Staying Power-Full & In-Charge

For one reason or another, have you ever forgot to charge your cell phone and have it die on you just when you need to make a call? It sucks! It usually happens at the worst times like when you're lost and need directions, you need to make an important call, or you need someone to pick you up. When we were kids (when cell phones were as big as a brick), we used to memorize phone numbers by heart and pay phones were readily accessible, but times have changed.

Just like cell phones, sometimes we forget to charge ourselves on a daily basis. The moment we get weak and lose our signal is the moment we need direction in life, we need to call on the Creator for something important, or we a spiritual brother or sister to lift us up. Because we don't exercise our Spirit regularly the way we exercise our bodies, the scriptures, quotes, songs, and memories that sustain us aren't written on our hearts and spiritual centers (ie churches, mosque, etc) aren't always accessible, so we're stuck.

Therefore, we must always remember to 1. Charge (= plug into our Higher Power) daily so that we can 2. Call (= pray) and 3. Connect (= get a response). If we don't charge daily, we can't call. If we don't call regularly S/he might not answer. And if we don't connect, "please check the number you dialed or try again", because the Creator only answers calls from whoever answers It's calls. If only we were as obsessed with our Power Source as we are with our cell phone's power source, we would be on all the time, ready to dial in and give love when called to and receive love when it rings.

In conclusion:
1. Charge your soul with your cell.
2. Answer when the Creator calls.
3. Check your minutes and use them.

Stay power-full & in-charge!

The Dance of My Life

In high school and college I remember going to some of the hottest parties ever...I'm talking wall-to-wall, soaked-in-sweat, foggy windows, non-stop dancing. As I get older, parties have changed so much that people don't even dance anymore. I thought 30 was the new 20. I've observed that there are typically three types of people at parties nowadays:

1. Wall-Flowers: They talk about how wack the party is, but don't have the courage to get it started. Instead of making the most out of the situation, they complain about the time, energy, and money it costs to get here. They tend to wait for others to ask them to dance when if fact you get asked to dance the most when you start dancing first. Wall-flowers are stuck in their seats because they care too much about what other people think

2. Wait-Watchers: They stand around the dance floor as if they need permission to get on. Most wait-watchers think to themselves "As soon as a few people get out there, I'm on it." Wait-watchers like to play it safe by hiding in the shadows and are willing to risks their whole night on the bravery of a few party-starters or that one song that gets everybody out of their seat.

3. Party-Starters: Even if its only 10pm and they are the only one on the dance floor, they are dancing. Not only did they get in free for arriving early, they are making the most of the evening. A lot of people wait until the club is almost closed to get it cracking, but for party-starters, there is no such thing as early. The party starts when they arrive. Party-Starters liberate others to dance. They dance like nobody is watching. In other words, they are being themselves, which ironically leads everyone to watch them.

Which of these is you?
Which one do you want to be?

Life is nothing more than a dance between you and your authentic self. It's free to get in this party and it only cost you if you don't dance. As we try to find our rhythm on this dance floor we call the world, oftentimes we step on toes. Sometimes we dance to the wrong beat because we have yet to find our own. And sometimes we dance with the wrong partner because we have yet to find our Perfect Partner, which is our authentic self. Our authentic self knows the beat for which we were born and can match every step of the dance that we get to co-choreograph with number one mover and shaker of them all...God. If you have yet to find your Perfect Partner, keep dancing, keep trying new moves, and keep finding new partners for none of us know when this party ends.

We're Jah-men!

iPod Shuffling Through Life
The other morning, I was on the subway and I really wanted to hear Lupe Fiasco's "Superstar" song to start my day off on the right foot. Most iPod users would just be able to find the song in seconds on their iPod, but I happen to own an iPod Shuffle, the only iPod without a LCD display. I never found the song, however, in my moment of frustration from not being able to control my play list, I began to realize how much my iPod Shuffle was like life.

With an iPod Shuffle, you never know what song is next. You may find the song you're looking for and you may not. Oftentimes, while you're looking for one song, you end up bobbing your head or even two-stepping to other ones along the way. What's even crazier is that the song you end up really feeling and listening to over and over again isn't the one you originally set out to hear.

Like all of the other iPods, we want to be in control of our lives. We want to determine our own play list and are willing to pay extra costs to be DJ and have that security and certainty. Our desire to control costs us by cutting off possibilities that we never imagined. In the same way that songs somehow find us when we let go and just shuffle at random, opportunities somehow pop up when we release our lives to the Divine Judge (DJ). There is no DJ more in tune with our hearts and the Universe than the Divine Judge.

Life is random like a play list, but after a while, it starts to know what we like and play more of that type of music. Give thanks for the original song I was looking for because the pursuit of it led me to all of the other great ones.

The iPod Shuffling Through Life Play List

1. Just For Today by India Arie
2. Who Cares by Gnarls Barkley
3. In The End by Linkin Park
4. + YOUR SONGS HERE +
   

I’m sure you’ve heard of the concept of writer’s block. You may have even experienced it before. Writer’s block is the inability to freely express yourself through writing. In life, many of have a disease called liver’s block. By liver, I don’t mean the body part, I mean you, the person living your life. There are 3 reasons why liver’s block persist in our society:

1. No space and time to create

Sometimes writers go live in a cabin for a couple of months so that they can have some peace and quiet without and within. When we’re in the chaotic world, there is no time for that. We spend almost 60% of our waking hours working for someone else, another 20% preparing to get there and back (ie dressing, driving, dining), leaving only 20% of our time to do what we want.

2. No ink

To be honest a lot of us are just out of ink. We live our lives getting to one day be instead of being to one day get. Passion is the liquid of life, but we have killed off the very thing that inspires us by silencing the small voice within. Every time we say no to our dreams, they get quieter and quieter. By the time we are ready to live them, they are mute and it's too late.

3. No blank paper

When I think of someone with writer’s block, I imagine a whole bunch of crumpled up pieces of paper in a nearby garbage can. That’s okay! A blank piece of paper means an opportunity for a fresh start. Oftentimes, the piece of paper we are looking at is filled with old stuff and red ink from the past. Ball it up. Let it go. And throw into the hoop of the past where it belongs.

I think we can all agree that change is constant. Therefore, the creation story never ends because creation always is. The real question is who is writing your chapter of our collective story? Each day is a blank sheet of paper that we can write/live what we want. If you’re not writing your own story, then who is?

In Nascar, there is a car called the pace car which limits the speed of competing cars on a racetrack in the case of a major accident or obstruction on the track. Some things to note about the pace car are that:

1. It's not a competitor in the race
2. It slows down the race, allowing everyone to catch up
3. You can never pass it until it exits the track

Imagine being the leading driver in a race when the pace car comes out. Not fun! You've been winning all along and now you feel like second place and every one else that you were ahead of is on your tail.

In life, we oftentimes feel like we're behind too. We're either behind:

1. Our own aggressive 5-year plan (ie millionaire by 30)
2. Our parents' plan for us or,
3. Our peers

Many of us have a pace setter in life. We judge our progress and self-worth according the pacesetter. The pacesetter always makes us feel behind. Oftentimes that pacesetter is a real person that we know. We had every opportunity that they had growing up. We went to school with them and played with them as a little kids. You know whom I'm talking about!

The feeling of always being behind no matter what you do is unhealthy and feeds our competitive nature. We start competing against cars that we already lapped 3 times just to feel like we're getting ahead of someone...anyone. Whoever your pace car is, whoever your parents always ask about every time you come home, whoever you think you should be by now, keep in mind that:

1. They're not a real competitor
2. Following them actually slows down your progress
3. You can never pass them until they exit your mind

You're on your own track to success, running your own race at your own pace. Where you are today is right where you're supposed to be. Everything is right on schedule.

Throughout our lives, we have all come up with great ideas. What if...Why isn't there...Imagine a world where...But merely coming up with great ideas is meaningless unless we know what to do with them when we get them. How many great ideas have you let spoil in your mind? Raw ideas expire because we don't truly believe in the idea and/or we don't believe in our own ability to manifest the idea. Like food, ideas have expiration dates and we need to treat them in a similar way.

1. Cook them:

Some ideas need to be put the fire. Place the idea in the conversation pot and let it marinate. Stir gently every 2-3 minutes. After 10 minutes, apply the simmering heat of pessimistic questions, but be careful not to allow the raw idea to burn. Cover the pot when the idea has started to boil and let it stand until it is ready.

2. Freeze them:

Some ideas are so far ahead of there time that they need to be frozen for later use. They will be valuable later, but the world isn't ready yet. Many great ideas are dependent on advances in technology (ie faster, cheaper) or shifts in the market (ie law, regulations, consciousness) that may not change for years. When ideas are frozen, there is uncertainty about whether they will be useful in the future or not. Anything left in the freezer too long can get outdated. For ideas that may succeed in the short term, simply refrigerate them, but make sure to use them before they spoil.

3. Let them sit:

Like fruit, sometimes idea simply aren't ripe yet and then just need a little bit of time to mature into their full state. Just make sure you watch the idea carefully and take full advantage of it when it is at its sweetest.

4. Give them away:

There are cases when you just might have too many ideas and/or you may have a hot idea but you know that you aren't the one to execute it. If either of these cases arise, don't try to hold onto the idea and rob the world. Instead, share. Give the ideas to people you know who may value them and put them to use. Even if the idea that came through you, but you aren't passionate about it, there are still ways to capture value if you initiate the manifestation. People like song writers that can't sing have made careers out of doing this.

At the very least, preserve your ideas by writing them down. Keep a pen and pad near your bed for those midnight and morning ideas. Explore the idea by taking an hour to see if you're just crazy or if the idea really makes sense.

1. Competition: Browse the internet to see if anyone is doing anything similar
2. Startup Costs: Investigate how much it might costs to get started
3. Market Size: Estimate how many people might benefit from it

Each idea could be the one. Don't let any idea (especially your $1 million one) spoil.

True networking is all about facilitating a new flow of energy. It is about creating a channel and currency between two energetic beings that is mutually beneficial to both sources. Oftentimes we qualify our ability to network by the number of business cards we have sitting on our desk at home, but that is a false measurement. Our social capital is our ability to mobilize our network to move in a unified direction, whether it is by garnering (social, intellectual, or financial) resources from them and/or their networks.

The key to developing more social capital is learn how to plug in. Plugging in is 20% about what you say when you actually meet someone for the first time and 80% about what happens afterward. We have 4 choices when we meet someone new:

1. 2-way: They plug into what we're doing and we also plug into what they're doing
2. 1-way: They plug into what we're doing only
3. 1-way: We plug into what they're doing only
4. No way: No exchange (except meaningless business cards)

In order to effectively plug in, there are a few things that you should do.

1. Have a story to tell.

When someone asks you "What do you do?" don't just give them your job title (ie doctor, lawyer, banker). Instead, share your purpose with them. The more clear you are, the easier it is for your new friend to hear where they can plug-in to what you're doing.

2. Ask about their story.

Honestly, I suggest asking questions into you find a deeper bond and a compelling reason for the two of you to plug-in to each other's lives afterward. If after interviewing the person you still can't find a link inlet or outlet, think of all of your friends that this person could potential plug-in with.

3. Have something to give.

By giving them something (anything) you automatically activate the law of reciprocity. When people receive something for free, they feel inclined to give back. Lasting relationships start with small commitments and exchanges that get bigger over time. Simple gifts to consider include referrals to a person, website, organization, event, or book that you think is relevant to them or a genuine affirmation about them and their purpose.

4. Have something to recruit to.

Always have an upcoming opportunity to deepen their relationship with you like a monthly dinner at your house or a current project. Make them say "no". (Note that it is harder for people to say "no" if you've done #3.) By inviting them into your world, they will get an opportunity to know you more intimately by seeing you in your element which will deepen the relationship.

Everyone has inlets and outlets that may energize you. Don't let another potentially beautiful relationship pass you by without trying to plug-in.

As I prepared for my move from California to New York, I had to find a moving company to ship all of my stuff. I’ve never lived outside of California before; the furthest I’ve ever had to move was from Oakland to Los Angeles. U-Haul did the trick. This time it was a little different; there was no way I was going to drive a U-Haul 3,000 miles across the country.

I began by searching for “cross country movers” on Google. Google gave me 8,440,000 results, but I only explored the top 5 links and some of the sponsored links. I gathered quotes from about 5 companies to compare prices and they all came out to a little over $2,000. I finally picked one and placed my order. Afterwards, I called a friend and while explaining how I spent all morning looking for a moving company, she asked me if I considered FedEx. I hadn’t. In the past 4 years, she made two coast-to-coast moves and had experience in this area. I immediately got a quote from FedEx and it came out to less that $1,000 for door-to-door shipping.

Our friends have many of the answers we need and are oftentimes more efficient and accurate than search engines. In this case, my friend saved me over $1,000 (I had to pay a $150 cancellation fee). Oftentimes, we don’t leverage the wisdom and experience of our friends because we are afraid to ask for help. Search engines are good for finding facts and information, but we all have questions and curiosities that Google can’t index and web pages can’t answer. Yahoo Answers and Google Answers have tried to crack this case by tapping into the wisdom of crowds, but solutions aren’t universal and no one knows your world like your friends. Next time you consider searching for a solution online, consider using your friends first and search engines second.

Can you hold your breath for more than three minutes?
Who among us can stop breathing and still live?
Is breathing voluntary or involuntary?
What is controlling our breath?

No
Nobody
Involuntary
Spirit

God inhales and exhales us.
We are polished instruments through which God lives, breaths, and speaks.
Give thanks for every breath…every note…every vibration.
What kind of instrument are you?

We have all had the experience of trying to twist the top off of the jelly jar until our hands turn sore and red. After trying, trying, and trying again, we finally decided to give up. As if planned, the moment we decide to give up, someone enters the kitchen and offers to help. Without saying a word, they reach for the jar and effortlessly twist it open. As the jar top rattles to halt on the kitchen counter, thoughts raced through our minds like:

“That’s not fair. I loosened it up for you.”

“All I needed was one more good twist.”

At some point in our life, each of us has had a world changing idea sealed in the jar of our mind. The challenge lies in releasing the full potential of the idea. Some of us don’t bother to twist and next person sees the opportunity we passed on and opens it to the world. Some of us twist timidly. We value ease and comfort so much that they outweigh the invaluable contents within the jar.

Some of us are still twisting and I encourage you to continue. Hidden inside that jar is your full potential, your golden ticket, your purpose. Stop at nothing to reach it. Twist, twist, twist until the top pops off.

In the midst of our daily struggle with life, progress can be hard to see. As a result, others may laugh, doubt, and dissuade, usually because they’ve given up on finding the treasure inside themselves. Instead of fighting life, be open to it, and your impact will spread. Learn to appreciate life’s challenges because they make the substance of life sweeter. Oftentimes, the difference between being average and great is one more twist.

Live purposefully!

How has the puzzle industry managed to survive in the midst of Play Station 3s + X-Boxes? Both forms of entertainment require problem solving, but puzzles tap into the visionary within us in that we are fully aware of what we are trying to build towards before the project begins.

Thus, Rule #1 of puzzle building: Look at the box

The process of putting together a puzzle requires patience, discipline, and focus. As we try to finding matching pieces, trial and error are the only way to succeed. Therefore, the best way to start is to identify your limits and just start with what you know.

Thus, Rule #2 of puzzle building: Build the border

Once the border is complete, there are gaps to fill. This is the most challenging part, yet the vision motivates you to continue. You trust that the manufacturer has included every piece that you need to succeed in the box. It's up to you to connect the pieces together, but the only way to make the links is to aggregate pieces that are alike.

Thus, Rule #3 of puzzle building: Group the pieces

It is difficult to just start connecting random pieces together; instead you begin with one section at a time. In order to establish continuity, we build on what we already know and connect sections to the existing border.

Thus, Rule #4 of puzzle building: Work from the outside in

Life is like puzzle building.

The box is like our vision; it gives us something to work toward.

The border is like our limits; it determines our skill sets and focuses our impact.

The groups are like our different developmental areas and supporting experiences that color our life (spiritual, physical, professional, etc); they help us recognize and appreciate our holistic self.

The work inwards is the process; it leads to knowledge of self.

Live purposefully!