Recently, I was reflecting on the moments in my life when I have felt a kind of peace and joy that is almost unexplainable. I cannot really explain it in a logical way. I can only point to where I have felt it, and what it felt like. For me, those moments have happened when I have been on solo road trips through Baja, Mexico.

I have road tripped from San Francisco to Todos Santos and Cerritos Beach, about an hour from Cabo San Lucas, six times. Every time, I end up feeling the same thing. I vividly remember driving through the Baja desert or along the coastline with the windows down, the warm breeze coming in, some chill tunes playing, and miles of open road ahead. It is hard to describe how freeing that feels. Something in me softens. My mind gets quieter. I stop feeling like I am behind in life. I stop feeling like I need to prove anything. It is just me, the road, the ocean, and time moving at a pace that feels human again.

A big part of it is the slower pace of life down there. There is less rush. Less pressure. Less of that constant sense that you should be doing more. Back home, especially in California, it can feel like everyone is running toward something, even if they are not sure what it is. In Baja, I do not feel that same energy. Nobody cares what kind of car you drive. Nobody cares what job title you hold. Nobody cares about the things we tend to obsess over up here. It is humbling, in a good way. It reminds me that a lot of what we chase is not necessary.

What stands out to me most is the people. The Mexican locals I have met have been so kind. Genuinely kind. Not the kind of kindness that feels forced or polite because it is expected, but the kind that feels natural. They seem happy and present. I know life is not perfect anywhere and I do not want to romanticize it as if there are not struggles. But I cannot ignore what I feel when I am there. There is a warmth and a lightness that I do not feel as often at home. It makes me think about how much the rat race impacts us in ways we do not always notice until we step outside of it.

Baja has a feeling that can only be experienced by going there and actually spending time with the locals. You can look at photos all day. You can watch videos. You can read recommendations. But it is different when you are sitting at a small local spot eating fresh food, hearing Spanish around you, watching life move at a slower pace. You learn the culture by being in it, even in simple ways. You learn it by showing up with respect, by listening more than talking, by being a guest and not acting like you own the place because you are on vacation.

One of my favorite places in Baja is Cerritos Beach. That is where I spent most of my time. There is an awesome community there, and a lot of it revolves around surfing, friends, family, and simple living. Life really revolves around the ocean and the land. The beach is where people in the community gather. It is where you see people laughing, kids playing, friends talking, couples walking, surfers watching the sets roll in. There is joy in the air. There is something about the simplicity of it that is infectious. It reminds you that life does not have to be complicated to be good.

I have met a lot of people who left the United States and moved to Baja because they wanted a better quality of life. They did not want to work themselves into the ground, just to maybe start living when they are older, if they make it. I understand that more and more as I get older. It is not that hard work is bad. I believe in hard work. But I also believe we have been sold this idea that life is supposed to be postponed. Grind now, live later. Save the joy for retirement. The problem is that later is never guaranteed.

*Local Surfer from Cerritos Beach: Martin Olea*

It is also hard to ignore how fast things are changing back home. It feels like everything is accelerating, especially in the Bay Area. Technology is the hub here, and you can see the future being tested on the streets in real time. I remember a couple of years ago when the Waymo cars still had drivers as they were testing them. Then within what felt like six months, there were no drivers and the cars were self driving. Think about that. That is not a distant future. That happened quickly, right in front of us.

Now there are companies testing robots in public. People talk about robots being in the streets in a matter of years. It is hard to ignore when it is literally in your backyard. And to be clear, I am not anti technology. I use it. I benefit from it. I am grateful for a lot of what it has made possible. But I also feel a strong pull to not be part of the culture that is pushing it forward at any cost, especially when it creates massive disruption for regular people who are just trying to earn a living and take care of their families.

When you peel back the layers, a lot of this race feels driven by ego. Who can be first. Who can be biggest. Who can be the only. Who can become the next multi trillion dollar company. And I get it, people are ambitious. But none of that is going to matter when it is all said and done. Because guess what. You are going to die. I am going to die. We all are. That is not a depressing thought to me. It is a clarifying one. It makes you question what is worth your time, your energy, your attention, your stress.

At 50 years old, it hits different. I have seen a lot, been through a lot, and lived a lot. I do not say that like I have it figured out. I do not. But I have learned enough to feel more certain about what I do not want in my life. I do not want to spend the rest of my life chasing status. I do not want to be stuck in traffic for paper. I do not want to be on a treadmill that never ends, only to look up one day and realize my life went by while I was busy trying to keep up.

*A lot of people I know don’t get my lifestyle choices, and I have learned to be ok with it.*

Living as simply as I can, without a lot of things to manage or pay for, gives me more freedom. It makes it easier to say yes to opportunities, to travel, to move with the seasons of my life, and to choose where to anchor when I am fully ready. I am learning that simplicity is not about deprivation. It is about space. Space to breathe. Space to think. Space to be present. Space to actually enjoy the life you have.

As of now, Baja, Mexico puts the biggest smile on my face and in my heart. The locals, the surf community, the slow life, and the culture all speak to something I have been craving for a long time. It reminds me that joy can be simple. It reminds me that people matter more than progress. It reminds me that a good day can be as basic as good food, ocean air, and laughter at the beach.

*One of the many beautiful beaches on the drive through Baja.*

I know things are changing fast. I know the world is going to look different in a few years. I can feel it. But I also know this. There is more to life than chasing the dollar and constantly trying to keep up. There is more to life than winning some game that never ends. I want to enjoy my life. I want to live it on my terms. That is what I am trying to do, one decision at a time, even if it is messy and imperfect.

And honestly, I am excited for what is to come.

Chasing Peace, Not More

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