⚓️ Almost-a-Liveabaord

Ever heard of the "Dutch Log"? Sailors in the 1600s used a weighted wooden log tied to a knotted rope to measure their ship's speed. They'd toss it overboard and count how many knots passed through their hands in a set time hence the term "knots" for nautical speed.

In today’s email:

• How to stay sane when waiting for liveaboard life

• Free quiz: Find Your Liveaboard Sailor Archetype

• Let’s normalize the 3rd pole as standard for shorthand sailing

• What pirates can teach us about living well

• Our sailor’s toast of the week

🌊 DEEP DIVE

The Maddening Experience of Almost-a-Liveaboard

The phase before moving onto your boat is emotionally... complex.

I felt like an actual crazy person for the better part of a year prepping (but mostly waiting) for the moment I could call myself a real liveaboard.

I was filled with contradictions. There was excitement/anxiety for the future, frustration at the slow pace of progress, a nagging fear that it would never really happen. I was floating between the present and the pull of a conceptually extraordinary lifestyle.

It’s maddening because waiting can feel powerless.

An obvious metaphor is being ready to sail but waiting for the wind to pick up.

But this waiting game is special. It forces us to confront our patience, trust, and even some deeper shadows which tend to pop up.

‍The Threshold as a Place of Power & Preparation

This threshold phase is often overlooked. It's usually these unremarkable phases of life that are the most transformative.

It’s a liminal space where you're not quite rooted in the old, but not yet anchored in the new.

But we're not just waiting here.

We're recalibrating, aligning, and processing. This is where we clarify our intentions and let go of the things that no longer serve us... literally. We're moving onto a boat.

‍The Neurology of Transformation

Imagine standing on the edge of a dock, your new-to-you sailboat is ready for move-in. Before even stepping onto your new home, you know something has already shifted.

When you spend time thinking about a major change or something you really want, your brain begins to reshape itself in response.

The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is the part of your brain that filters information based on what you focus on most.

If you constantly think about your new life, your brain starts identifying opportunities, solutions, and even people who align with that vision.

These micro changes in your neurology are subtle but really powerful. They’re part of why this in-between phase feels so dynamic, even when outwardly it seems like nothing is happening.

You’re rewiring your brain to make the leap possible.

Delays are Not Denials

Rushing through this phase might feel like the quickest way to relieve the frustration, but you know when you're going against the flow of universal timing. We all know when we're rushing through a season that actually is asking for patience.

Do that enough times (like me) and you'll find it more often than not leads to missteps and missed opportunities. Rushing leads to compromising choices that don’t fully reflect our values.

This liminal space might feel like a void but what feels like stagnation is actually an unremarkable truth of transformation. And when the leap finally comes, you’ll be ready to embrace the unknown and unconventional with everything you’ve become in the process.

Taking the time to embrace the threshold ensures that your actions are rooted in clarity and trust.

And it's in this stillness that you prepare for the winds of change to carry you in the right direction.

📔 Things Worth Knowing

• 🔗 More 3rd Poles! Moving onto a boat with your partner is an emotional journey. Anyone who tells you it’s not literally doesn't exist because it's that true. The 3rd Pole is the #1 tool for relational success. Read more @ The Helm.

• 🔗 Be more pirate. Pirates remind us to challenge the status quo, embrace bold individuality, and build communities rooted in shared values, showing that living well means living daringly and with purpose. Read more @ The Helm. 

⛵️ Boat Tour of the Week

• Check out this walkthrough of Adventureman Dan’s 1984 Beneteau Idylle Watch here.

🍻 A Sailor’s Toast

Toasts are a seafaring tradition, passed down through salty winds and rolling tides. Here’s one for the week:

“Here’s to bold beginnings and open skies, steady hands and curious eyes. May we sail with purpose, adapt with grace, and find treasures in every uncharted place.”

Until next time, friends.

Cheers,

Jessica Depatie