Looking Back at 2021

People deal with adversity in many different ways. This year has really tested a LOT of people, myself included. My escape is outdoors. When I’m feeling like there’s too much going on, getting bummed out or just need to get away – I head out into the woods for a solo mission. I’ve got a few favorite spots that I know will greatly assist with the mental recalibration that I often need.

However, at the beginning of this year, we were restricted to our local areas for several months. I was cut off and I was going batty. Not only could I not travel to my escape spots, I couldn’t travel anywhere! I also think my family was seeing too much of me. :) 

So, I hauled out an old utility trailer I had kicking around and spent a bunch of nights and weekends over a few months converting it into my hunting rig. It got me outside and it kept my brain and hands busy. I NEED to be creating things. As soon as I started, I could feel the clouds lifting. And by the time I was done, I was feeling pretty awesome again. 

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I was sharing this story with a friend the other day as we talked about potential travel restrictions that might be heading our way. He was dreading it, but now that I know what I need to do to keep from getting down in the dumps, I’m ready to move on to my next “escape” project.  

As we finish this year and turn the corner on a new one, I hope you’ve been able to find what it is that helps you escape. For many of us, it’s spending time in the outdoors. That’s a big reason why I started VSSL. I knew that re-creating the tools I made when I was growing up in Saskatchewan would allow me to not only re-live those experiences, but also create opportunity to get out a lot more as I took a deep dive into product testing and development. VSSL is not only pursuing my passion, but something that surely helps keeps me grounded. 

So hopefully during the midst of another crazy holiday season, mixed in with some pandemic anxiety and confusion, you’ll find some moments of joy. It might take a bit of work on your part - but find what it is that helps you escape and make it an intentional part of your journey. We’ll be shutting down VSSL between Dec 24 and January 3rd to make sure all our crew get some much-needed time to re-calibrate.

As we round out the end of the year at VSSL, we are incredibly grateful for our customers now more than ever. We’ve had our best year of all time! Being able to turn this passion of mine into a legitimate business has been absolutely amazing for me. And that’s entirely because you’ve chosen to turn your hard-earned money into things we make. I don’t take this for granted and we will continually strive to earn this honor. Many, many thanks for your support. 

Cheers to 2021 and onward to 2022! 

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