Category: New Zealand

New Zealand is Natures Best

Published on by erikcpanzer

Fern in Abel Tasman National Park New Zealand is a pretty special place. I am very fortunate to have grown up in this amazing country. From a very young age, I have been filled with adventure, to explore, to see, to learn. There is so much on offer in New Zealand for these things, and having spent a lot of time away, I have returned with an enhanced appreciation for the natural beauty of this country that I call home. Growing up, sometimes I would take it for granted, and I know many other of my Kiwi friends did too. It wasn’t until we travelled overseas to really see how lucky we were. The natural sights that I have seen overseas are very incredible, but there is just something a little bit special about the purity and serenity of the sights in New Zealand that sets them apart. Maybe its just the physical connection to the country from being born here, but whatever it is, it sure is special.

Our country is a playground filled with amazing National Parks that contain native bush, clear flowing rivers, peaceful reflective lakes, rugged mountains, incredible coastlines, lush green rolling hillsides, and everything in-between. It really is a natural paradise. And one of the greatest things is that most of it is all very accessible for the everyday New Zealander. Whatever the season, whatever the weather, there are amazing places to see. Climbing to mighty peaks, walking along lakes and rivers, taking a dip in a fresh pool along a river, camping by the ocean and waking to the crashing of the waves and morning song of the native birds. It’s hard to find reasons not to want to enjoy these experiences.

What these experiences and adventure have done for me, is they have kept me grounded. It gives me that feeling of something a lot bigger than me. When you are out in the bush, or on the mountainside with no sight or sound of civilization, and just you and your vulnerable self and thoughts, you seem so small and insignificant, it grounds you. It brings you back down and connects you with this greater life around you. It gives you peace in thought and self, taking you far, far away from any struggles or concerns in your life and just lets you be for awhile. The refreshing feeling of a light southerly breeze across your face as you sit there and admire the breathtaking beauty of your surroundings, that is something I find to be life’s special moments.

The biggest concern I have is the longevity of many places due to the popularity of the attractions. A little respect can go a very long way to ensuring that future generations are afforded the same opportunity to set sight on the natural beauty of this country. However, I still encourage all Kiwis to get out there and truly make the most of this wonderful playground that we have on offer here, I just hope that you leave it better than you found it so that it stays beautiful for years and years to come.

Time for Reflection

Published on by erikcpanzer

2017 has been an incredible year for me.

I have been very blessed to have stayed fit and healthy throughout the past 12 months as I continue to pursue football. This journey in 2017 took me to more countries, more places, than I could have imagined. The experiences I have had, the places I have visited and explored, have been incredible. The people I have met and the stories I have heard have been amazing. And the growth and development as a young man that has occurred in my life has been unmatched by any other prior experience.

2017 certainly hasn’t been easy as I have faced many challenges, making tough decisions like leaving a club, or investing in a rigorous training program, or being dropped to the bench. But I see all these challenges as lessons learned and an opportunity for growth. Although learned in football, these challenges are relative to the real world and these lessons learned give me life skills. They are lessons that I can grow from and utilize in the future when similar situations occur, whether in my own work place or whether I’m working with a client who is also in a similar situation. When times are tough, it makes me tougher and that will show true one day, near or far.

Some of the highlights were:

With all these experiences over the last 12 months, I am very excited to head into the new year with fire in my belly and a continued drive for success and adventure. Life is certainly unpredictable, and it definitely is not fair, so I look forward to embracing every opportunity that I get to develop myself and my wellbeing. The excitement of the unknown is nerving but thrilling. Knowing that there are so many more great experiences to be had, many more lessons to be learned, and best of all, more people to meet and be inspired by or even inspire them.
It is the people in my life that allow me to continue my purposeful journey. I am very thankful for the love and support from all those who assisted in my journey this year. Most importantly, I am grateful to be closer to home this holiday period and spend some precious quality time with my family.
I look forward to continuing to chase my dream in the new year!

Life Is Full Of Learning And Growing

Published on by erikcpanzer

Learning never ends in life, or at least I don’t believe it does. Learning is a crucial element to life, to continue to adapt to this ever changing society we live in. Each and every individual has the ability to learn, about themselves, about their environments, about this world, it is whether or not the individual is open and willing to learning. As previously mentioned in my ‘The 12 Lessons Learned While Chasing My Dreams’ article written 6 months ago, one of the most important lessons I shared was the importance of learning. Learning in every situation, every experience, whether it is good or bad is so important to ensure you grow from it and use it in the future.

I shared the importance of learning with 550 High School students last Monday during my speech as the guest speaker at Garin College‘s Colors Awards ceremony. It was the focal point of what I wanted these high school students to take away, that success or failure isn’t the key, it is the learning in the process and experience that is. For students, I believe that their learning should not be restricted between the walls of a classroom, nor should it be restricted to the walls of their home. Most of the greatest education I have learned has been outside of these walls, interacting with new people, learning about new cultures, and most importantly, getting outside of my comfort zone to learn more about myself. I encourage all of the students to get out and explore the world and learn about themselves, and I encourage you all that read this to do the same. Learn to become a better version of yourself!

My journey has been one of many ups and downs, and this was something that I wrote down awhile ago, and I feel it is appropriate to my life over the last few years:

“Succeeding isn’t just about achieving, it’s about learning, and when it comes down to what I have learned, I have succeeded” – Erik Panzer

And on the football pitch this week, my teammates and I continued to learn. Learning and understanding how our style of play is to counter the oppositions, however we learned a harsh lesson in our game, and that was that of the desire and will to win. Although we had a game plan which we had learned, we only partially executed it, but the greatest let down was our desire to win. It is a lesson that we need to learn as we continue to strive for the levels of performance that we expect from ourselves. Back to training this week to grow from it and put things right this coming week.

The Practice of Patience

Published on by erikcpanzer

Patience really is a virtue. It certainly is a tough skill to learn and apply in life, especially in a society where everyone is expecting instant results or returns. We live in a world that is so fast paced and technological that we all expect things almost instantaneously after going in search for them. Not often do we see individuals working hard, and every day continuing to persevere along a path for something they really want, instead often taking the easy way towards something comfortable and familiar.
Being patient comes with many challenges, it can mean working for a lot of time for something you want, it can be waiting for something that may even never come.
Patience can also be a savior for so many people, in relationships, in decision making, in social experiences. It is a trait that isn’t often practiced or seen in many individuals today, but it can be what sets you apart. It teaches a good lesson, and even if the outcome or result of what you have shown patience for isn’t the one you wished, the learning and development of the skill of patience is so very important throughout life.

“Patience is not just about waiting for something… it’s about how you wait, or your attitude while waiting.” ~ Joyce Meyer

As Meyer says, it is about how you act and react in every situation along your path while you patiently wait for something. This is defining as your actions can either assist in your journey, or they can elongate your journey. The decision is up to you, how will you  act in patience? Patience starts from an everyday attitude towards life, and can slowly become part of your character. Patience starts today, so how will you show it?

This weekend, my team showed patience. After going down 1-0, we were patient in our play, knowing that we were the better team with more quality and firepower. Our patience paid off, ultimately coming back to win 5-2. This is a small example of patience, but for a team playing a season of approximately 25 games, learning and applying patience in this situation allows us to understand the importance of it across the season, throughout the challenges we face and successes we achieve.

I have patiently waited for nearly two years to see my father again, and I was reunited with him this weekend as he came up to watch my game. Although we FaceTime each week, nothing beats seeing loved ones in person and enjoying their character and being in close proximity! It was a special weekend and I was very fortunate to spend time with him, especially after the journey and experiences I have had in the last two years!

Through Failure Comes Success

Published on by erikcpanzer

As I continue to develop my mental state on the training pitch, I am always developing the best ways for myself to overcome the frustrations of failure. It is frustrating to keep trying something and failing, continuing to miss a specific pass because I am trying to force it too much. So, why am I getting frustrated? Because I missed a pass? Because I think I let my teammates down from that missed pass? Because I think I let down my coaches from that missed pass? Because I think I am less of a player because I missed that pass? The only person I am letting down in this situation is myself by getting frustrated. If I do not continue to work on something that is not a strength in my game, if I give up, then I have truly failed myself. I should be embracing this challenge and stay patient, because if I didn’t fail, then how would I learn?

So often with failure, we look elsewhere to place blame, and even when we do understand that it is our own making, rarely do we truly process why we are failing, or even if it is considered to be failing. Identifying what part of the process failed and recognizing it for the next time you are in the situation is very important to making progress. It is also an individuals response to failure that truly sets them apart from others. How you react, in any situation is a huge dictator of character, and with failure specifically, it separates the strong from the weak, the motivated from the unmotivated. Success does not happen without failure, so embrace the challenge to better yourself, to keep persevering, knowing that one day, your greatest failures will lead to your greatest successes.

“Winners are not afraid of losing. But losers are. Failure is part of the process of success. People who avoid failure also avoid success.” – Robert T. Kiyosaki

The quote above is very relevant to our team this weekend. We lost, but I know that we will not avoid it. We will take the result on the chin and embrace it, embrace our weaknesses shown this week and come back stronger and more prepared for success next week.

I continued to explore and enjoy the new city I have been living in for 3 weeks, all while catching up with a few friends who also live here. New Zealand’s natural beauty is simply unbeatable; the fresh air, green hills, blue seas and the great people, it truly is special. It sure does feel good to be back!

Embrace New Environments

Published on by erikcpanzer

As opportunities come, most of them come with a change in environment. Now going from a place where you have been settled and comfortable to a brand new place can be a daunting task for anyone, anywhere. Often times, opportunities take you to a new place with no one you know, or where nothing seems familiar, but the unknown side of an opportunity is what should add to the excitement of it. Embrace the unknown, knowing that this new environment will soon become friendly and familiar to whatever you may be doing. Adapt to change with patience and trust, and then make the environment your own.

Luckily for me, my transition to a new environment was made much easier by the lads on the team and also the lads at The Rex, our house in Miramar. Along with a great staff and professional organization, I have been welcomed into Wellington with open arms and made to feel appreciated. This welcome has allowed me to solely focus on the task at hand and not worry about any external factors that can often inhibit peoples ability to fully immerse themselves in a new environment

What a feeling it is to be back in New Zealand though. There is just something about the freshness of the air, the song of the birds, and the blue of the ocean that just cannot be beaten anywhere in the world. In the days that I have been here, I have experienced the various weather patterns Wellington has to offer, its wild wind, but also its stunning summer weather. Lets hope there is more warm summer days than blustery wet days in the coming months.

As the week came to an end, a long awaited reunion 1o months later with my Mother happened. We had a great weekend exploring Wellington, the Waterfront, Oriental Bay, Mt Victoria, some of the great restaurants, and of course she got to watch me play football again. It was our first official game of the 2017/18 ISPS Handa Premiership, and was also the ASB Charity Cup match. Our preparation all week was very tactical and the lads embraced it all, showing that on the park on Sunday with a great 3-1 win over Auckland City. We thoroughly enjoyed taking down Auckland, who have been the most dominant team in Oceania in the last 10 years.

Credit: Photosport NZ

 

When Opportunity Presents Itself

Published on by erikcpanzer

I wasn’t born to stay home.

Both my parents left their respective countries of birth while in their 20’s. As their son, they raised me purposefully with wings, to fly away. I was encouraged to go explore this world, experience different countries and cultures, and to take opportunities when they are presented to me. Through my travels and experiences, I have gained so much. Most importantly, I have gained a greater perspective of life and through this, I have developed my character into one that is relative to this perspective. I have developed a great appreciation for life, the abilities that I have, the opportunities I receive and the people in my life. This has allowed me to embrace life’s moments and all that it has gifted me, especially because many people do not have the same basic abilities as me or are not offered opportunities similar to me. Life is a gift, so I encourage you to make the most of it, every single day.

I believe I made the most of the last couple weeks in Sweden, and I am very glad I did, as they were my last days I would spend in the beautiful Värmland County, Sweden. My visa expired and I had to make a decision. I made a decision for what I believe to be the best for my well-being, and also my future as a footballer. I received an offer to return to New Zealand and play for Team Wellington FC in New Zealand’s National League, and I took it. The past 18 months since I graduated from Quinnipiac University have been an adventure to say the least. There were many great experiences had during this time, along with many great challenges and learning experiences. I developed many abilities in this period of growth and development. I met many great people who challenged me to be better every day. And I truly believe that wherever I went, and whoever I met, I left a positive impact on them or their environment. I aim to make the world a better place, and I made a point to show my desire to do so during these adventures.

I believe the time was right to return to New Zealand to further progress as a person and football player. The opportunity presented was an attractive one for so many aspects of my life, one that I believe will progress me as a person and a football player. I have bought into a culture of professionalism and excellence along with a set team identity and it will give me a greater purpose in my football, something that has often lacked at the previous teams I was with. I am very excited for the opportunities that lay ahead, along with reconnecting with many old friends and influencers, and getting to further explore the beautiful country that New Zealand is.