Our Story

Life lived fully, from the backyard to the backcountry, being present with those we love, doing what we love.

Having grown up with a love of the outdoors, adventure and travel you learn that often the simple mantra: DON’T PANIC, allows you to be present and enjoy those experiences .Whether it is; elite athletics, rock climbing, extreme skiing, cliff jumping, surfing, mountaineering, or traveling in some foreign place - you know that being there, in the moment, in those places is the point of all your efforts.  In some cases there is a real delicate balance between risk management, effort, and enjoyment.  That simple mantra “Don’t Panic” allows you to settle in and just “be in the zone”, making the decisions you need to with a clear mind, letting your body do what it knows to do, and enjoying the moment.  Thriving rather than surviving

Fast forward to life now, with three kids and a couple of dogs running through life in its normative challenges of getting to school on time, sports competitions, exams and first dates, we would say to the kids as they rolled out the door “What’s the family motto?”...”Don’t Panic!”. Often met with rolled eyes or a smirk. 

We know that family life is not all rainbows and unicorns. we have had our fair share of challenges in this world, serious chronic illnesses, we have had fires, crashes and injuries.  We ironically, have a child that suffers panic attacks every day these days due to being immuno-supressed during the pandemic.  We understand anxiety is a real thing and strategies around staying calm when your body and mind want to flee is hard work and lots of practice.  Also -there is a lot of professional help available, we rely on it daily, please take care of yourself and get the help you need.  The world is overwhelmed these days and it can seem too much to handle but keep in mind the simple thought, “if I bring a better me to the situation, at least that will help improve one aspect of this situation.  Control what you can.

Don’t Panic. Breathe. Keep it positive. Smile.

See you out there,

John Shields

all images on site (aside from uploaded gallery) are of our family in action. most of the uploads as well.