It’s almost been more than a month since my last post & I think I’ve eaten the words to my last post, figuratively. The average rate of my online activity has decreased, although I do still average to check it daily – I’ve been able to limit it to just once or twice a day. My conversations are richer, my relationships are stronger & my vivacity for life is so alive. The more I see, the more I do, the smaller my world becomes and the more I feel like I can do. Without stepping outside of your current realm of existence, one can almost feel that the oyster of the world that is out there is so unconquerable, far away, out of reach. When in reality, it is all so obtainable, so alive and eager to be within your existence if you allow it.
En Route to 2010 Vancouver Olympics
As I write this, I am neglecting to pack my luggage for a flight to Vancouver, hopefully to catch the energy that is the 2010 Olympics. I am leaving for a week & have never been more excited for the unexpected. The plane tickets I received were complimentary, and although my destination is defined, the journey is unexpected – and this excites me. For a very long time & some situations now, I am a very calculated person. The default function for any trip was to open an excel document & just start plotting dates against activities, against budget, against everything – just like the scene from Up in the Air where the young Anna stomps away on her keyboard building a plan made of lines and boxes to define a procedure for an industry she has yet to understand. One that might not even be defined within the constructs & confines of boxes & charts. For this trip, there are no excel sheets.
Defining Your Own Pura Vida
In the last few months, while I’ve continuously preached the greatness that is Costa Rica & the beauty behind finding yourself through pura vida – I realized that this journey is mostly mental. Finding pura vida is not the act of something (moving countries, traveling etc) it is a shift of the mind. It is understanding what is truly important to you, what makes you truly happy in your purist form & mentally reinforcing your mind throughout your journey. Many times – we fall and we forget, and then not before long, we realize we’ve fallen asleep in our lives – allowing external factors to define & overpower our inner voices. Find your own pura vida – strive to be the happiest, most honest, most truthful & forgiving person that you can be, at all times.
Reminders to Wake Up
Today, I want to share a few things I’ve come across the last few months that have inspired me in many different ways. My greatest fear is making sure I don’t subconsciously turn on the autopilot syndrome, living day to day, sleeping awake and stories & experiences are important for me to continue to propel forward. Hopefully they do the same for you.
1. Lemonade Movie – It’s not a pink slip. It’s a blank page.
How many times have we sat at our desks, turned on our laptops or cell phones & mindlessly hovered over to the applications that pose no necessary importance or time sensitivity? How many times on weekends, vacations, essentially non work times do we check Facebook, Twitter or Email? Even when the interactions are not expected of us, we have a sense of dependence to maintain interactions with them. 95% of people on vacation check their email at least once, when we have a major deadline coming up, no matter how hard we try – it’s always a “quick check” of our online social spaces … Why?
How many times have we sat in conversations with others over drinks or dinner & while in mid conversation, mentally drift off into space thinking about who might be “poking” you on Facebook, responded to a tweet or maybe emailed you? Even when the person sitting across from us has taken the time to meet us with their physical presence, we value the surface level depth of conversation that is demanded of us in the virtual space. We’ve all done this before, and I’ve talked about this in a previous blog post as being “lost in artificial transactions” and somehow we manage to check the devices at least twice during the conversation … Why?
How many times have we met someone new, started a dating situation or even with lifelong friends have been unnecessarily frustrated over their slow instant message response time? Even when there is an ability to call, you send a text and expect the other person to respond in an appropriately instantaneous manner. Yet, if it was so important, we don’t call. We place so much emphasis on the instantaneous nature of text messages that we tend to check our screens several times over before we become so frustrated & value the relationship based on their instant messaging interactivity… Why?
There are more buttons here than on your face.
Jerry Seinfeld describes this scenario best with his interview on Conan O’Brien. “So is it true you don’t own a Blackberry? Oh no. I find that Blackberry people, their eyes, their pupils don’t focus… they always hold it in their hand, because that is what Blackberry commands them to do. And they listen to what you’re saying & they compare to what is on the Blackberry – which is more really more interesting here. I think there is more buttons here than on your face.”
But I’m Human in a Digital World.
At what point did our electronic devices become emotionally attached to our subconscious that requires more thought & attention than that of a newborn? When did we accept that the quantity of our online interactions were more important than the quality of our physical ones? And when did it become a negatively social practice to have delayed responses to text messages when there is no intention to place a phone call?
I’ve added the movie poster for the newly released theatre hit Avatar, because it sends a similar message in an awe inspiring way. A message about the beauty of a world so far from our advancement in technology; but when we watch this movie, we can’t help but be envious of the free spirited nature & connection with ourselves that the Na’vi possess – and for good reason.
But, it is because you are human that you possess the following qualities related to digital interactions – easily summarized in four e’s:
We all have a sense of ego: Showcasing status updates according to self defining tasks a day instils a sense of status, accomplishment, pride. Each time you update a status, a tweet, further enhances the image of reputation that you are coming to define – your virtual identity. Most times, these updates/posts possess little to no self deprecating commentary positioning the ego in a desirable state.
We aim to maintain our sense of existence: With increased abilities to become “famous”, leaving your mark on the digital world has become much more accessible with “Internet Celebritcism” according to your niche. Telling others what we are doing, not only documents our accomplishments appealing to our sense of ego, but ensures that we are not left out of the conversation, belonging to a community, essentially building our prominent virtual existence.
We want to exercise our abilities: Once we become accustomed to the routine of touching, checking, tapping, unlocking our phones, the habit then becomes just that. There may not be of any obvious reason (ie incoming text, call etc) but just the act of ensuring our phone continues to live online, “checks us into” the digital world & certifies that we are doing any necessary damage control if needed & are alive and well in that realm.
We live in a realm of digital ecstasy: At what other point in your life can you define how people perceive you? First impressions are based on your hand picked avatar cropped and brushed to perfection. Your status updates are comments that you selectively garner that best represent your ideal character. The links on your twitter account are those that show you possess the knowledge & go to repository for all things relevant to your field. The digital world can sometimes pose as preferable to that of the real world because you have the time & ability to create the perception of self you desire.
Stop Pretending to be “Crazy Busy” and Start Living.
Edward Hallowell, author of “Crazy Busy” offers the explanation for the phenomenon of continued dependencies on electronic devices as a need to being perceptually busy. He explains that the generally accepted notion indicates that the busier you are the more enlightened life you lead. Indefinitely, the technology we’ve invented improves our human connections, and does not replace them. But it is when we let our electronic devices – and what he describes as a “curious magnetism” they exert upon our minds, that take control of us, forces us to consume more information & data points than necessary. They take over our lives & create the negative energy flow that causes more stress than improvement.
What I like about Edward Hallowell’s book is that he crafts terms for seen behaviours with very obvious symptoms we can all identify with. Here are the top 13 relating to our busy lives in the digital world.
Which ones do you find yourself guilty of on a day to day basis?
1) Screensucking – Wasting time engaging with any screen (TV, video game, television, phone etc). How much time a day do you spend facing a screen?
2) Leeches – Things/people that try to take your time away. How much time do you spend trying to make a failed project/engage in useless online interactions succeed?
3) Email voice (EMV) – The tone of a person when they are reading email while talking to you on the phone. Many of you are guilty of this, but what you don’t realize is how much you are devaluing the conversation & relationship with the other person on the phone.
4) Gigaguilt – The more storage you can keep (hence, gigabytes), the more you are expected to track/remember. Keeping track of everything is impossible and having time to please everyone is equally impossible.
5) Kudzu – Clutter & piles that invade where we work or live, specifically email that we leave in our inboxes instead of deleting or moving to a folder because you’ll “come back later” when you never do.
6) Junk Time – A person who spends time without intending to leaving insufficient time for what really needs to be done on thing such as instant messaging, celebrity news, voicemail, long winded people etc
7) Telephone Tag – Resulting in no one wanting to pick up calls and calls back later
8) Conversation Interruptus – Extended conversations have become a rare entity because of external electronic distractions
9) Info Addict – Loses his/her ability to make a difference in life by trying so hard to keep up with all the differences other people are making, reading too much information not necessarily important all the time
10) Human Moments vs. Electronic Moments – Human moments are increasing been replaced by electronic moments, less time is spent & preferred in each other’s physical presence because electronic is hugely efficient, rapid and easy
11) Pizzled – Combination of pissed off & puzzled when someone, without either asking permission or providing explanation brings out his/her cell phone to make a call or answer a call while you are together
12) Fuhgeddomania – Forgetfulness and losing things are derived from data overload without structure in the environment (add lists, reminders)
The year 2009 was the year I woke up. I turned off the autopilot, asked questions, realized the world around me, took chances, created memories, had adventures, strengthened relationships, gained confidence, found forgiveness, believed in love, met amazing people, widened my perspective, opened my heart, laughed more, cried more, lived through new experiences & most of all started my pursuit of happiness.
NYE with the best friend.
This is my last post of 2009 before I head out to Windsor Arms to enjoy the countdown into 2010 with one of my best friends, Rami before he moves back to Lebanon for good. I will enjoy every minute, reminisce the past year & embark on the new journey of 2010. I can only think to myself, how lucky I have been to have started my journey to happiness, found my heart & fell in love with the essence that is, life.
Just short of a month ago, I returned from a vacation in Costa Rica where I discovered that my passion for board sports extends beyond just the snowboarding kind and into surfing. But many of the questions I’ve been getting have been about where and how this all came about – the cameras, the trip, this once in a lifetime opportunity. So here is my story.
In October, MuchMusic blogged about a chance to take part in a surf adventure in Costa Rica, then called “It’s a Shore Thing”. It was a contest and generally, I hardly partake in contests because a) what are the chances you’d win? b) you spend lots of time on your submission and if you don’t win, it feels like a big waste of time and c) Is this for real? Will I really get to win a full, all expense paid trip to Costa Rica with no commitment?
But Screw It. Why Not?
After my latest blog post on seizing the day & creating memories in this lifetime, I decided I was going to do it. I wanted this, I am going to do it. Only the Do-ers Can Preach. So I did. On October 28th, I headed to a friend’s new acquired web agency, Jet Cooper to film my video with the help of good friend Kenway Du & made the video in 15 minutes flat just in time before our weekly Improv class. And that was that. The next evening after a few small edits to the video, it was submitted with MuchMusic just 15 minutes before the deadline. The fate of my trip to Costa Rica was now in the hands of the producers. Naturally, I had no expectations, so that the margin for disappointment would be much less.
The Interview.
A few days later, I got a call from Ken from MuchMusic after work. I was to come into do an on camera interview. I’ve always been a “behind the scenes” type of person, producing/directing a musical in high school, managing a theatre production in university & loved taking videos of others. Not myself. So when the call came around, I was a little nervous to present myself on camera to say the least. But funny enough, even after the one hour interview on camera talking about my life, my inhibitions, my expectations – it never sank in that I would be on a reality show. I really just wanted to surf.
The Call.
“You’re Going to Costa Rica”. The first thing I thought was “I am going to learn to surf & replace my summer blues from snowboarding with this!”. The entire experience before arriving at Costa Rica was just like any other vacation. Arriving at the airport, meeting the other contestants, checking in, sitting in a shuttle bus for hours before coming to the surf camp and then, the moment that made it all real – the cameras were on. Right when we arrived at Del Mar Surf Camp, there they were – the cameras, the lights, the crew surrounding your every move.
Reality
Definitely one of the many concerns I had about participating in this show was the fear of what this would do to my image, my sense of self & my identity. One of the many caveats of reality TV is the power of video editing & creating a character that could be completely opposite from a person’s true self. But I had no intention of becoming an on camera personality, a TV personality and told myself, as long as I remained true to myself & my intentions, that is the only personality that they can portray. With that in mind, no matter what happens, this experience was for myself. I never wanted to look back & say “I wished I did it”. I did it. This is a part of who I am & will always remain – but I believe that I did it all for the right intentions with nothing I will ever regret.
And So.. I “Did Costa Rica”.
And here it is. The show is here today – “Doin’ Costa Rica” on Tuesday, December 29 @ 8pm ET, December 30 @ 5pm ET and January 3 @ 7pm ET. There was no pre-screening, no approvals, no said direction of the nature of the show. I took this chance, I discovered Pura Vida, I met amazing people, I surfed, I fell in love with Costa Rica, I found beauty… I lived.
Over the course of the last few weeks, I’ve been working on a small project. A project that reflects what I believe to be the essence of the holiday season we have all come to love – Giving. We give presents to our loved ones to see their smiles when they receive it; we give our time when we visit & enjoy egg nog with those we care about & we give our hearts when we open our arms & pockets to those in need this season.
It is the associated feeling with giving that makes the experience all more enjoyable. When one fully gives from the heart without intention, without expectations it is then that is truly a gesture of the soul. When we give a smile to a stranger, give a thought, give a non material item that requires more than a donation of a physical dollar, it is then that I feel we are opening our hearts to give. To me, giving is non consequential, non eventful, receives no personal gain.
Giving is not an act – it is a way of life, a mentality, a lifestyle.
The Brainstorming Behind #GiveaBuck
So as soon as Dan Demsky from The Biz Media fielded the question on Twitter: “What would you all like for the holidays from #thebizmedia?” I knew this was an opportunity to send the message about giving to the world with an awesome videography team to support the initiative (and all for free, can you believe?!)
We wanted something that would send the message. How can we inspire others to internalize the concept of giving is non material or passive? Giving with a purpose, with thought. And so with the combined minds of myself, Darius Bashar, Andrew Peek & the Biz Media Boys (Dan & Justin) we came up with #GiveaBuck (www.giveabuck.ca).
Here is short (unedited) video that features how this video concept came to life & the inspiration behind it [in the video: myself, Dan Demsky, Nate Kogan & Darius Bashar (cameraman)]
Changing the way we think about others. It’s easy to donate a physical dollar without thought, without concern for the recipient. But what if I told you:
This buck is a thought, the inspiration – the moment in your day that you are thinking about someone else other than yourself & following through with it. There is no charity associated, no actual money is being collected. But hey, if you do see that person you want to give a thought to & finding yourself carrying and extra dollar, why not?
In the remaining days of 2009, let’s see how many times we can spend a thought on someone else other than ourselves.
To the Streets
With inspiration from Post Secret we went to the streets to create one of our own with the people of Toronto. Initially, the experience was daunting. Almost every single person was avoiding us because of the cold, the cameras or the courage to be on film. But after going back into the Biz Media loft to get a lapel mic to replace the boom mic, our second round of efforts seem to be quite successful & we were able to get many great responses & smiles from the people of Toronto.
All the fantastic photos on the site were taken by the fabulous photographer – Nate Kogan. This man behind the camera is truly an artist.
The Result: #GiveABuck
So here it is. The final result. We hope you enjoy & visit us at (#GiveABuck) giveabuck.ca to find out how you can participate to tell us who you’re thinking about this holiday season and why.
And as an added incentive, if we get 1000 tweets (hashtag: #giveabuck) I will do a polar bear swim in the new year with (Darius Bashar & Andrew Peek) anyone else in the community who is willing to donate a polar bear swim to this initiative. How’s that for cold?
In the mass existence of society, there are players and there are producers. The world is your stage, your oyster, at your disposal – because we live in a generation of possibilities and opportunities allowing for the greatest degree of existentialism. Yet, we barely consider the effort to construct reality according to what we aspire to be the true representations of our individualism. Instead, we live our realities in the context of simulated reality – defined as a conscious state of mind that is indistinguishable from “true reality”, so unimaginative that one may not even know their lives are within this simulation – meet Truman.
But – my name is Angie. And this is my show. Every element that exists in my life will be questioned and challenged to allow myself to quest for further perfection in this journey of personal pursuit. Without asking these questions, I am but a fragment of existence that is colourless, convenient, safe, expendable, monotonous, bland, unimaginable…. lost.
I am the producer of my own life. So I am cutting out the featureless scenes where I am hopelessly lost.
CUT #1: Lost in Artificial Transactions “Hi, how are you? Great, nice to see you – but let me check my phone 100 times during our conversation.”
I truly believe that at the core of every human existence, is human interaction. We grow from others; we learn from others, we are inspired by others. So why do we have surface level conversations? Why is it that every conversation feels like a key networking opportunity for business? Why is it that conversations feel like a hidden agenda is in place? Why is that when conversations occur, we devalue the importance of that time with the other person and make it necessary to check our mobile devices to check on interactions with others who aren’t physically there? When did it occur that we would rather check transactional texts, Facebook notifications, tweets and emails from others when we have the opportunity to fully appreciate the stories of others who value us enough to take time to personally meet you? We are lost in the challenge of genuine human communication that allows us to discover who we really are when we openly talk about ourselves to those who are physically, mentally & emotionally present.
CUT #2: Lost in Monotonous Relationships Relationships are not spectator sports. Don’t get into one expecting to be a passive player, you end up losing. Friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, fiancés, marriages are all higher level commitments to another person & making that conscious commitment means that you have a bond with that other person you find of value. In this valuation, how do you define the strengthening of a relationship with that other person? Do you know what it is that creates the harmony, why you relate to this person, and what you can do to make it dynamic? Like any other facet of your life, you make a commitment to something & work to make it the best it can be. Being in a relationship that is tied down by the mere titled commitment is more condemning than being free and seizing other opportunities for interaction. We are lost in the way that we let our love & mind love those who are valuable to us. Let your actions speak louder than your words – if you have a romantic relationship with someone else; is your heart & mind fully committed to making that other person feel the way they should feel in the relationship? Or is the relationship an existent one out of comfort or fear of losing the predictability? Don’t lose yourself in the idea of the relationship; lose yourself in the passion that creates the moments that make the relationship special.
CUT #3: Lost in Habitual Routines Wake up, have breakfast, go to work, go to the gym/mall/home, have dinner, sleep. Rinse & repeat.
In some variation or the other, we all go through the daily motions of a routine that may or may not be the idealistic epitome of our lives. Wishing at various points of another that we could be learning or doing something different, but can’t or rather – won’t. “I wish I could play a musical instrument”, “I wish I could speak another language” it’s often that we just leave this aspiration as a thought instead of asking ourselves, “Why the heck not?” When we say “I don’t have time” or “I wish I could”, we are really saying “I prefer to stick to what I am doing” or “I would rather not bother my convenience”. We are lost in the comfort in our lives that hinder the ambition & passion we have for things that ultimately add value to the definition of who we are. With work maintaining a large portion of our lives every day, unless what you do is certainly your passion, we can quickly lose the definition of who we are in what we do.
CUT #4: Lost in Superficial Importance & Unspoken Expectations Accept everything, question everything.
Within the society of ‘isms’ – materialism, consumerism, capitalism & socialism, there are many unspoken expectations formulating social norms driving the way we operate. But consider another ‘ism’ – individualism as one that is often advocated but never celebrated. We often point out that it is important to be individualistic & maintain self confidence in who we are, but when someone tests the boundaries of unspoken expectations, it is questioned & found odd, because we are programmed to accept certain things as normal. For example, no one ever thinks to go to a movie alone, if you do – you’re seen as odd. But why does it matter? If I want to see a movie & no one happens to want to see that movie or is available, why can I not go about it alone? Or if I decide that maybe I don’t want to pursue a post secondary education after high school, the unspoken expectation whether from society, your parents or peers, is that you should. Many people do automatically progress from high school to post secondary, but is it always the right thing? Have you considered what you would do & whether it would make sense in the course of your life? Consequently, why do we have the things we have? When we live above our means, do we stop to question, whether we really need a Mini Cooper S class if we can only really afford a used Toyota Corolla? What are the reasons behind your decisions whether they are for material items or education? We are lost in the society of consuming that we never stop to think why? Are your reasons motivated by ego or by passion? Are you living at the rate of which is complimentary in your life or are you pursuing one that is barely yours to define?
So, if your life were a trailer – what would it look like? Would people come watch?
How do you grow when you stay in the one place that makes you feel safe? If a decision doesn’t make me feel remote nervous making it, I am not making the right decision. Think twice about everything you do. Ask yourself if there is an opportunity to be happier & fulfilled in what you do. And if the answer is “Yes, there is” – why not?
Doin’ Costa Rica: Don’t Break My Strings… Please
I will end this completely long winded post of verbal masturbation with a short clip from my time in Costa Rica that showcases a different side of me – one that is intoxicated by the venom created by music that creates a natural high for life. Thank god this isn’t an audition tape for ‘So You Think You Can Dance Canada’.
Final Thought
The lost feather floats in the sky & the lonely orphan sits in the center, both waiting to be found and bought into the context of love. Your pursuit of happiness is a right; an entity waiting to be found, it is a privilege to have as a constant in your life, but are you looking for it? How important is it to you if you ignore its value in the context of your life.
With everything else in your life, ‘find & replace’ is an automatic course of action. With happiness lost? Eager to find and replace it again? Or maybe discover it for the first time? Will you spend the time to search for it?
Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions. – The Dalai Lama
The physical, emotional & mental turbulence in the last week has left my soul begging for more, raising the standards in my life for experiential living to elevate my pursuit of happiness. My life can no longer be lived at a mediocre standard & habitual routine when there is so much yet to be discovered. Right now, I am in complete withdrawal from my current reality because there is so much of my heart that I have left in Costa Rica. The pureness of life, the separation from materiality, the truth in love & openness of people have left me with a greater expectation of the beauty of life & what I aim to personally achieve.
Relativity
I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It is the ultimate source of success in life. True compassion is universal in scope. It is accompanied by a feeling of responsibility. – The Dalai Lama
Relativity is only as good as your context, your scope of perspective. The more I see, the more I know, the more I know, the more I am certain about life and what is important to me. My scope of perspective now includes that of the beauty, life and love lessons I have learned from Costa Rica. Where physical beauty of the surroundings have maintained much of their aesthetic integrity – so do that of the people who are locals to this, leading brand-less lives focused on pursuing a “pure life” embodying the national mandate for life “Pura Vida”. Everywhere you go, every person you meet, every sight you see – beams happiness & beauty to enjoy and create experiences that formulate memories. I can’t thank Maria Del Mar from Del Mar Surf Camp enough for her hospitality & energetic beauty on this trip that allowed us to witness Costa Rica in this way. In the generation of youth today – we are so privileged to have the ability to travel & see much more that allow us not only to widen our perspective on the way we live our lives, but our notion of possibilities. More than ever, we are empowered with the ability to achieve more, and I plan to make this my life’s mandate. I won’t stop discovering, allowing adrenaline to pump through my core & seeking new challenges as long as I live. It is only in this way that I can uncover the most beautiful things in life that matter to my heart.
Openness
Basically, universal responsibility is the feeling for other people´s suffering just as we feel our own. It is the realization that even our own enemy is motivated by the quest for happiness. We must recognize that all beings want the same thing we want. This is the way to achieve a true understanding, unfettered by artificial consideration. – The Dalai Lama
We often preach “don’t judge a book by its cover” but many times first impressions warrant reinforcing thoughts & stereotypes – but this judgmental filter is one that can be learned to avoid, because it is only in this way that we have the opportunity to discover the real person behind the superficial mask that governs our soul. In parallel, your work doesn’t define who you are, what you believe in and commit to is your truthful beauty formula. To be honest, under normal circumstances I would have not had the opportunity to meet the kinds of people I have on this trip because of the differences in academic, social & professional circles. But, my first observation was that they were all part of an industry that emphasizes physical beauty demanding certain upkeep in their aesthetic appeal, most – models of some sort. Had I maintained ascertain to the stereotypes, I would never have discovered:
The karate instructor with a passion for love, sense of humor, teaching & watching his students grow
The compassionate & lively actress from Sudbury with the constant yearning to help others in need
The motivated youth worker with passion for inspiring the younger generation to their potential
The aspiring student from Guelph with a strong stance for improving social economic politics
The fun loving woman from Toronto who only knew happiness & had an open heart for everything around her
Each and every person had a story, an open heart & adventurous soul that fostered and made the experience so much more fulfilling. Although, we were in the land that moralized “pure life”, these people were already so far along their way in exemplifying this.
Fulfillment
To conquer oneself is a greater victory than to conquer thousands in a battle.- The Dalai Lama
At the end of the day, I went to Costa Rica to challenge myself. This experience is part of a reality show for MuchMusic and the potential backlash having never been on camera before, the uncertainties in my involvement & the impact of the participation were the biggest fears I overcame & increased my level of physical & emotional endurance that I now define as the new standard for my life. I found myself challenged beyond the physical requirement, but mentally I’ve become more open to new experiences & emotionally I’ve learned to open up immensely. Now, everyday feels is like the first day of my life. Every experience is one that brings me closer to what truly defines my happiness. I can now ascertain that nothing makes me happier than pushing myself to sustain physical endurance – I am happiest when I am pumped with adrenaline & challenged to limits supported by my mental endurance. Knowing that my mind is just as strong as my muscle – I know and believe that my perspective on life is one that has certainly evolved & will continue to manifest into a definition of self that I am proud to identify with.
Doin’ Costa Rica
With that I leave you with a photo documentary of some moments & a Spanish rhythm, Suavamente from Elvis Crespo that is immovable in my mind.
I am blessed to know the people in my life because every conversation I have with them is a motivational one that leaves me inspired to do more. But inspiration can only do so much. Inspirational conversations can ignite the inner fire within you that churn the gears of imagination in your mind, but what happens when the thoughts just remain…thoughts? It takes more than a great idea to risk & start something new, it takes commitment & people you can rely on to help you make that happen.
Your whole life, we live in an idealistic dream - a dream where everything is possible. And you believe this, you verbally communicate this & you whole heartedly preach this but do you actually test those boundaries? The boundaries of infinite possibility?
How many times do we talk about our dreams?
Stop Talking.
Just Do It.
Right Now. Stop Thinking. Start Doing.
What do you wish you were doing? What are you waiting for?
Only the Do-ers Can Preach.
One day, you will meet someone who has lived their life just doing what their heart tells them to & it is then, you will realize & truly believe that everything IS possible. Surround yourself with inspirational people and you shall too, be an inspiration. When that happens, share with others your story so that the dream is one that is attainable for us all. I have been so lucky to have met a very aspirational friend in the last few months that have taught me the value of taking chances in this short life we have. He can do it, why can’t I?
The Hypocrite.
Well sort of. One foot in the door and one foot out the other. Figuring out where your heart lies is hardest. I’ve spent the last few months figuring this out and don’t think sitting here writing about it is going to change anything. Opportunities are created & that is what I intend to do. I used to allow my fear to defer many decisions & all my life I’ve been given choices - but not anymore.
What I am listening to right this moment? Inspired by the same person who has been “just doing it” his whole life – take a listen to Elias.
Since the last time I was here – I’ve been given the opportunity to walk out of my comfort zone and gather a new perspective of life. It’s opened up the scope of realization that my life is but a fragment of the grander scheme of the world that is out there. What took up 80% of my time is now cut down to taking 20% of my time and I am devoting the 80% to what is truly important. In essence, I am slowing down to grow. I want to take the time to learn, to appreciate, to understand myself & those around me. What is important, what is necessary and what is not. In this year alone, I’ve been to Cuba, New York City, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore and know that these experiences have already contributed to my definition of self.
In Cuba – I learned that Che Guevara was a doctor from Argentina who felt so strong about the poverty in Cuba, he devoted his later years to revolutionizing forces against the corrupted Batista regime. He conquered in 1959. He was described as having an “affinity for the poor”.
In New York City – I walked on the soils of Ground Zero, where the World Trade Centers no longer exist from the September 11 attacks; where more than 400 firefighters died while trying to rescue those in the building as it collapsed.
In Hong Kong – I realized the value of having good friends and being a good friend. To have a friend take the time out of their day to show me and my family around for three days was more than I could have asked for.
In Malaysia/Singapore – I spent time with family where nothing was more important than spending time with each other, where the need for materialism and social stature was non-existent. Living within their means meant they had more time to be happy & and more to be happy about. There is so much that is taken for granted, that I take for granted.
And I want to keep being eager, keep continuing to grow.
Don’t be afraid to do what it is that makes you happy.
Sometimes you don’t notice how fast life is passing you by until you take a step away from all of it to realize that you can barely remember any noteworthy memories you’ve created in the last month, last 6 months, last year – you are suffering autopilot syndrome. Life becomes redundant, replayed and predictable – you know there are things you’d “rather” be doing, but always justify that what you are doing now is part of a greater plan – is it? What are you waiting for? The answer to the questions that ask “why” you are doing something is “just because”. You never have “time” to do the things you wished you could do – and then finally, you get burnt out – what actually makes you happy anymore? Where lies that passion for things you once urged to do? Where is that commitment to strive for the things you want without the fear of failure? If there is not a choice that makes me just a little bit nervous to make, I am not making a choice, I am just getting by.
We are driven by fear.
Fear that others won’t respect our decision; fear that we can’t live up to expectations; fear that we might fail or fear that what I find on the other end of the discovery makes me happier than what I am doing now. Having a fear is a normal reaction and to err is only human. The approach to figuring out what it is that actually makes you happy, what actually gets up you in the morning to the beautiful sunrise, to live out your passions is what life is worth living for. To try & fail over and over again, is ten steps closer to discovering my eternal happiness than to avoid doing the hard things and always pondering & never discovering what unleashes the inner ecstasy. I am scared to make decisions, I will fail & I don’t know what comes in store next – but I believe in discovering that internal strength & happiness in this one life even if it means to conquer my fears.
My mandate in life is to find internal happiness in order to evoke happiness onto others.
I used to think that I could find happiness by constantly surrounding myself with things that can make me laugh or smile. But no matter how much externally driven happiness contributes to your happiness, nothing can truly make you happy, but yourself. You physically represent happiness, but are you a ‘happy person’? Would you consider yourself a happy person? If not – why? When you laugh, smile, chuckle or giggle are you really feeling those emotions inside? I want to learn the things that make me truly happy inside & one of those things is helping others find theirs.
Finding that internal happiness through introspective thought & commitment to personal growth
Today is the day I’ve decided to let my thoughts continue to fluster through verbal thought & commit to manuscripting this rebirth of perspective that have been on autopilot the last few months. The clarity achieved through honing down & writing these thoughts down is cathartic. Accompanied by the sultry sound track that is Elliot Yamin – I feel free. I have never felt more comfortable spending time with myself and believe with all my heart that devoting time to yourself in this fast paced society that is a constant engine of superficial purpose – is important when it comes down to understanding the only purpose that matters to me – my happiness. I want to learn, discover & continue this journey of growing as a person, as an independent woman in society by being open to new experiences & letting nothing by my commitment to happiness drive me.
Make a difference. As a member of Generation Y, the latest working class in society – I’ve been noticing several patterns around work ethics that resonate with many members of this group. One of the more important themes is, work life balance – ensuring that what we are doing is fulfilling, allows us the ability to discover ourselves & make a difference.
Need to grow. With what limited time we have in the workplace, it is of sincere importance to find a place that fosters the ability to use the skills a gen Y possesses as well as gives him/her the ability to enhance them. Once that need is satisfied and a new interest is peaked, it is very normal for a generation y to consider his/her need for growth and impact on the final outcome over the need to be loyal. Which in turn causes strife amongst other previous working generations who see this behavior as spoiled & undeserving entitlement – how can they consider switching jobs when the economy is in the dumps? Because those of generation Y don’t see their jobs as the purpose in life – it is a work to live philosophy vs. the one that lives to work.
Entitled or Ambitious? I don’t think we are entitled, I think we are ambitious. There is so much we want to do, so much we want to challenge ourselves with and know that there is only so much time to do so before we are entrenched in a multitude of obligations. Those within the generation Y group are thinkers, innovators, doers (‘I want to do that, so I’m going to do it’) & inventers – with more entrepreneurial spirits than any other previous generations – I can only hope that we continue to foster these characteristics in hopes of continued societal advancement.
Are you living to work or working to live? What are your life goals & are you on track?
In the Spirit of Giving
So here it is. The final result. We hope you enjoy & visit us at (#GiveABuck) giveabuck.ca to find out how you can participate to tell us who you’re thinking about this holiday season and why.
