Peace, Surf, and Cannabis: balancing personal life and advocacy

Anyone who has entered the sea with a surfboard under their arm knows: surfing is much more than a sport. It is an exercise in presence, humility, and balance. There is no use in fighting the force of the waves, or trying to control what is beyond our reach. It is necessary to observe, wait for the right moment, take a deep breath, and only then paddle with confidence. Each wave is a unique opportunity, either you connect with it, or it passes by.
In cannabis advocacy, and in life, it is no different.

When I started practicing cannabis law in 2017, it felt like I was entering an unknown sea. High waves of prejudice, strong currents of criminalization, whirlpools of legal uncertainty. But there was also, and still is, the force of the tide pulling forward: patients seeking dignity, whole families fighting for the health of their loved ones, doctors, lawyers, communicators, and researchers committed to science.

But before deciding on this path, I went through a period of sacrifice that left deep marks. I worked in environments where profit mattered (a lot) more than people, where constant pressure and unhealthy competition were justified as "part of the game." I faced situations of moral harassment, where my dedication never seemed enough, and where my physical and emotional health was disregarded in the name of unattainable goals.

The result could not be different: burnout and depression. An exhaustion so great that I could no longer recognize myself. My body asked for a break, my mind asked for air, and my heart asked for meaning. It was in this moment of rupture that I understood: you cannot live against your own tide forever!

As romantic as this career transformation and transition process may seem, the truth is that it was quite painful and risky. Stepping out of the box (and the closet) to break with traditional advocacy required a dose of courage that perhaps only someone very unhappy possessed.

And today, I am an activist lawyer, a cannabis advocate, and a surfer! Hence, I am often asked how I reconcile personal and professional life. The answer is simple: I do not reconcile. I integrate.

After going through so many negative experiences, prioritizing my professional success over the success of a company or another person, I saw that true fulfillment lies in balance. And this is where surfing and cannabis come into my life.

Surfing taught me to wait, to wait, to be awakened to the right wave. And in this waiting, I find the pause I need to listen to myself. When was the last time you did that? Cannabis, on the other hand, taught me that balance comes from within. And cannabis advocacy showed me that it is possible to work with purpose without giving up who I am. So, there is no longer a rigid boundary: what drives me at work is the same thing that drives me in life.

Of course, balancing all of this is not easy and implies sacrifices, dedication, study, action, and discipline. But prioritizing yourself, before your work, is the great transformative key, and perhaps the best way to work better, perform more, and be more fulfilled.

Today, I understand that peace is not the absence of conflicts, but the conscious choice to align life, purpose, and profession. Surfing, cannabis, and advocacy have become parts of the same journey, that of living with balance, without letting work destroy the person, or fear paralyze the professional.

If before I felt swallowed by waves that were not mine, now I surf the ones I choose to paddle. Because, in the end, integration is about making your own life the greatest cause you defend.

And if there is something I learned in this process, it is that when we put ourselves at the center of our own tide, the sea remains challenging, but each wave gains a new meaning.