“Sir, come with me please,” says an officer at the Nicaraguan border. 

I’m escorted to a back room with eight officers awaiting my arrival.

“Sit here,” he says.
I sit facing a female officer with a stern look on her face.

“Is this you?” she asks.

I read the paper she’s holding in front of me:

“Colin Walters - presentador del podcast Seeds of Success” (plus some other words I couldn’t quite comprehend).

Highly confused, I responded as confidently as I could: “Sí, eso es…”

Then the interrogation began:
“What are the topics?”
“Who’s your audience?”
“Who do you interview?”
“Why do you interview them?”
“When did you start your podcast?”
“Why did you start it?”

I answered honestly and as best I could…
in Spanish. 

Trust me when I say there was zero English being spoken with questions firing from all directions.

At first I was a little shaken, but then re-rooted in the fundamentals:

I sat up taller. 
Embraced who I was. 
And remembered that I had nothing to hide.

There’s power in your truth.
Embrace it.

I answered every question with conviction and integrity until the next request:

“Pull up your YouTube please,” as she hands me her phone. 

Two minutes later we’re watching my latest interview with Chris Cullen talking about an “I Get To” mindset. 

In the back office of a Nicaraguan border crossing. 

What is going on???

“Permiso,” I say, “pero ¿que es el problema con el podcast?”

No response. 

“So you’re an influencer?”

I pause.
Am I an influencer?

Maybe?
Kind of?
You know what, I think I am.

“Yes I am,” I boldly pronounce. 

I never considered myself an “influencer” like the cool kids are saying nowadays, but in the moment, it was a full-body yes.

I want to influence people to:

Live healthy. Love hard.
Chase dreams. Take risks.
Embrace fear. Stay curious.

And do the things that set your soul on fire, living a more meaningful, expansive, soul-driven life.

So yeah, I guess I am an influencer.

Thank you to the Nicaraguan Border Patrol for helping me come to that conclusion 🚀

Fast-forward two hours and plenty more questions, they eventually told me I was free to go.

Welcome to Nicaragua. 

(P.S. - Nicaragua is extremely strict on media, content, and video of their country. For example, drones are prohibited.

I was aware of this, and knew I hadn’t broken any rules, so I felt confident in my standing.

Do your homework before traveling to a foreign country)

🌱 Here’s the takeaway:

There are situations in life where things are out of our control. 
This was one of them.

I’m in their country. Their land. 
Their rules. Their process. 

Some backpackers were stressed and anxious - making comments I would never voice, especially in a foreign country.

I respect their process, and as long as I walk out safe with passport in hand, I’m a happy man. 

So I embraced everything with a smile.
A calmness and assurance that everything would turn out just fine. 

And you know what? It did. 

Then I had myself one heck of a week climbing volcanoes, ripping motorbikes, and chasing sunsets in the beautiful country of Nicaragua.

So I encourage you - the next time things are out of your control, smile.

You might be creating a story that will live on forever.

Plus - it’s not every day I GET TO answer questions about my podcast in a Nicaraguan border crossing.

What a uniquely beautiful life experience to throw in the cookie jar. 

We have the power to choose our perspectives and responses,
which then shape our lives.

Choose wisely.

E + R = O
(Event + Response = Outcome)

P.S. - coming to you live from Bocas del Toro, Panamá. Wrapping up three action-packed days island hopping, clubbing, dancing, jungle trekking, and livin’ da island life with my latest tribe of backpackers.

We met on a shuttle from Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, crossing the border on foot, jamming into shuttles and boats, and becoming one big island family.

It’s times like these that make travel unforgettable:
shared experiences with unexpected friendships.

I even did something I’ve never done solo traveling…

I stayed in a hostel.
With a shared bedroom.

And it’s been great.

Made more friends, practiced more Spanish, built more community, and saved $100.

Not a bad deal if you ask me.

Scratched scuba diving tomorrow to go do some yoga in the jungle.

Following the flow.

Sigue la aventura ✈️

Tip: Stop & Stare

Action: Next time you notice something beautiful, stop.

Literally stop walking. Stop running. Stop talking. Whatever you’re doing, just stop.

And stare at that thing. And admire its beauty.

This alone is a form of meditation.

It might be a manmade building. It might a sunset. Maybe a mountain. Or a leaf (happened to me today 😂) - but just take a moment to acknowledge beauty when you see it.

Value: When we look for beauty, we see it more often. When we admire the beauty, we embrace the present moment. We create a sense of gratitude. And an opportunity to smile with our hearts. What a beautiful thing.

I climbed a volcano in Nicaragua last week. And did something I never do:
Listened to a podcast.

It just felt right.

One of my best friends and local trail running legend, Jake Richards, ran (and won) a 100-mile race last summer.

This episode is an interview with the guy who got second.

Addiction. Recovery. Sobriety. Losing a son. And transforming himself through 100-mile ultramarathons.

It was powerful. Here’s the episode ⬇️

Podcast: Rob Clemens - From Personal Struggles to 100 Miles: Running as Transformation

🌱 Loved this takeaway on commitment: “Pick It & Stick It”

Commit to something and don’t deviate. See it through.

I believe a huge component to self-confidence is built on following through on personal commitments.

💻 Recent Newsletter Posts

🎙️Seeds of Success Podcast (Spotify)

🎙️Seeds of Success Podcast (Apple Podcasts)

🎬 YouTube | 📸 Instagram | 📱TikTok | ✍️ LinkedIn | 📈 Substack

✍️ Goal 1: Write 49 Newsletters
Realized: 12/49

🌎 Goal 2: Travel to 34 countries by age 34
Realized: 22/34

💰Goal 3: Earn $50k in self-generated revenue
Realized: $1,105

Got this far? Reply and let me know your biggest insight, takeaway, or idea.

Or any feedback you have for the newsletter - suggestions, improvements, what you like/don’t like.

I love hearing from you and always respond.

Also - many of you continue to share the newsletter on social or forward via email/text.

Thank you. It’s the #1 way the newsletter grows, so if you know someone who might enjoy it, please share.

I hope you continue finding value and inspiration to take action toward a life that feels aligned, expansive, and meaningful for you.

Sigue la aventura 🚀

It’s 11pm in Bocas and I’m ready to go dance one last time with my crew before I leave tomorrow, so I’m going to wrap things here.

I appreciate you.

So much.

See you next week 🤙🏽