The Space Between The Waves

Meanwhile, somewhere between where you've been and where you're trying to go, there comes a moment when you realize that success isn't something that accidentally shows up on your doorstep.
It's often said that success is no accident, and the older I get, the more I believe that's true. The funny thing is that success looks different for everyone. Some people measure it in dollars, some in freedom, some in family, and some in simply finding peace at the end of the day. What matters most isn't how someone else measures success, but how you define it for yourself.
More than any other factor, we are where we are today because of the choices we've made along the way.
But we also have to recognize what part of the journey we're currently on. To achieve things you've never achieved before, you often have to take actions you've never taken before. That's what I call the thresholds of life, those moments where staying comfortable and moving forward cannot exist in the same space.
It's easy to get discouraged when things don't go as planned. It's easy to blame circumstances, blame other people, or forget where it was you were headed in the first place.
Setbacks will come. They always do.
But one of the biggest mistakes you can make is doubting yourself when progress isn't happening as quickly as you'd hoped.
Life has a funny way of returning what we put into it. If you want to reap greater rewards, you have to sow greater effort, contribution, service, and value.
Remember, you can't make more time, you can only make better choices with the time you've been given. Choose wisely.
Have a fantastic day, see you on the radio.
Follow along with Tiki Bar Publishing, The Space Between The Waves Podcast, and Tiki Man Radio for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, sitting outside the airport on what is considered temporary seating while waiting for boarding time, you notice things you normally don't see.
The goodbyes are shorter at the curb than they used to be as people disappear through the sliding doors. Uber drivers offer a quick "good luck" before pulling away, likely never to see that passenger again. Even the fancy luggage is off on another adventure, destined to be tossed around from terminal to terminal until it arrives safely at its next destination.
I've always thought airports exist somewhere between worlds.
One minute you're standing in a familiar place, and a few hours later you're somewhere completely different. Different scenery, different people, different experiences. It's one of the few places where thousands of lives briefly cross paths before continuing in different directions.
As I sat there watching people come and go, I couldn't help but wonder about their stories. Some were heading toward reunions, some toward new jobs, some toward vacations they had spent months planning, and some toward fresh starts they never saw coming.
Despite all the differences between us, everyone in the airport shares one thing in common. They're moving forward.
Maybe that's why I've always enjoyed people watching in airports. For a brief moment, you realize that every person walking past is carrying hopes, worries, dreams, and plans just like you are.
Remember, next time you're at an airport, take a moment to soak it all in. The chaos, the noise, the smell of burnt coffee, the endless sea of people rushing from gate to gate. It's a beautiful reminder that in this vast and complicated world, we're all travelers on our own unique journeys.
Some journeys take us across the country, while others simply take us to the next chapter of our lives.
Time to go.
Have a fantastic day, see you on the radio.
Follow along with Tiki Bar Publishing, The Space Between The Waves Podcast, and Tiki Man Radio for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, every once in a while you want the weatherman to say, "Today's forecast is slightly salty with a hint of lime. An ocean breeze will gently move in from the south, and abundant sunshine will bring you happiness throughout the day."
Mr. Johns, or "Sir John" as the locals call him, lives on the far end of Topsail Beach, North Carolina, a 26-mile barrier island along the coast and home to the famous Jolly Roger Pier.
Sir John believes the key to happiness is to stop worrying about things beyond your control. Let it go. What is supposed to be will be.
He came to the island by way of England in 1966 and believes that people make their own luck. "Luck can appear magical, and sometimes there seem to be mysterious forces at work," he once told me. "But if you really understand how life works, you can see how to make your life luckier."
As I made my way down the beach later that day, I realized he was right. Most of the luck that has come my way wasn't because someone handed me something. It was because I put myself in situations where opportunities could find me... just like meeting Sir John.
Anyone can make a decision about what they want, but if you change course every time something gets difficult, you'll never be "lucky" enough to reach your destination. The people who eventually get what they want are usually the ones who never stop pursuing it.
Remember, if you want to achieve the things that matter most in life, you need a solid foundation that helps you overcome the fears, setbacks, and challenges you'll encounter along the way. Success rarely comes from luck alone. More often than not, it comes from perseverance.
Have a fantastic day, see you on the radio.
Follow along with Tiki Bar Publishing, The Space Between The Waves Podcast, and Tiki Man Radio for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, sometimes you have to remind yourself that you are stronger than the situation you find yourself in.
Every now and then I catch myself looking back at where I once was, and it always amazes me how much can change in just 10 years. The struggles that seemed overwhelming back then have become lessons, the setbacks have become stepping stones, and the worries that kept me awake at night have mostly faded into distant memories.
Life has a way of taking us through difficult seasons. None of us are exempt from them. Those seasons test our patience, challenge our faith, and force us to keep moving forward even when the path isn't clear.
When life feels heavy, take a moment to remember where you've been, what you've overcome, and how much you've grown along the way. Temporary discomfort has a way of convincing us that it will last forever, but time often reveals that it was simply preparing us for the next chapter.
As the song says, changes in attitudes and latitudes. Sometimes the greatest change isn't where life takes us, but who we become along the journey.
Know your worth. Don't settle for less than what brings value to your life. Invest your time in the people who appreciate the real you, the good, the bad, the flaws, the victories, and the scars. Those are the relationships that matter. Those are the people who help the past become nothing more than a ghost in the night.
Remember, don't give weight to opinions that don't matter. Trust the people who truly know you. Stay true to your heart, follow your passions, and keep moving toward the life you want.
Have a fantastic day… see you on the radio.
Follow along with Tiki Bar Publishing, The Space Between The Waves Podcast, and Tiki Man Radio for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, I’ve been lucky enough to watch the sunrise from a second-floor balcony in Virginia Beach…seeing it rise straight out of the ocean like it’s putting on a show just for you. I’ve watched it in Key West, as the island slowly wakes up and the chickens begin their daily routines. Even in Costa Rica, walking a quiet path to a hidden hideaway, the sunrise has a way of finding you.
No matter where you are, a sunrise feels different.
Maybe it’s because it quietly erases the sunset from yesterday…offering a clean slate, a fresh start, a brand new beginning. The air feels cooler, the world a little calmer, and for a moment, everything seems possible again.
There’s something about those changing colors…soft pastels turning into bold oranges and golds…a reminder that change is constant, and sometimes, it’s beautiful.
Every sunrise is a reset button.
A chance to do better, to fix what didn’t go right, or to simply start again. Just like the sun rises out of the darkest part of the night, we have that same opportunity to rise above whatever yesterday held.
I’ve always felt like sunrise represents “Day One”…not “one day.”
And maybe that’s the magic of it. No two are ever the same, yet they always show up…right on time…waiting for you if you’re willing to notice.
Nothing special…just my ramblings about a sunrise.
Remember, there’s a sunrise and a sunset every single day, and they don’t cost a thing. Don’t miss too many of them…or waste the time in between.
Live it…embrace it…it’s a gift.
Have a wonderful day…see you on the radio.
Follow along with Tiki Bar Publishing, The Space Between the Waves Podcast, and Tiki Man Radio for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, the ancient Tiki tribes believed that if you stared long enough into a calm blue lagoon on a clear day, the answers you were searching for would slowly become clear.
Now whether that’s legend, wisdom, or just a good excuse to sit quietly near the water for awhile, I’m not really sure…but I do know this. Most people already know deep down what they need to do long before they actually do it. The hard part usually isn’t finding the answer…the hard part is finding the courage to trust it.
I’ve watched people stand on the edge of incredible opportunities while talking themselves out of taking the first step. Not because they lacked talent, heart, or ability, but because fear convinced them failure was waiting on the other side. What they didn’t realize is that sometimes the real failure happens long before you ever try.
Somewhere between the sunrise and the noise of the world waking up today, it's always a good idea to remind yourself that confidence doesn’t mean you know everything will work out perfectly. It means believing in yourself enough to keep moving forward even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed. That’s where the magic usually begins.
And the people you surround yourself with matter more than most realize. Positive people won’t build the road for you, but they’ll remind you not to turn around every time life gets uncertain.
Remember, believe in yourself first. The world tends to follow the way you see yourself.
Have a wonderful day… See you on the radio.
Follow along with Tiki Bar Publishing, The Space Between The Waves Podcast, and Tiki Man Radio for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, saying no when everyone around you is saying yes is really becoming a lost art…maybe even a skill. It’s caused me a lot of misery in my life and just as much success.
I remember sitting at a crowded little marina bar one evening listening to a group of people talk about some “can’t miss” idea that everybody was jumping into. The louder the conversation got, the more it seemed like nobody actually wanted to be left out more than they truly believed in what they were saying. You could almost feel the pressure floating around the room like humidity before a summer storm.
Most of us do that at some point. We say yes to things we don’t believe in, places we don’t want to go, or situations we know deep down aren’t right for us simply because standing alone can feel uncomfortable.
But life has a way of teaching you that every yes costs you something…your time, your peace, your energy, sometimes even your direction. And every once in awhile, the bravest thing a person can do is quietly say no and walk away from what everybody else seems convinced they need.
Not every open door is meant for you to walk through. Some are only there to test whether you’ve learned to trust yourself yet.
Remember, protecting your peace will disappoint some people…but losing yourself trying to please everyone will disappoint you even more.
Have a wonderful day…See you on the radio.
Follow along with Tiki Bar Publishing, The Space Between The Waves Podcast, and Tiki Man Radio for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, there’s a quiet freedom in being bad at something new.
I was sitting out behind a little beachside café once watching a guy learn how to play guitar. Now when I say learn, I mean every chord sounded like the seagulls were fighting over a french fry. People walking by would kind of grin, some shook their heads, but the funny thing was…he didn’t seem embarrassed at all. He just kept playing, laughing every time he messed up and starting over again.
Somewhere along the way growing up, a lot of us started believing we’re supposed to already know how to do everything before we even begin. We avoid trying new things because we’re afraid of looking foolish, failing, or not getting it right the first time. But the truth is, every person you admire was once completely terrible at the thing they now do well.
There’s something freeing about allowing yourself to be a beginner again. No pressure to be perfect, no need to impress anyone…just learning, growing, and figuring things out one mistake at a time. Sometimes life gets better the moment you stop worrying about looking silly and simply enjoy the experience of becoming something new.
By the end of the afternoon that guitar player still wasn’t very good…but he was a whole lot better than when he started, and he probably had more fun than anyone else there.
Remember, you don’t have to master something to enjoy it. Sometimes the courage to begin is the real victory.
Have a wonderful day…See you on the radio.
Follow along with Tiki Bar Publishing, The Space Between The Waves Podcast, and Tiki Man Radio for more good vibes

Gooooood Morning Everyone Happy Wednesday, Welcome to the Halfway Point!
Meanwhile, Janice owns the Sunshine Flower Shop just off Ocean BLVD where her motto hangs above the old wooden doorway…“Every day is beautiful in its own way.”
Her little shop isn’t really just a flower shop at all. It’s more like a mix between a flower boutique, antique store, and a collection of forgotten memories brought back to life. Flowers sit inside old coffee cups, rusty cracker tins, faded glass bottles, and just about anything with a bottom that can still hold water. Nothing matches…and somehow that’s exactly what makes the place feel perfect.
One rainy afternoon while I was standing there listening to an old beach song play softly through the speakers, Janice looked over while arranging sunflowers into an old pie pan and said, “There’s a hidden cost to treating every choice like it has to be permanent.”
At first, I didn’t think much about it, but the more I watched people come and go through that little shop, the more it made sense. Some flowers lasted weeks, others only days, but every single one still brought beauty to the room while it was there. Life works a lot like that. Some seasons stay awhile, some people drift in and out like the tide, and some paths were only meant to teach us something before leading us somewhere else.
Maybe the mistake isn’t changing direction sometimes…maybe the mistake is holding onto things long after they’ve stopped helping us grow.
Remember, not everything in life is meant to last forever to still have meaning.
Have a great day…See you on the radio.
Follow along with Tiki Bar Publishing, The Space Between The Waves Podcast, and Tiki Man Radio for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, we all have that inner voice…the one that quietly speaks up when something doesn’t feel quite right. It’s the voice that tells you to question someone’s intentions, warns you when danger may be close, or in some cases simply reminds you that yes…you are officially lost again with no idea how you ended up on this road in the first place.
The older I get, the more I’ve learned that voice usually knows what it’s talking about. Life has a funny way of testing us with distractions, pressure, and people who want us to become who they think we should be instead of who we really are. Staying true to yourself isn’t always the easiest path because sometimes honesty, loyalty, and knowing your own worth comes with a price. Not everyone will understand your journey, your choices, or the direction your heart pulls you toward.
But somewhere between the sunrise, the wrong turns, the hard lessons, and the quiet moments alone, you start realizing peace comes from being comfortable with who you are. The people meant to walk beside you will never require you to pretend to be someone else just to belong.
Remember, trust your instincts, protect your peace, and never lose yourself trying to fit into places you were never meant to stay.
Have a great day…See you on the radio.
Follow along with Tiki Bar Publishing, The Space Between The Waves Podcast, and Tiki Man Radio for more good vibes.