Newsletter
Building Season
1/28/26
1/28/26
HALF / LIFE
December '25
Today's email: ~ 432 words | 2 min read
Building Season.
Building season can be a grind. It's the season where you're not typically in the water every day. You switch to a less daily sport like skiing, tennis, pickleball. More trips to the gym, the pool for swim and breathwork. The days are short, Seattle grey, mostly rainy. I won't lie, it's not my favorite time of the year. But it is an important time to prepare mind and body for the adventures to come in 2026.
I write this from a family trip to the Florida Keys. As a father of three, I typically leave bulky equipment home and focus on the increasingly rare time we have together as a family. My daughters are older now. A senior in high school, a recent graduate in Chicago, an MBA student in New Hampshire. I really appreciate this time and shift my activities to optimize being with them. An early morning SUP or bike ride before they wake up. Then to the gym, run, or walk with them.
The Reset
This time also provides me with mental space to refresh. I'm typically up a couple hours before the family and given the time of year, I ask myself a few questions:
Am I the person I want to be (husband, father, friend)? Am I using my time in the best manner (professionally, personally)? What do I want 2026 to look like? Is Half-Life making a difference? Do I want to continue another year?
Reflecting on those questions, reading (currently "Let My People Go Surfing" by Yvon Chouinard) provides a mental reset. I typically reflect on these twice a year. End of December and end of June.
Why I Keep Going
You may be surprised by the Half-Life question. Most people see the travel photos, time on water, and think "Half-Life is a full time vacation." It is amazing, but it's a lot of work. Web maintenance, product fulfillment, lesson scheduling. While the trips are fun, it's really the connection to people that is rewarding. Any time I get tired or burned out, I think of the hundreds of smiles created when teaching people how to foil or laughing with customers on the phone. I love what we do and although I check in on my drive, I couldn't imagine doing anything else. Our Half-Life community is amazing and there is so much more we can do for all of us.
I've never been to the Florida Keys for more than a day. We chose it because it's far enough south to be warm and easy striking distance for my east coast daughters. While I do wish I had my wing foil gear, time on the water (SUP, kayak), walks and runs, and most importantly time with the girls refreshes me for an amazing year ahead.
This is building season. What does yours look like?
What's Happening on the Channels
HALF / LIFE on YouTube:
Also Popular on YouTube:
The One Ski Quiver 2026 | Best All Mountain Ski Buying Guide Looking for the one ski to rule them all? In this year's Half-Life 2026 One Ski Quiver Guide, we break down the best all-mountain skis that can do it all! Whether you're chasing fresh lines or carving up hardpack, this is your ultimate buying guide for the most versatile skis of 2026.
HALF / LIFE on Instagram
Follow @halflifet.5 to stay in the loop.
Tag us in your next session and we'll repost the stoke.
Keep Building
This is building season. The quiet work. The questions worth asking. The time with the people who matter. It all adds up.
See you next Thursday.
All the best,
-Tim
HALF / LIFE
P.S. If you know someone you think would really enjoy this email,
click the link below, fill out the form, and send them your kind of stoke!
Copyright (C) 2026 HALF-LIFE. All rights reserved.
HALF / LIFE
December '25
Today's email: ~ 432 words | 2 min read
Building Season.
Building season can be a grind. It's the season where you're not typically in the water every day. You switch to a less daily sport like skiing, tennis, pickleball. More trips to the gym, the pool for swim and breathwork. The days are short, Seattle grey, mostly rainy. I won't lie, it's not my favorite time of the year. But it is an important time to prepare mind and body for the adventures to come in 2026.
I write this from a family trip to the Florida Keys. As a father of three, I typically leave bulky equipment home and focus on the increasingly rare time we have together as a family. My daughters are older now. A senior in high school, a recent graduate in Chicago, an MBA student in New Hampshire. I really appreciate this time and shift my activities to optimize being with them. An early morning SUP or bike ride before they wake up. Then to the gym, run, or walk with them.
The Reset
This time also provides me with mental space to refresh. I'm typically up a couple hours before the family and given the time of year, I ask myself a few questions:
Am I the person I want to be (husband, father, friend)? Am I using my time in the best manner (professionally, personally)? What do I want 2026 to look like? Is Half-Life making a difference? Do I want to continue another year?
Reflecting on those questions, reading (currently "Let My People Go Surfing" by Yvon Chouinard) provides a mental reset. I typically reflect on these twice a year. End of December and end of June.
Why I Keep Going
You may be surprised by the Half-Life question. Most people see the travel photos, time on water, and think "Half-Life is a full time vacation." It is amazing, but it's a lot of work. Web maintenance, product fulfillment, lesson scheduling. While the trips are fun, it's really the connection to people that is rewarding. Any time I get tired or burned out, I think of the hundreds of smiles created when teaching people how to foil or laughing with customers on the phone. I love what we do and although I check in on my drive, I couldn't imagine doing anything else. Our Half-Life community is amazing and there is so much more we can do for all of us.
I've never been to the Florida Keys for more than a day. We chose it because it's far enough south to be warm and easy striking distance for my east coast daughters. While I do wish I had my wing foil gear, time on the water (SUP, kayak), walks and runs, and most importantly time with the girls refreshes me for an amazing year ahead.
This is building season. What does yours look like?
What's Happening on the Channels
HALF / LIFE on YouTube:
Also Popular on YouTube:
The One Ski Quiver 2026 | Best All Mountain Ski Buying Guide Looking for the one ski to rule them all? In this year's Half-Life 2026 One Ski Quiver Guide, we break down the best all-mountain skis that can do it all! Whether you're chasing fresh lines or carving up hardpack, this is your ultimate buying guide for the most versatile skis of 2026.
HALF / LIFE on Instagram
Follow @halflifet.5 to stay in the loop.
Tag us in your next session and we'll repost the stoke.
Keep Building
This is building season. The quiet work. The questions worth asking. The time with the people who matter. It all adds up.
See you next Thursday.
All the best,
-Tim
HALF / LIFE
P.S. If you know someone you think would really enjoy this email,
click the link below, fill out the form, and send them your kind of stoke!
Copyright (C) 2026 HALF-LIFE. All rights reserved.
