Aloha At Home with Zane Kekoa Schweitzer

It can be hard to slow down. We asked Maui Jim ambassador @zaniac1 about how he’s learning to embrace a slower way of life and find his #AlohaAtHome.

How are you staying positive and healthy during quarantine?

During quarantine, I’ve had a lot more time to enjoy quality moments with my fiancé and family. We all live together on our family farm so we are blessed to have a positive environment surrounded by nature.

Aside from my daily routine of mental and physical work including journaling, strength training and yoga, we’ve been expanding our gardens and playing lots of puzzles along with doing art projects to keep our spirits up!

How has the quarantine mixed up your usual routine? How have you adjusted?

As I am normally traveling quite often and focused training for my next event, it’s been refreshing to take a break and mellow out with the family at home in Lahaina. This is the longest amount of time I have spent at home (in Maui) in almost 10+ years, as my travel schedule constantly keeps me moving.

Adjusting to the slower pace was a little challenging at first, but I’ve been able to keep myself busy catching up on projects I’ve put aside at home from my many busy travels and maintaining the family farm while being able to spend quality time with my ‘ohana.

What are you most looking forward to doing after quarantine?

I’m definitely most looking forward to connecting with my friends and hugging my grandparents again! My community and family are so important to me and I feel like I’ve been missing a great part of my being constrained to home boundaries and social distancing!

What acts of kindness have you witnessed recently in your community?

One of the greatest acts of kindness I’ve witnessed in our community lately are the food and delivery service contributions from local farms and restaurants.  With many residents in Hawai’i losing their jobs and being on mandatory home quarantine, many children and families are struggling to keep a healthy diet.  So it’s been so awesome to see all the local farms and restaurants along with delivery services that have donated their produce and services for free delivery or special rates including prices for a meal being whatever you can afford paying, or children eating free.

Have you been able to surf or enjoy nature during quarantine?

Fortunately for us residents in Hawai’i, paddling and Surfing are state sports and considered cultural practice along with fishing and gathering, so we have been able to spend some time in nature around the beach and in the water while minding social distancing of course!  I’m so grateful to be able to still step outside into nature to walk my dogs, do my yoga and breathing or jump in the ocean for a surf and swim to unwind.

What’s the last crazy adventure you had pre-quarantine?

Pre-quarantine, my last adventure was in Indonesia. I was there for a Longboard surfing competition and at the time that I left Hawai’i, the virus was not too much of a great concern. But it seemed that within my 25+ hours of my travel, the coronavirus caught the attention of the US president enough to engage travel bans.  As much as Indonesia isn’t the worst place to be stuck, my family and I were all concerned that I wouldn’t be able to make it home. I decided to stay and hope for the best. After all Indo is one of my favorite places! On my 2nd day in Bali, the competition was canceled! I saw it as a sign to get back home before the travel bans got more serious effects, so I cut my trip short.

What does happiness mean to you?

Happiness to me means so much more than personal or financial success. To me happiness is all about keeping a healthy balance of mental time and physical time including activities that I’m passionate about and allow me to focus, connect with nature and other, and embrace presence and play. The greatest sense of happiness though, comes from being able to share the things that make me happy with others and spark joy in them. I believe I’m here not just to work towards my own personal happiness and success, but to uplift others and my environment on the road to success!

Aloha and Mahalo,

Zane Kekoa Schweitzer