joelindley16 (2024)

23/11/2021

It’s an expression of who you are. And I want to know more.

23/11/2021

It’s an expression of who you are. And I want to know.

15/11/2021

“The way back up.”

I have officially been back longer than I was gone.

I have spent the last two months in a place I have never experienced before.

I needed to process the journey, what it was meant to teach me, and most importantly, how I can provide value to others through the lens of my experience.

I am going to continue the sharing of my journey across the country, but first, I need you to understand this lens I now look through.

The first few times you push yourself for something bigger than you could ever imagine, something that may seem impossible for you, there is a crash.

And I burnt myself out.

I thought the biggest test of my mental health was going to be the ride, but it turned out to be the come down after.

The truth is, I almost lost my life two times out there.

The amount of life essence that it took to continue and finish after each of these events, put me in sheer survival mode.

I expected to get back and continue with the same momentum I had before I left: To pick up the same training routines, to start swimming again and immediately prep for a half ironman.

But my mind wouldn’t let me.

I was a depressed version of myself.

Every week, it was “this week”.

“This week is when I turn it all around.”

I stopped biking.

I have only been on the bike twice since I got back.

I have felt unreliable to some of the people closest to me.

Even making this graphic and posting it has taken me over 2 weeks.

It just felt like I wasn't going to be able to get myself back up.

What is the point after all?

The real problem was that I wasn't actually in a bad place.

I was still eating healthy 90% of the time, still working out multiple times a week.

But the bar was lower than before so it felt like I was doing nothing.

We are our own worst critics.

But I wanted more for myself again.

I have thought a lot about how I want to share the rest of this journey.

So I start by sharing this graphic so that you may have a lens to view the rest of this story through.

To know that I will be broken on the other side of that finish line.

But I now know I needed to be broken to put the pieces back together stronger…

(Continued in comments)

15/07/2021

Meet me in Amarillo next week for a day.

Tag and send to

Our goal out here is to raise awareness for mental Wellness and talk to others about how they stay ahead of the curve in health and life.

We want people to come join us on this ride for just a day or as long as they can go. If you’re interested in joining the ride.. Reach out!

28/06/2021

Day 8: Foothills of Appalachia

“How do you feel?”

Incredible.

Today was a storyline in itself.

I started off in the rain. Then struggled through fatigue to make it to lunch.

I rode ribbons of road for long enough to really drive anyone crazy.

Into hilly farmland with changing vegetation as it all became more vibrant and green.

Into and through two small towns, before being spit back out into the first really long inclines; climbing uphill for minutes at a time.

After all that climbing, I had my first long downhill to reward the sweat.

A feeling like this can’t be found many other places.

You pour everything you’ve got into something and sometimes (when you need it most), it pays dividends.

As we sit here in this van overlooking the landscape we danced with for the first week, we can’t help but feel accomplished.

But we cannot forget, as we turn back around and look down into what is to come…

We will be faced with a whole new set of challenges.

And be forced to adapt to those all the same.

-
made all these profound moments possible. They believed in what we wanted to do and helped make this ride for mental health REALITY.
Outdoorsy is the worlds biggest RV rental site and where we found this beauty: VANessa VANhalen

25/06/2021

Day 7: Solo

“How do you feel?”

Incredible.

The last couple days have been draining.

It just felt like something had to go wrong one way or another.

We knew that it wouldn’t be easy coming into this, but maybe not that it would all happen so soon.

I’m not quite sure if it’s getting better, or if we are just starting to adapt to this life.

No, we are definitely adapting.

Last night we got kicked out of a Walmart parking lot and tonight we have the grounds of a distillery to ourselves.

The ride today was beautiful.

I rode solo on a greenway and saw some of the prettiest neighborhoods I have ever been through.

I spent a significant portion of the day in the flow state.

This made the heat more bearable, and the first day of significant climbing almost invisible.

However, what I didn’t notice for that portion were my surroundings.

Towards the end, I looked up and saw how pretty the clouds were for the first time.

This made me wonder what else I missed.

This makes me want to balance better.

The goal is to ride..

But I shouldn’t get so focused on the end goal that I miss the journey.

“Life moves pretty fast. You don’t stop and look around once in awhile, You could miss it.”

-

23/06/2021

Day 6: The first Rain

“How do you feel?”

I feel childish.

I mean that in the best way.

Today was the first rain of the trek.

Me, this time last year, probably would have groaned at the idea of getting drenched for 2 hours on a 58 mile bike ride..

But today was my favorite day yet.

I felt like a kid playing in the rain.

I stuck my tongue out..

I saved a turtle from the road..

And I kept smiling.

If it rained everyday, it might be a different story.

This contrast is important.

Yesterday it was hot and sticky, so I was relieved when the rains came.

Tomorrow, if it’s hot again, I’m sure I’ll be grateful for the rains the day before.

The same goes for life.

It all depends on the way you look at things.

Without the “lows”, you will never be able to truly appreciate the “highs”.

Without these waves of “storm” to test us..

And the good times to relax in and enjoy..

this life would be bland.

So choose to look at the bright side of things.

And dance in the rain as much as you can.

📸-
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The goal of this journey is to raise mental health awareness.

We partnered with and our goal is to raise $150,000 so that we can save as many lives as possible along the way.

Please help us make this difference. Follow , share our stories, and if you can, please donate to the nonprofit link.

22/06/2021

Day 5: Communication Lapse

“How do you feel?”

Thankful.

Thankful for people who help others.

Last night, I told about my knee pain and he told me to focus on using my glutes and hamstrings.

“Your glutes and hamstrings are 2 huge muscle groups. Use them.”

I started the day with a really intentional mind muscle connection.

The more I focused, the slower time went, but not only did my knee stop hurting.. I actually got a lot faster and more efficient.

So thank you, Eric for your willingness to slow down and teach.

Thankful for people who reach out and wish others the best.

reached out to me this morning before the ride and said to “stay vulnerable”, because it is inspiring to be so open.

That really got me through the first 40 miles.

So please never hesitate to reach out. It makes days better.

Thankful for friends who are willing to listen.

Life on the road with another person makes it easier, but it’s still hard.

Pat and I had our first lapse in communication today.

After listening to each other, we came up up with better strategies for communicating and the road.

And I’m extremely thankful for you.

Thank you for believing in us.

📸-
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The goal of this process is to raise mental health awareness.

We partnered with and our goal is to raise $150,000 so that we can save as many lives as possible along the way.

Please help us make this difference. Follow , share our stories, and if you can, please donate to the nonprofit link.

20/06/2021

Day 4: Broken Chain & Dave

“How do you feel?”

I feel so damn excited.

I was talking with Patrick that there will be a lot of slow days, but there will be a handful of days that make this all worth it.

And today was one of those days.

My bike chain snapped.

And in the process of replacing it with a new one, we realized I left my camera charger and battery in the last town.

This sounds negative, but it actually turned out to be a blessing.

Without this misfortune, I never would have met Dave and his wife, Heidi.

I would not have shed a tear or two with a stranger that I really hope to see again.

So here’s my takeaway from today:

Whenever things seem like they’re going horribly wrong…
.maybe they’re going terribly right.

I wanted to scream (and I did briefly), but I didn’t let it affect my mood towards life and others.

I brought positive energy to Dave and it turns out he was my reason for the day.

Control what you can, and stop worrying so much about about what you cannot.

And watch where it gets you.

-

The goal of this process is to raise mental health awareness.

We partnered with and our goal is to raise $150,000 so that we can save as many lives as possible along the way.

Please help us make this difference. Follow , share our stories, and if you can, please donate to the nonprofit link.

19/06/2021

Day 3: The Lost Boy

“How do you feel?”

Nostalgic and hopeful.

I was deeply reminded of happy memories from childhood today.

I rode 4 miles out of the way just to say I rode in Virginia.

The state I lived in until I was 8 years old.

Before I moved so many schools and stopped riding the bus.

As I approached the sign reading, “Virginia is for Lovers”, I experienced unexpected emotions.

It wasn’t sad, but more of a longing I didn’t know existed.

As I got closer, a man pulled into his driveway.

I rode across the border, then turned around and pulled up next to the man.

Mike is his name.

I can’t help but think he was there so I wouldn’t have to experience this moment alone.

He was very friendly and kept me grounded on mile 33 of 70 for the day.

While intense and unexpected, I love these little moments when you can’t explain when or why you feel a certain way.

And not being able to explain it is okay.

📸-

-

The goal of this process is to raise mental health awareness.

We partnered with and our goal is to raise $150,000 so that we can save as many lives as possible along the way.

Please help us make this difference. Follow , share our stories, and if you can, please donate to the nonprofit link.

18/06/2021

Day 2: Duck Thru

“How do you feel?”

Pat just brought up that we (humans) are back to worrying about just the essentials: food, water, shelter.

Having to fill up our water containers.

Where, what, and when we will cook food.

And where we will park the van to sleep.

This really puts things into perspective.

For most of us, these things are already taken care of, so our brains are free to wander and worry about other things.

The things we are worried about on the road are simple.. just not easy.

Kind of like this bike ride.

All we have to do is ~50 miles a day for 2 months, but it’s definitely not easy.

We can only do the little things every day to make this time more predictable.

It’s not a race to the finish line..

It’s a set period with the goal being to tell a story. A BIG story.

So I’m feeling determined.

Determined to do what needs to be done every day.

But mainly and perhaps most importantly do the little things to establish a routine and create some normalcy in a situation

That is so foreign

📷-

-

The goal of this process is to erase the stigma behind mental health.

We partnered with and our goal is to raise $150,000 so that we can save as many lives as possible along the way.

Please help us make this difference. Follow , share our stories, and if you can, please donate to the nonprofit link.

01/06/2021

Image 1: How it looks to turn 26.

Last Pic: how it feels.

All jokes aside, Besides my lower back which I have had issues with on and off for a couple years now, I feel better than ever.

This birthday was weird tho. I hadn’t even thought about it until it was suddenly May 31st.

I have been so fixated on planning and preparing for this ride on June 15th that I was living in the future.

I have to work on staying present and not constantly planning the next BIG thing.

It’s hard. I thrive on novelty.

And I constantly plan this novelty into my life.

Which makes my story one I am proud of..

But this makes me miss out on some things that matter NOW.

I get so caught up in writing the book, that I forget I’m also supposed to live it.

I’m telling you this, because I think we all need to slow down once in awhile.

I know I need to.

Take in the little moments and don’t miss the big one’s for others.

I love you all. Thanks for the well wishes 🤍

# @ Austin High School

10/05/2021

Through my teenage years when I would make her life harder, she would always remind me, “I am your #1 fan”.

I put this woman through a lot.

I lit things on fire as a kid.
I was a bit of a troublemaker as a teenager.
And I jump out of planes as an adult.

As an adult on my own journey, I fully believe this woman to be my number 1 fan. She has showed me all of the unconditional love and taught me so much.

Thank you for teaching me what “tough” really means.

Thank you for loving me through the years when I had really lost myself.

Thank you for showing me what true love looks and feels like.

And thank you for pushing me on the path to write my own story.

I love you forever. I like you for always.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.

05/05/2021

Here are some of the new faces of

“We go further together.”

*Four* words you will see a LOT of in the coming months.

We are so excited to let in in on what we’ve been up to and include you in this journey we will all take TOGETHER.

21/04/2021

The Importance of Tribe:

I’m sure you already know this, but here is the psychological explanation.

“What does it take to sustain high levels of peak performance long enough to accomplish a series of high, hard goals?

University of Michigan psychologist Chris Peterson believes the answer can be summed up in a single phrase, ‘Other people matter’.

If you’re interested in HAPPINESS, WELL-BEING, and overall LIFE SATISFACTION, you need other people in the equation.

Social support - love, empathy, caring, connection, and so on - is foundational to mental health.****

Whenever we encounter a difficult situation, the brain makes a basic risk assessment based on the quality and quantity of our close relationships.

If you have friends and family around you to help you attack a problem, your potential for actually solving that problem increases significantly.

The brain treats the situation as an interesting challenge, not a dangerous threat. The result is dopamine.

BUT, if you have to face that situation alone, your likelihood of success decreases and your anxiety levels increase. Instead of dopamine, you get stress chemicals like cortisol.

Since these chemicals can crush performance, if you’re interested in the impossible, the basic biology of your nervous system demands you take other people along four the ride.

Equally important between you and your dreams, are other people.

Sometimes, these people are obstacles, sometimes they’re opportunities, but in either case, very few people manage to accomplish the impossible on their own.”

- The Art of Impossible (p. 143-144)

This is my personal mission. To show you what we can all accomplish with the help of tribe. And show you how to get there.

29/03/2021

Commit to yourself.
Commit to your happiness.
Commit to your growth.

You don’t need to do 75 hard.

But I did.

As an adult with ADD I still (not surprisingly) get bored extremely easily.

I love going to the gym, but like to change the speed or activities to get variety. This isn’t ideal when consistency is the key.

It’s hard for me to stick to something without getting distracted and starting something else.

I found that I need to strive for a goal or train for something specific to establish the necessary determination to stick with something long term.

75 Hard gave me this structure. I originally wasn’t striving for an event but the goal of 75 days.

I did this as a challenge to myself: to stay focused on something for 2 and a half months straight.

It was monotonous at times, and I definitely got bored. So bored in fact, that I signed up for a marathon, trained for a month and checked it off 3 weeks before the end of the program.

However, I found that I actually have a lot more time to do it ALL than I thought. I just had to cut out some things that were not bringing me peace and purpose.

It built the skeletal structure of what a fulfilling life looks like for me.

Not by drinking a gallon of water, but by getting health, wellness and learning on autopilot so I can actually focus on my life’s purpose while continuing to grow.

I debated not posting transformation pictures, because they don’t even scratch the surface of how I feel after committing to my growth without excuses. But I’m proud and I most importantly FEEL really good.

And I only lost 2 lbs.

If any of this sounds appealing to you, let me know and I’d love to talk you into it.

It doesn’t have to be this extreme, but please commit to yourself. I promise you will be so glad you did.

A year from now, you’ll wish you started today.

I’m not done.
The journey is just beginning.

@ Squatch Frontier Fitness

22/01/2021

This was not easy for me, but I did it for us.

I have been seeking out the uncomfortable lately, and this was that.

Why do you think I love being behind the camera so much? Probably because I’m not super comfortable being in front of it.

But I have to face my fears and so will you (hopefully).

Really excited to share the origins of this thing and bring you on for the rest of the journey.

04/12/2020

The Movement needs your support!

Right now, The best way to support the message is to wear it in public. The conversations that occur as a result will spread the mindset and allow the message to help others through THEIR low points.

So if you can, buy the merch, rep the lifestyle, and help us spread awareness as a COMMUNITY.

LIMITED RELEASE ENDS TONIGHT. Use discount code: OWYS20 for 15% OFF

As always, y’all are INCREDIBLE.
Much love 🤟🏽

@ Austin, Texas

04/12/2020

The Movement needs your support!

Right now, The best way to support the message is to wear it in public. The conversations that occur as a result will spread the mindset and allow the message to help others through THEIR low points.

So if you can, buy the merch, rep the lifestyle, and help us spread awareness as a COMMUNITY.

LIMITED RELEASE ENDS TONIGHT. Use discount code: OWYS20 for 15% OFF

As always, y’all are INCREDIBLE.
Much love 🤟🏽

@ Austin, Texas

02/12/2020

This is Fourwards Movement.. NOW
Grab Headphones already.. you know the drill 🚀

15/11/2020

If I had to choose another animal sidekick it would probably be a Polar bear. Maybe an arctic seal.

-

28/04/2020

Los Ahorcados - “The Hanged” | Oral tradition tells legends of past pirates hanged for their crimes on this small island off the Coast of Ecuador. Other legends say this was also a place of human sacrifice. | Honestly, this is not where I thought this was going, but I’ll take it. This was our 2 tank dive site. When I went to make the video, I looked up the history of the island and found this information. You learn something new every day.

14/04/2020

Flip Your Screen | This guy just turned 4 years old. 4 years ago, I was a sophomore in college thinking I knew everything there was to know about the world.

•

I have been humbled on that thought countless times since then. Every day I realize that I know less and less about everything, but every day, my curiosity for life deepens.

•

This dog has taught me so much about the world. He is an absolute goon, but he is smart, and his wisdom grows daily.

•

Moments like these are the ones you have to take in and hold on to, because you never know how much you’ll miss it when you look back on them one day. He is my co-driver, my adventure buddy, my muse, and my best friend.

•

Happy big 4 Atlas, may you continue to be my guidance to growth and realization for years and years.

14/04/2020

Pass the Hand Sanitizer | This was one of the most frustrating, yet most rewarding things I’ve ever taken part in. Our whole house was almost unusable for over a week. Tensions were constantly at high between us, because we never got a break from each other. The reward of getting it all in 1 go was the only thing that made running this thing for over 10 hours and 67 tries worth it. |Any interest in bloopers???

07/04/2020

The Other Side of the Lens | I’m sure some of you can relate.. When you’re the one with the camera, you don’t end up with many pictures of yourself. This is fine, because it’s inevitable and that’s just part of it. BUT I’ve been told I need to show face more so I don’t get too comfortable behind the camera. So here is one of the 3 pictures I have by myself in Ecuador. | A little about this picture: On the 20 mile hike, this camera never left my hand. It stayed strapped to my wrist so as to not miss anything by putting it in my pack (there wasn’t room in there anyway). I fell into a ditch with it. I accidentally slammed it into the mud. I climbed under a barbed wire fence with it. And after the drone incident, I bled on it the rest of the hike. I cleaned it, don’t worry. Long story short: This thing is COMFY to hold and we have a bond now.

joelindley16

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