When you have a passion for something that seems hard to break into, or one where the people around you tell you that you should pick something less risky, there comes a time when you have to decide if it’s worth forging your own path.
A common theme that’s been featured in many of the stories that we share is the idea of speaking up about your dreams. They told those around them what they would love to do, which allowed for incredible opportunities to come up when they least expected them… including the opportunity to shoot at the Sochi Winter Olympics.
Whether it’s going for a surf in the UK or hitting the trails in the Alps, Nina Zietman, Editor of Cooler Magazine, shows what it means to be able to do what you love wherever you are. The Cooler Magazine community is described as, “The women who cycle to work, drink tea, practice yoga in our living room, take part in beach cleans and dream of travelling the world in a camper van.” Nina sat down with us to chat about how important it is to push yourself outside of your comfort zone, even if fear is involved.
Meet Nina…
Where are you in the world?
I come from London but I live in Cornwall, UK, just ten minutes from the beach so I can go surfing when the waves are good. In the winter, I live in Morzine in the French Alps with my boyfriend.
How do you follow your bliss?
I’ve always told myself I never wanted to work a job where I had to wear a suit. So far, it’s been pretty successful. It’s important for me to live in beautiful places where I can get outdoors in my spare time, whether it’s surfing, hiking or snowboarding. It’s so important to get outside when my 9 to 5 job is based indoors at a computer.
When did the inspiration for Cooler first come about?
It started out as a print surf/skate/snow magazine for girls back in 2005. We wanted to inspire and encourage women to get outside and explore the outdoors. Now, despite not having a print edition anymore, we still believe in the same ethos.
What would your biggest dream for Cooler be?
I would love Cooler to reach more women across the world and inspire them to lead healthy, happy lives filled with adventure.
If fear ever shows up in your life, how do you move passed it?
Everyone experiences fear at some point in their lives. I felt fear yesterday when I paddled out back at my local break and the waves were just too big for me to handle. I also feel fear when I have to present in front of lots of people in the office. You’ve got to persevere and push yourself outside your comfort zones, even if it scares you at first. Usually, in the end, it’s fine; you are much more capable than you give yourself credit for.
Why do you love what you do?
I love that I get to live my passions. I can live pretty much anywhere in Europe, whether it’s by the beach so I can surf after work, or in the mountains so I can go snowboarding in winter. I also try to help or inspire people when I write. If someone tells me they’ve taken advice from something I’ve written and it’s helped them, that’s the best feeling in the world.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve taken, and how did it feel to go for it?
I’ve always wanted to pursure a career in action sports journalism. Everyone told me it was a risk because journalism itself is so competitive, and it’s such a hard area to make any decent money from. Even when my tutor at university was questioning whether I should branch into a different field of journalism, I stuck by my guns because I knew I didn’t want to work in any other field of journalism. It was terrifying, but it definitely paid off in the long run.
Tell us a time when something totally synchronistic happened?
While I was an online staff writer at Whitelines, my mum ended up chatting to someone in my brother’s school playground. It turned out he used to work for a broadcast company at the Olympics. My mum explained how much I loved snowboarding and he passed on a contact to me, saying I should email and try to get work at the Sochi Winter Olympics. It was a total long shot. I heard nothing for six months, then received an email out of the blue asking if I wanted to be a photographer there. I couldn’t believe it. That was truly a moment where the stars all aligned.
What advice could you give to someone who knows what they love to do, but haven’t gone for it?
There are always reasons why you should or shouldn’t do something. You can weigh them up as much as you like, but at some point you just have to go for it. Sometimes it’s a risk, a truly terrifying prospect. We all have bills to pay and commitments to keep up with, but ultimately what is life for if you don’t pursue what makes you happy?
Check out Cooler Mag and follow their journey on Instagram and Facebook x
