The Space Between The Waves

Meanwhile, somewhere along the way in life, I came to a realization…one that doesn’t usually show up early, but sure makes a difference when it finally does. The key to happiness isn’t what others think about you…it’s how you feel about yourself.
I remember a time when I’d measure everything by outside noise, opinions, approval, expectations. Like standing on a dock waiting for someone else to tell you when it’s okay to cast off. And the truth is, if you live that way long enough, you’ll always be tied to someone else’s shoreline.
But something happens when you stop listening to all that and start paying attention to your own compass. You realize not everyone is going to understand your path, and honestly…they’re not supposed to. Their opinions are shaped by their journey, not yours.
That doesn’t mean you stop learning from people or shut the world out. It just means you stop handing over the steering wheel. You start trusting who you are, what you’ve learned, and where you’re going, even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else.
Remember, at the end of the day, peace doesn’t come from approval…it comes from alignment. Being okay with who you are when it’s quiet, when there’s no audience, no applause…just you.
Stand a little taller, trust yourself a little more, and don’t let outside voices rewrite your story.
Have a wonderful day, see you on the radio.
Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, I’ve come to believe that everything we do, and everyone we meet, finds its way into our lives for a reason. Not by accident, not by chance…just part of a bigger picture we don’t always see in the moment.
I remember sitting at a quiet little marina one afternoon, watching boats come and go, when a conversation started with a complete stranger. Nothing planned, nothing expected…just a simple “how’s it going?” that turned into a story I didn’t know I needed to hear. Funny how that works.
Because sometimes the lesson isn’t loud or obvious. Sometimes it shows up in passing…in a quick conversation, a missed opportunity, or even a wrong turn that leads you somewhere better. And if you’re paying attention, really paying attention, you start to see the pattern.
We’re all teachers in some way. Some people show us what to do…others show us what not to do. Some bring encouragement, others bring challenges. But every single one leaves us with something, if we’re willing to accept it.
The hard part is trusting it. Trusting your instincts when they nudge you in a direction that feels uncertain. Taking a risk when it would be easier to stay comfortable. And not sitting around waiting for some big miracle to show up and do the work for you.
Because more often than not, the “miracle” is already in motion…it just looks like a small step, a quiet moment, or a person crossing your path at just the right time.
Remember, stay open to it and pay attention to the moments, the conversations, and the people. There’s a lesson in there somewhere and always look for the teachers, they're real.
Have a wonderful day, see you on the radio.
Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, what if we all had a coin to flip each morning? One side says “Be Miserable,” the other says “Be Happy.” You wake up, flip it, and whatever it lands on, that’s your day. Sounds ridiculous, right?
But the funny thing is, a lot of people are already living that way…they just don’t realize it.
I was sitting at a little café spot once, watching people come and go. Same sunshine, same breeze, same view…but not the same experience. One guy walks in already frustrated, complaining about everything before he even sits down. Meanwhile, another person sits just a few stools over, smiling, taking it all in like it’s the best moment of their day. Same place…different coin flips, or so it seemed.
Truth is, there was no coin.
What there was…were habits, perspectives, and choices made long before that moment. Some people wake up already deciding the day is going to be heavy, already expecting the worst, already carrying yesterday into today. Others decide, even if things aren’t perfect, they’re going to find something good anyway.
Without even knowing it, we flip that “coin” ourselves every single morning.
It’s not always easy, and it doesn’t mean ignoring real problems or pretending everything is perfect. It just means choosing not to let every little thing decide your direction. It means realizing that while we can’t control everything that happens, we do have a say in how we show up for it.
Remember, maybe don’t leave it up to chance. Don’t hand your day over to a flip of the coin. Make the call yourself. Cheers to a better day.
Have a wonderful day, see you on the radio.
Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, there’s this thing people do…could be former employees, friends, or even family…that always gets under my skin. That idea that something is “impossible.” Truth is, most things only feel impossible right up until the moment somebody goes and does it.
There are struggles in life that can seem overwhelming, no doubt about it. Situations we walk ourselves right into, and then convince ourselves there’s no way out. But if we’re being honest, it’s not always the situation that’s impossible…it’s the decisions that led us there that make it feel that way.
Now sure, there are things in life that are truly out of our control…a burning building, a storm you didn’t see coming, or a sickness that changes everything. Those are real, and those are different. That’s not what I’m talking about here.
What I’m talking about are the moments where we stand still…when we know what needs to be done but choose not to move. When fear of failing keeps us from even trying. When we convince ourselves it’s easier to stay stuck than to risk the climb out.
I once knew a guy who sat in the same place for years, talking about what he was gonna do “one day.” Had the talent, had the opportunity, even had the support…but what he didn’t have was the willingness to take that first uncomfortable step. And over time, that “one day” turned into “maybe someday,” and eventually into nothing at all.
Impossible isn’t always a wall…sometimes it’s just a story we tell ourselves to justify standing still. And the truth is, most of the time, the way out isn’t easy…but it is there. It starts with one decision…then another…then another.
Remember, maybe don’t focus on the whole mountain. Just take the first step. Change one decision. Try one thing differently. Because what feels impossible right now might just be waiting on you to prove it wrong.
Have a wonderful day, see you on the radio.
Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes.
 
 
 
 
 

Meanwhile, there are times when the world just doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense… like everything’s spinning a little faster than it should.
You ever notice how some people seem to cut corners, bend the truth, or fake their way through things… and still come out ahead? Yeah… it happens.
But here’s the part you don’t always see… it’s never enough.
There’s always something else they’re chasing, something missing, something that never quite settles in.
Because the truth is, when you build something on shaky ground, eventually you run out of places to stand.
Now, it’s easy to get caught up in that… looking around, comparing, wondering why not you.
But that’s a slippery road… one that quietly trades your peace for something that was never meant for you in the first place.
Happiness isn’t something you find out there… it’s something you build within.
And you can’t build it if you’re focused on everyone else’s life instead of your own.
So here’s the shift…Focus on what’s real, what matters. Focus on what you can control.
Because the moment you start believing in your own direction… things begin to change.
Write this one down somewhere you’ll see it: “I refuse to let what I did, didn’t do, or should’ve done control what I’m about to do.” Control the fear… don’t let it control you.
Remember, when life feels like it’s spinning a little too fast… don’t hang on in the back, move up front, hands high and own the ride.
Have a fantastic week everybody, see you on the radio.
Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, the highway signs above flash, “WARNING EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED”… and I can’t help but smile, like that’s not already part of the plan.
Because that’s where curiosity takes over… where you start connecting dots you didn’t even know you were collecting. Just around the next bend, the sky changes, the road stretches out a little different, and somehow it all lines up, the sunlight, the moment, even that big ole yellow moon hanging low when you least expect it.
Do you believe everything happens for a reason? I do.
Maybe not in the moment… maybe not when you're right in the middle of it. But give it time, and one day you start to see it, all of it, laid out like one of those old folded maps people used to carry. The kind that never folded back the same way twice unless you really knew what you were doing.
On paper, the trip never looks that far. But the journey… that’s where the miles add up.
And those warning signs? They’re real. Expect the unexpected… but don’t let it throw you off course for too long. Because when you stop and really look at it, the unexpected moments, the detours, the delays, the things you never planned, those are the very dots that connect everything together.
You can’t see the full picture without them.
You can’t understand where you’re going without honoring where you’ve been.
So maybe it’s not about trying to control every turn…Maybe it’s about trusting the road.
Remember, your life is the trip. Fold the map up and tuck it away for a while. The unexpected doesn’t always mean something’s gone wrong… sometimes it means something better is just ahead.
Have a fantastic weekend, see you on the radio.
Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, there are things you keep that mean nothing to anyone but you… could be big, could be small… sometimes it’s just a memory.
Hanging on a rusty nail, changed by the passing years, through warm summers and cold winters, it just stays there… quiet… as a reminder of days that once felt endless.
Most folks who’ve been to the Tiki Bar walk right past it without a second glance.
Just a label that reads “Shakespeare 1897”… an old measuring pouch for your catch, with little pockets for lures and line. Something you’d wear on your side while fly fishing the day away, maybe keeping a trout or two if luck was on your side.
But to me… it’s more than that.
It’s early mornings by the water before the world woke up, it’s the sound of boots in the gravel and a tackle box snapping shut and laughter carried across the shoreline and stories that got a little better every time they were told.
It’s a piece of my childhood… handed down, worn out, but never worn off.
And maybe that’s the thing about the stuff we hold onto…It’s not about what it is… it’s about what it carries.
Because somewhere along the way, those simple moments became the ones that mattered most. The ones that shaped us, slowed us down, and reminded us what life feels like when you’re really living it.
So if you’ve got something like that… don’t hide it away. Let it hang where you can see it and remind you.
Let it take you back… even if just for a minute.
Remember, it’s the little things that hold the biggest stories. Because sometimes, looking back is exactly what helps you move forward.
Have a fantastic Thursday, see you on the radio.
Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, one of the last pieces of advice my dad ever gave me wasn’t some long speech… it was simple, almost like a quiet clue, “Take care of yourself.”
It caught me off guard, because we always ended our calls the same way… “I love you.”
I remember exactly where I was that morning… what I was doing… caught up in the corporate world, busy, distracted… and honestly, far away from where I should’ve been.
Funny how the simplest words can carry the most weight later on.
The Ancient Tiki Leaders always hinted that living well was the real secret to life… and the truth is, only you know what that looks like for you.
Here’s a little clue… it has nothing to do with money.
Whatever you’re facing right now, setbacks, failures, doubt, or even people telling you what you can’t do, don’t let that noise settle in.
Success isn’t about proving them wrong… it’s about proving to yourself what you’re made of. Everything else tends to fall into place after that.
And those moments when you feel pushed right up against your limits… that’s where the real you shows up.
Don’t fool yourself into believing you can’t. Keep telling yourself you can… and then back it up.
Remember, taking care of yourself isn’t just slowing down… sometimes it’s pushing forward, believing a little more, and choosing not to quit.
Have a fantastic Wednesday… and take care of yourself. See you on the radio.
Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes.

Goooooood Morning Everybody Happy Tuesday, rise and shine.
Meanwhile, she sat in the living room as the morning sun spilled across the floor, soaking it in like a hummingbird in still air, a suitcase resting quietly by her side. One last look around, not at what she had done, but at all the things she kept putting off. Funny how life can feel like a fast ride, she thought, always moving, rarely pausing long enough to notice what’s slipping by. She reached for the kitchen towels, smiling at the frayed edges… “Should’ve replaced these,” she said out loud, more to herself than anyone else.
But the past had already said its piece, and there wasn’t much use arguing with it now.
It was time to go.
By this time tomorrow, she’d be rolling down Highway 1 with the windows open, chasing that warm coastal breeze, maybe pulling into Alabama Jack’s for oysters and a cold beer, letting the salt air remind her what living feels like again.
You know those moments… right before dawn, when everything is quiet and your thoughts get a little louder than they should. That’s when the worries creep in, bringing along all the “should have,” “could have,” and “what if” thoughts. They can make the whole world feel heavier than it really is.
But here’s the truth… most of what we worry about never comes to pass. We just let our minds drift to the worst-case scenario because it’s easier than stepping forward into change.
Remember, dawn doesn’t just bring light… it brings opportunity and a chance to do something different.
A chance to stop waiting. A chance to finally change the things that have been sitting in the back of your mind.
Because if you really want to change… you will.
Have a fantastic Tuesday, see you on the radio.
Follow along with Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, it’s easy to get caught up in the stories we tell ourselves… the ones that feel real simply because we’ve thought them over and over again. But not everything that feels true actually is. She sits at a little corner café just outside the busy tourist streets, watching the world move by. Life happening in real time all around her, yet her thoughts drift in and out like waves, trying to make sense of it all. With both hands wrapped around a warm cup of coffee, she pauses… not to look back, but to take in the moment right in front of her. The morning light pours through the tall windows, filling the room with a quiet kind of warmth. The sound of breakfast on the grill, the low hum of conversation, the steady rhythm of a new day getting underway. And in that moment, something shifts. Maybe it’s not about looking behind or trying to figure it all out. Maybe it’s about seeing clearly what’s right here… right now. Life isn’t happening somewhere else, it’s not waiting in another time or place, it’s unfolding in the small moments we often overlook. When you stop measuring where you’ve been or where you think you should be… you start to notice what’s already in your hands. Remember, this moment is yours… don’t miss it chasing something that isn’t here. Have a great day… see you on the radio. Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes