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Stephanie Weber

@heystephanieweber

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🌊 Ocean soul • Nature lover • Mermaid
🌴 Mindful Travel | Conservation | Slow Living
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✨This is 35✨

34 was a pretty amazing year, and I am incredibly grateful for all the people in my life who made it so magical

Way more people than are in these photos, and too many to tag here, but you all know who you are 🩵

More than anything, I think this was a year of becoming

I shifted into a career in conservation - the kind of work I DREAMED about doing as a little girl 🐋

I became an advanced certified scuba diver (!!!), joined a freediving club, spent more time in the ocean, traveled, explored, and went on my very first solo travel adventure

I started working out regularly again and prioritizing my physical and mental health after feeling burnt out for so long

I feel like I finally started figuring out who I really am and what kind of life I actually want to create

Just feeling so dang grateful today!

So much magic yet to come 🐋🌴🌊🩵✨ by @heystephanieweber

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a month ago

Forever grateful for the privilege of experiencing this beautiful Earth 🌊

The more time I spend in nature, the more I realize how impossible it is to separate loving this planet from caring about what happens to it

That’s why conservation feels so personal to me

It’s more than just appreciating beautiful places….

It’s learning about them. Making more thoughtful choices. Using your voice when it matters. Supporting ethical tourism and the people and organizations doing the work on the ground. Looking for small ways to leave the world a little better than you found it

Because getting to experience nature is such a gift

And I think we all have a role to play in protecting the places and wildlife that make this world so beautiful 🐋

Not because we are separate from nature, but because we ARE nature 🌿

And this is our one home 🌎

Don’t underestimate what one person who genuinely cares can do!

What’s a place, animal, or experience that made you care more deeply about protecting nature? by @heystephanieweber

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2 months ago

Born to be a mermaid, forced to be a human 🧜🏼‍♀️

Footage by @chicagophotomh
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#mermaid #borntobeamermaid #mermaidlife #mermaidvibes #reallifemermaid by @heystephanieweber

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2 months ago

Dreaming of being back in the deep blue 💙🌊

Last year, while on retreat in Mexico, I completed my Level 1 freediving certification with @saltysoulsfreediving and @aguasaladabcs

I never expected to fall in love with it as much as I did 🤿

I’ve always felt at home in the ocean, but freediving is something entirely different

It’s just you, the ocean, and the air in your lungs

Freediving requires complete trust in your body and a level of calm that can’t be forced

It was also one of the single hardest things I’ve ever done

I almost didn’t earn my certification because I struggled so much with equalizing. I remember feeling incredibly frustrated and wondering if I was actually going to be able to do it…

Watching everyone else around me make it look so effortless only made me want it more

After several days of trying, it finally clicked!! It wasn’t easy, but earning that certification was an extremely proud moment for me 🩵🥺🫶🏼

I think that’s part of why I love it so much

Freediving has taught me that some of the most rewarding experiences come from leaning into the things that don’t come naturally

The challenge makes the breakthroughs feel that much sweeter

That’s one of the reasons I believe the ocean is my greatest teacher

Out there, your ego doesn’t matter. Your expectations don’t matter

The ocean doesn’t bend to your timeline. It doesn’t care how badly you want something

It just asks you to slow down, listen, stay present, and meet it with respect

And when you do, it has a way of teaching you exactly what you need to learn

I’m so excited to keep growing, building my skills, exploring deeper waters, and seeing what lessons the ocean has in store for me next 🤿🐋🌎 taken in La Ventana, B.C.S. by @heystephanieweber

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3 months ago

It’s always wild to me how much can change in a year 🩵

Almost exactly one year ago, I came home from a retreat that cracked my heart wide open

It forced me to confront what I had been avoiding for a long time: despite having a life that looked good on paper, I wasn’t truly happy

Deep down, I was craving something different…

A life filled with adventure, travel, and a deeper connection to nature 🌿

The business I had spent years building no longer felt aligned. I was completely burned out and no longer excited about how I was spending my days

I felt disconnected from myself, from my purpose, and from the things that made me feel most alive

And it sent me into one of the hardest seasons of my life 💔

But it also became a turning point

And I realized that if I wanted a different life, I had to be willing to create one

So I did

I lovingly shut down the business I had spent 5+ years building

I completely changed careers and stepped into a DREAM role where I get to tell stories that inspire people to protect wildlife and our planet 🐋🌎

I restarted every single one of my social media platforms from scratch so I could build a community that felt truly aligned

I started prioritizing my health and wellness, working out, and creating habits that supported the person I wanted to become

Most importantly, I started building the foundation for a life centered around the things that matter most to me: being in the ocean, spending time in nature, traveling, protecting the planet, and living an adventurous life 🌊🤿✈️

Looking back now, I am so proud of my willingness to change, even when it didn’t make sense to anyone else

Even when it was uncomfortable

Even when there were no guarantees that things would work out

A year later, my life looks completely different ✨

Not because everything is perfect, but because I finally started moving in a direction that feels aligned with who I really am

If you’ve been feeling that something in your life isn’t quite right, don’t ignore it

That discomfort isn’t there to punish you. Sometimes it’s there to point you toward something better

One year can change everything

Trust yourself enough to take the first step 💙🌊 by @heystephanieweber

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3 months ago

In the conservation world, we spend a lot of time talking about the value of nature 🌴

Too often, our modern society sees nature as something only to take from

🪵 Trees become lumber to build our homes and furniture

💎 Forests are cleared to mine diamonds, minerals, and crystals

💔 Animals are only valued for their market price, for what they can produce, or be sold for as food

The list goes on...

But what if nature doesn’t have to do anything for us to be valuable?

One of the biggest realizations I’ve had recently is that I don’t think my purpose on this earth is to convince people to book tropical vacations or get the perfect beach photo 📸🏝️

I think my purpose is to remind people that nature is inherently worthy of love and protection simply because it exists

🐋 A whale doesn’t have to benefit us to deserve to live

🪸 A coral reef doesn’t have to make us money to be worth saving

🌴 A rainforest doesn’t have to justify its existence

Life has worth BEYOND its usefulness to humans!

It breaks my heart when people tell me they’re “not nature people”

Because nature isn’t just somewhere we visit, it’s part of who we are. We ARE nature!

Wild animals don’t get depressed in nature - they get depressed in captivity

Maybe we aren’t so different?

If there’s one thing I hope this page inspires you to do, it’s to spend a little more time outside ☀️

Watch a sunset. Walk through a forest. Sit by the ocean. Listen to the birds

The more time we spend in nature, the more we remember that we belong to it!

Nature’s value can’t always be measured in dollars, resources, or productivity

Sometimes, its greatest gift is simply reminding us what it means to be alive

In a world that has become so disconnected, the goal of my work is to show you the beauty of nature and help you fall in love with it

Because we protect what we love

And if we want to save wildlife and wild places, the first step is helping MORE people fall in love with them

Maybe changing the world doesn’t always begin with convincing people…

Maybe it begins with helping them notice 🩵🐠🌊🪸☀️

#wildlifeconservation #protecttheocean #oceansoul #naturelover #protectnature by @heystephanieweber

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4 months ago

Girl, what were you thinking?! 🤣🌊🧜🏼‍♀️🐠
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#littlemermaid #mermaid #mermaidvibes #mermaidlife #girlswhofreedive by @heystephanieweber

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4 months ago

I hope I’m never too busy to notice...

The way the sunlight dances on the water

The way the sky changes color at sunset

The sound of waves crashing against the shore

The peace I feel when I’m underwater

Because it’s often the little moments that make life feel so magical ✨🩵🌊🫶🏼 by @heystephanieweber

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4 months ago

Wait for it…

This day will forever be a core memory

One of those magical ocean moments I’ll never forget🐬🩵

Taken on ocean safari with @saltysoulsfreediving and @aguasaladabcs

#dolphins #freediving #oceanlover #bajamexico #oceansafari taken in La Ventana, B.C.S. by @heystephanieweber

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4 months ago

Travel. See the world. Step outside your comfort zone. ✈️

Travel has a way of expanding your perspective in ways you’d never expect

It reminds you how big the world is, how many different ways there are to live, and how much beauty exists beyond your daily routine

It teaches you about other cultures, other people, and most importantly, yourself!

It connects you with nature and our beautiful planet in a way that photos and documentaries never could

Swimming in crystal-clear water, seeing incredible wildlife, or watching the sun rise over a place you’ve never been before has a way of shifting something inside you

And with that connection often comes a deeper appreciation for the Earth, and a greater sense of responsibility to protect it

It’s hard not to care when you’ve witnessed the beauty of our planet with your own eyes 🌎💙

Don’t wait for the “perfect” time

Life is happening right now!

The perfect moment rarely arrives, and there will always be another reason to stay where you are

Another responsibility. Another excuse. Another year gone by…

At the end of the day, all we truly have is the time we are given and what we choose to do with it. ✨

Book the trip. Take the chance. Go on the adventure.

Say yes to the things that scare you a little. Get lost. Meet new people. Try the food. Learn the language.

Watch the sunset. Collect memories instead of reasons why you should have gone

You’ll return home with new stories, unforgettable memories, a wider perspective, and a version of yourself that is just a little braver, a little wiser, and a little more connected to this incredible world we call home 💙🌊✈️✨ by @heystephanieweber

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4 months ago

Happy World Oceans Day! 🌊🩵

If you know me, you know I’m an ocean soul

The water has always been my greatest source of healing, joy, adventure, and connection. It’s where I feel most alive, most grounded, and most myself

The ocean has shaped so much of who I am today. But she needs our help!

World Ocean Day is a global movement dedicated to raising awareness about the challenges facing our oceans and inspiring action to protect the blue heart of our planet

You don’t have to live by the coast to make a difference!

Here are a few ways to support ocean conservation:

🚮 Join (or organize) a cleanup at your local beach, lake, river, or stream. Every waterway is connected, and what happens upstream eventually impacts the ocean

🌊 Reduce your plastic consumption. Bring a reusable water bottle, skip single-use plastics, bring your own grocery bags, and make small swaps that add up over time

🪸 Contact your elected officials and advocate for stronger protections for marine ecosystems and wildlife

🧜🏼‍♀️ Follow, engage, and support organizations doing important ocean conservation work, such as @oceana, @oceanconservancy, @coralgardeners, @futureswell, @friendsofthechicagoriver, @seashepherd, or your favorite local marine nonprofit

🐠 Significantly reduce or completely stop seafood consumption. Overfishing remains one of the greatest threats facing marine ecosystems worldwide

🐚 Choose ocean-friendly products, such as reef-safe sunscreen, biodegradable cleaning products, personal care items free of microplastics, and sustainably made clothing (Like @oceansoul.swimwear)

The ocean covers more than 70% of our planet, produces much of the oxygen we breathe, and supports countless species, including us!

Today, and every day, we need to keep fighting to protect what we love. How are you choosing to show up for the ocean? 🌎🌊💙

#WorldOceanDay #NationalOceanMonth #OceanConservation #ProtectWhatYouLove #oceanlover by @heystephanieweber

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4 months ago

The most beautiful shell I’ve ever found! 🐚

And no, I didn’t keep it. I put it back in the water for the hermit crabs and conch to use. These shells are tiny homes, and the ocean needs them far more than we do 💙🌊

#panama #sanblas #sanblasislands #shelling #islandlife taken in San Blas Islands Panama by @heystephanieweber

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4 months ago