 2.8mm Sony A7RIV

In camera, double exposure or photoshopped? A lot of you saw this as a small image in one of my stories last week and had different ideas about how piersonx and I created it. Pierson actually shot through a little $5 prism which created this overlayed second image of whatever was to the left of us, in this case the vibrant sunset clouds. You never really know what you’re going to get with it (like swipe to third image). The mirror reflections of the 2nd image were also so strange. In reality the mirror is tipped slightly forwards to reflect the water but it looks like it’s straight on in the image.😊 More creative challenge stuff coming tomorrow xx

My newest underwater obsession after 14 days of diving in a row is this cloud of hydrogen sulfide created by the decomposition of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. I was freeeeezing cold but ahhh every day I just wanted to stay and play a little longer :) The third photo is what I see when I’m swimming down in the beam. The light rays are often so bright that I can’t even see where Josiah is I just swim and hope for the best. I feel so lucky to have these dive experiences. There really are no words. Sooo excited to show you guys a video clip we got here! Shot by josiahwg Safety divers tulum.breathtaking camitorresph

What are you guys up to this weekend? I’m in the middle of a “deep work” week where I don’t go outside much so please go watch the sunset for me. And hug your sisters. I miss mine🥰 this was from the day - do you remember? I called it with this EPIC sunset after a gray day. Swipe for the video. Awesomely capture by piersonx 🔥

🌀to seeing the world in new ways. Photos - piersonx

Not what I was expecting from the middle of wine farm in South Africa. I was actually following the sound of ducks as we dipped around a corner into a maze of tall plants and came across these neat nests. This whole day was so unexpectedly fun. I highly recommend a visit to babylonstoren if you ever come this way. One of the best lunches I’ve ever had in my life with all seasonal, daily picked produce.😊 - Photos snapped by the sister sydneynoelani 😘 edited with chelseakauaipresets - Dress is an old favorite from rovebyronbay 🤍 #southafrica #winelands #franschhoek

It’s currently thunderstorming and pouring down rain. I really wouldn’t mind being back in this hot bath😌 #cozy - Photo piersonx

Giveaway🤍💫 Before I log off for end of year we wanted to do a flash giveaway for 5 yearly subscriptions of my transforming story templates with mosaic.stories🤍 I started this process back in July! Seems like ages ago and I’m so stoked when I come across your stories using them. To enter: 1: just swipe up on the link in my bio and create something with the app (you can get a free 7 day trial for the whole version or just use the free templates!) 2. Upload a frame to your story tagging me and mosaic.stories. Winner chosen 24 hrs from right now :) PHOTOS: piersonx

#ad - We snuck out for one one final camping trip to celebrate and say goodbye (for now) to our time on Kaua'i. We car-camped in my #HyundaiKona with my new tent which is included as part of their upgraded Hana package (new rims and roof racks also looking sweeeet and sporty!). We slacklined and did acro until sunset, ate pizza by the fire, and cozied up on our queen-sized mattress (I am officially camp fancy). Then did one last misty sunrise hike.💕 This is also my final post for this series with hyundaiusa. I’m proud to be a Hyundai owner and to have had the opportunity to partner with them for the last three years on adventures from highlining Utah to freediving in Washington to volunteer initiatives here on Kaua’i. Their support has allowed me to bring awareness to some of my favorite organizations making Hawaii a better place including: wildhawaii, malama_kauai, kealafoundation, and moloaaorganica. To the many chapters opening, closing, and always evolving. #DrivenByBetter #HyundaiUSA - Photos 1 & 4 samkolder, 2-3 piersonx. So much appreciation for both of you making our camp setup look so good!

My sister can’t tell you what an f-stop is but I think she made MAGIC with this set. With a little nudge everyone is creative and more than capable. So proud🤍 sydneynoelani Third photo for accuracy. 😅 Edited with chelseakauaipresets #chelseakauaipresets //seaskyvillas #CapeTown

My mobile presets are live!! Swipe to see how this was edited in a few moments on my phone with chelseakauaipresets :) I’m so proud of this collection as I completely recalibrated my presets specifically for mobile editing. I keep being blown away by the result and how easy and fun it is. Portraits from an unplanned side of the road shoot enroute to the beach with piersonx. Life happens fast and I made these presets to give beautiful results with minimal tweaks🤍🌿 Edited on my phone with The Favorite. #chelseakauaipresets

Day 6/7 Legacy. A tribute to the flutter of fingerprints we leave on each other’s souls. Can you feel them? What have you left behind at this intersection of space and time? I see so clearly how others have impacted my life and it’s really humbling. I wanted to take a moment to say thank you. To my parents. To my sister. To my friends. To the people who write me to say I changed their life or that they hate everything about me. To the people I’ve loved. To my team behind the scenes. To all of you. My life is a celebration and reflection of all of your goodness and darkness and depth. Existence is largely just reaching across the void to say I love you. So, hi. I love you. You are loved. 📷This was the most technically challenging shoot piersonx and I have taken on. It required multiple light sources and lots of figuring out. I’ll write an explainer about it tomorrow if you guys want? :) - ♥️☁️Tonight’s post is dedicated to a beautiful soul, my much loved grandmother Meema, who peacefully left us today. Sending love to everyone out there who is loving someone from afar.

I’ve done quite a number of safaris but this trip to the greater Kruger National Park with the world class team royalmalawane has been nothing short of astonishing. 🐘🦒🦓🐆 Our professional field guide told me how every interaction is guided by the animal, not by the guest. He reads the elephant’s posture and pays special attention to the eyes then only approaches as much as the animal allows without showing any signs of stress. It varies day to day and you have to respect that. I’m grateful to the guiding team at #royalmalewane for their passion and the thousands of hours they’ve dedicated to apprenticeships, training, and years in the field which enable close interactions like these to take place.🙏🏼 🤗 Stay tuned this week as I share our experience with theroyalportfolio at royalmalewane. Photos by piersonx #krugernationalpark #safari