High 5 Club

The Power of Emotion...

2010-03-17T11:08:00.011-04:00

"I'm not saying that I'm gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will change the world"
-Tupac Shakur

A few years ago, maybe a little longer, a friend and I were having one of many conversations that we often had about hip-hop. The subject of this conversation: Tupac. Without giving too much away, my friend a skinny blonde from the the suburbs: a Tupac fanatic; and myself a one-time inner-city knuckle head: 'Pac detractor (and not because I was Biggie fan - I preferred Nas in those years).

Now, although I was not a Tupac fan, I ignorantly thought that my friend - based on her skin-tone and suburban upbringing - was completely dead to rights in her Tupac super-fandom. Tupac albums, books and other miscellaneous merchandise were all chalked up as filler and fluff in my mind for a hip-hop fan from the outskirts of the culture's nucleus, who clung on to one of it's biggest stars to prove that she was "down". How ignorant was I.

In professing my very foolish thoughts and theories about the laws of race, hip-hop and geographic interplay, my friend very simply, very calmly smashed my ignorance in one breath, stating: "Emotion is universal." Going on to explain that it was the feeling, the struggle, the pain, the joys that Mr. Shakur expressed in his music were universal emotions that could be related and manifested in the lives of a machine-shop worker, musician, school teacher or soccer mom. These feelings were not affectations, but real emotions that stream genuinely from the hearts and souls of these and all people regardless of their occupation, geographic location, race or age.

With those very simple words, the way that I have seen the world from that point on have been forever changed...

So today, this conversation, this moment of enlightenment was revisited as I watched the 2008 documentary, "Slingshot Hip Hop", a story described as being: "The stories of young Palestinians living in Gaza, the West Bank and inside Israel as they discover Hip Hop and employ it as a tool to surmount divisions imposed by occupation and poverty. From internal checkpoints and Separation Walls to gender norms and generational differences, this is the story of young people crossing the borders that separate them."

Now, the film as described does interest me, but that delineation is not what brought me back to the day that my friend taught me about the universal power of emotion; it was in actually watching the film, that reignited this moment. It was seeing in 2 youthful Palestinian men, appearing to be in their mid-twenties, working through their struggle to find their place in the world, amidst conditions and a sociopolitical climate that many of us here in the US may never know, a glimmer of hope in hip hop. And, even more pronounced, as the 2 wrote rhymes and composed and freestyled lyrics along to the beats that played on their simple radio/cd player in a small, disorderly bedroom like many nascent emcees do here in the U.S. (whether that room be somewhere in suburban cul-de-sac or an inner-city housing project) was the all too familiar backdrop - a Tupac poster. As these young men rapped of revolution, justice, struggle, war and peace I couldn't help but be taken by the power that the presence of Tupac's image and past revolutionary pronouncements had/has on these men and their struggle to be recognized in a world that renders them invisible... Much as it did to Tupac in his early years, and for that matter, hip hop as a whole.

The power of emotion is universal; there are no barriers that can blockade, stopgap or by any other means hinder feeling. Despite our external differences, no matter how many or little they may be in number, the fact that we all feel and emote the same, regardless and perhaps even - in spite of those differences - brings us all, the entire human race, that much closer.

My life has changed since learning the power of emotion...

For the better.

It's something to think about.

Peace,

http://www.slingshothiphop.com

You Gotta Believe....

2010-02-09T13:35:00.003-05:00

Here's our first video post. It's a compilation of very wise words spoken over time by a man that we at the High 5 Club respect and hold in high regard. All credit and respect is due to "themindguru" on youtube and anyone else who has taken time to compile this piece. The High 5 Club did not create this, but we'd be amiss not to share it. Please enjoy, "Will's Wisdom".

Take the Bitter with the Sweet...

2010-02-03T02:47:00.005-05:00

Quick Post: Have you ever thought about how some people will jump for joy and praise themselves when things are going good, but then blame the world and scream "why me?" when things are bad? Personal opinion: We all need to learn to take the bitter with the sweet; learning to take the good with the bad is the definition of balance. Let's appreciate our experiences, no matter what they may be and allow them to make better people of us. In accordance with the saying , "what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger" I believe that it's imperative that instead of complaining and grimacing them away, we recognize the bitter moments in our lives as periods of conditioning; obstacles - like any traditional workout - set before us in order to make us stronger.

Side note: I just read a post stating that, "Banana's Make You Happy". The post went on to speak about bananas' serotonin content and how that chemical affects peoples moods and overall happiness. This makes me wonder if people who eat bananas everyday are happier than those who don't? I bring this up only because, A) I eat bananas at least once every day and have had the opportunity to have experiences with several people who are either allergic, or just prefer not to eat bananas that - in my own personal opinion, have more reason, more material reasons at least - to be happier than I am, but aren't. B) It seems as if those same non-banana eating friends are usually credit-hounds who aren't willing to take the good with the bad, the bitter with the sweet, those that, whether they're well to do, or in a bad way, are most in need of balance - spiritual if nothing else.
But I digress...

Peace, High 5

It Takes a Lifetime to Live a Life...

2010-01-28T21:50:00.011-05:00

"Maxima Enim... Patientia Virtus"

Latin: Patience is the Strongest Virtue

As you sit here reading this post, dark letters illuminated by the brightened backdrop of your computer, pda, tablet or other miscellaneous screen, you have there before you - if you care to realize - a reminder of just how quickly life moves. Information, that if you were let's say - at least 10, before 1996 - that it would have taken you hours to dig through encyclopedic volumes of reference books now is now just a couple of mouse clicks away, or as is more common today, sitting there in the palm of your hand readily accessible because... "you have an app for that".

Knowing that life moves at the speed of information in our current era can often times be daunting. We start feel pressured, feel as if we're left behind and so, we pressure others. It seems as if sometimes that the walls are closing in and we're left in the middle to perish before all four of them. As much as I try to avoid current events within my post, an era of prodigious joblessness that has moved the economic needle backwards at least a couple of notches in someway in the lives of many today, has sent minds, hearts and spirits in misdirected races (*think one cartoon character responding to anothers question of "which way did he go" by crossing his left over his right with each hand pointing in it's opposite direction*). Simply put: people are confused, and with confusion comes questions and when that confusion is compounded by the speed of information and thudding beat of economic declined, people are left lost, hurt; left in despair.

If you're in a rut today, in your mind, it may seem as if you may never climb out. We put so much value in the moment, that for some of us, it can sometime seem like all that matters - the end all be all. Those amongst us that have been affected by this frame of thinking have pushed themselves into the most drastic and dire positions at times; feeling as though their life is defined by this downtime, this one fleeting moment. Unfortunately do to these feelings that most often times are completely false and ill-conceived, some of those amonst us never allow themselves to climb out of their ruts.

But the truth is, if you're in a rut today, you're destined to climb out - if you want to. It may take sometime, it may take every ounce of effort and stregnth to do it - but if you want to climb out you will.

As daunting as the task may seem, we need to look no further than nature for proof; trees specifically. The life of a tree, which can span for some, hundreds of years, is one that faces and endures hardships and pain throughout. Starting out as just a seedling, with hopes to sprout, a tree in it's infacy has to vie for the same resoures as all other plant life, except it has yet to sprout the beautiful leaves that capture the sunlight and air that it needs to grow. The seedling just lies there defenseless, hoping that it gets its chance to grow just as the trees amongst it already have. Add to what's already a rough almost-existence, this seedling serves as perfect fodder to small ground dwelling insects, mammals, bugs as well as birds who leave their perch from the mighty mother and father trees above to peck around at some of the small snacks that the large flora provide. Those seedlings that were able to survive the first stage of challenges are met with even more as they sprout, begin to take root and enter the sapling stage. As a sapling, this young trees are open to even further abuse due to their new conspicous stature. At least as a seed, lying on the ground, they were some what hidden, but now as they've taken root, bigger prey and complications challenge the young plant for it's life. And as the sapling grows, the attacks become more dire - lightening, disease, human folly - but the tree becomes more immune. The small things that once challenged the tree for it's very life, now seek shelter beneath it and amongst its grown and growing branches. The tree now serves as the center of an ecology for the exact same (or descendents of) small mammals, insects, bugs and birds. It provides for all that who once would have taken from it, who did not see its purpose and could not understand what a great assesst it would be to all someday. The tree of course, always knew, that the only option was growth. The tree did not see the ways of those around it and stayed true to what it's own goal was, despite the disparity or discouragement of others.

The tree at one time had been in a rut; as a seedling it had been forced beneath the surface by the elements: the rain and earth that would mix together into an all encompassing, murky mire. The sun would come out to dry the mire and harden it some, trapping the seedling, burying it alive.

But seedlings, saplings, trees only know growth. So in spite of the elements that could have very well killed the seed at it's very beginning, it uses those same elements as components in it's quest for growth.

And the life of a tree, a seed, a sapling takes years and years...

So it is in this vein that I write this entry. Nothing happens over night. Things aren't always, and actually almost never - easy. And the things that don't kill you - in the trees case, rain, soil, sun (among other threats) - will undoubtedly make you stronger if you use them to your advantage. It takes a lifetime to live a life. It's so easy to get caught up and lost in the now, in the moment, but the reallity is, unless you plan to stop living today, then no matter how great or dispariging this moment may seem, it'll just be in the end, another moment in your life time, one to build on and grow from.

Sometimes it's hard to separate ourselves from the moment, but maybe, just maybe if we take a little time to appreciate the examples of others - even if it's a tree - we'll begin to respect our own process and understand that it really takes a lifetime to live a life.

Peace,

High 5!!!

The Tunnel...

2010-01-18T18:04:00.010-05:00

A big High 5 from the great MLK.

"Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see." -Martin Luther King Jr.

-Preface
It's been on my mind to write an entry in reference to dreams and dreamers for nearly a week now. Once I took the time to actually look at the calendar and realize that a celebration of dreamers was vastly approaching, I decided that the best way to honor and celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., would be to make this post on the day that has been designated his.

In preparing to write this post, I decided to do a search of quotes that MLK may have made in reference to dreams. Obviously, those can be found throughout his epic "I Have a Dream" speech, a speech so grand in scope, reach and measure that it needs no introduction nor explanation. Although you may not know the "I Have a Dream" speech word for word - or any of it's words other than it's title for that matter - you undoubtedly know of it and understand what it has meant in strengthening the fabrics that weave and intertwine America with itself and the world.

So instead of giving you something you're already familiar with, I dug a little deeper and came up with a quote from one of Dr. King's works - a book actually - that I was almost completely unaware of. I say almost because I was aware of quotes and an essay that came from this book The Measure of a Man, but was unaware of their source until earlier today. Reading the preface, back story and one of the books essays sent me directly to Amazon to place an immediate order.

The selected quote from above, and reading excerpts from one of the books essays entitled "What is a Man?" where Dr. King covers the topic of an individuals self-worth so intensely that he delves into the question of asking what the chemical compounds that actually make up the the physical being of a human body is worth on the open when monetized - about 98 cents according to figures compiled by Dr. Kings at the time of the books authoring - has left me so intrigued and garnered such a new respect for this man, that I've been compelled to write a preface - a first - to this blog entry.

With reading this excerpt and taking some time out today to study Dr. King, I realize that the life of this man and the influence that it has left on the generations of humans who have been impacted by it truly deserves to be celebrated, studied and cherished, by at all that know of it, at least one day a year.

The expression, 'the light at the end of the tunnel' is one used often to comfort oneself or another when faced with a hardship or a challenge. Understanding that there are unknown elements involved in said challenge, we liken it to walking through a tunnel in the dark. We know that there is an end, or at least we do believe that there is an end - an end to the all encompassing darkness of the tunnel - but, it remains to be seen for the time being at least.

All people, man, woman and child, live life being faced with those proverbial tunnels at every turn. But is those few, the impractical, the dreamers amongst us, who travel them most frequently. In Dr. Martin Luther Kings' quote, "Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.", I find that a hat is being tipped to those who dare to dream. Just think, those tangibles that are in front of your, the car, the career and the credit are all great things, but just think about their origin; somewhere behind each of these things is a dreamer who dared to see things different, who conceptualized and agonized over how to fit their own ideas, their vision, their dream into your life. As beautiful as the end results are, it's the actualization of the initial dream that is the big accomplishment in the large scheme of things. It's taking something from one's minds eye and converting it into a tangible is what should be celebrated. It is the unseen dream that which casts the shadow.

And in this I see the nod given to dreamers. Because as a dreamer I know that I am constantly faced with endless tunnels of shadows, utter darkness, yet I navigate them with the belief that the darkness, the shadows I see are just mere consequential refractions cast by a great, undying light.

Although getting to the other side may prove as difficult an arduous as one walking through an unlighted 8,500+ feet of NY/NJ's Holland Tunnel, a dreamers guiding light throughout their journey is always faith in themselves and their dream.

There are of course many dreamers that take the journey through the tunnel, never to emerge at the opposite end, but the energy produced by their undying faith and spirit in their beliefs remain with in these tunnels as additional glimmers of hopes for those daring enough to traverse the tunnel's unknowns in the future. Those who do in fact reach the light at the end of the tunnel go onto serve as never ending beacons of hope, evidential examples boldly stating that "Yes, it can be done!", for any and all who ever dream of following their own dreams.

The dreams of Dr. King, so boldly stated, so often remarked upon since his death at their inception - and some may even say still today - had no practical footing in the path towards realization. But whether we believe his dreams have been realized or not, it would be foolish to argue the fact that those dreams have in fact blazed a well lighted trail for all to see and travel upon, where there was once darkness. We have taken up real estate, built communities and retooled a nation on the irreversible path that this man's dreams hath wrought. And whether complete realization of these dreams have come to complete fruition or are still some miles in the distance, their is no denying the effect that they have had on us all.

So to those dreamers, who today think that what you believe may be impractical, that the vision you see are unattainable, remember the path laid for us all by great men and women such as Dr. King that prove to us that no matter how dark the tunnel, there is always light at the other end if we believe it to be. Friends, family and all relations in kind and in between will discourage you, abandon you and use tactics of any and all manners to not only separate themselves from the path of your dreams, but to separate you from it as well. But if you believe, if your dream is true, then it is your duty to follow it with a spirit charged with positive energy, a heart full of love and a disciplined mind.

The tunnel may be dark, but the light is there, and the light for which others see you in while you are on the path to completing your journey, is only a glimmer, only a shade, only a shadow of that which they do not see or understand at the time: your dreams.

The dreams of man have consistently changed the dynamics of how life as we know it is conducted. Dreams have changed the world. It is my job, your job, anyone who dares to ever dream to never, ever, ever, stop believing in their dreams.

There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Dream on dreamer...

Peace

Be Inspired!!!

2010-01-13T02:19:00.010-05:00

Stock-boy turned Superbowl MVP Kurt Warner giving the world a High 5 of inspiration

"It's been a long time/I shouldn't 've left you..." -Eric B. & Rakim "I Know You Got Soul"

Happy New Year!!!

It's definitely been quite awhile since the last High 5 Club post (understatement!). 2009 was a period of incredible transition for we High 5 Club representatives, and unfortunately our pet project got the cold shoulder. For those of you have been paying attention though, please blame the neglect on our heads and not our hearts, because the inspiration that the club and blog was built on has never left us. The premise of the High 5 Club (pre- and post hiatus) has been, and will remain a basic channel in which the power of positive energy can be presented, promoted and passed on by it's members to the rest of the world. The catch is, or what's sets the High 5 Club apart from possibly any other platform for positive energy that may exist, is that it's being authored by a couple of Hip Hop fans (hence the Rakim intro) in their late 20's who have learned from each other, music and life overall, how to smile, appreciate life and give each other, friends, family, enemies, strangers and just the world-at-large a nice High 5 every now and again.

in•spi•ra•tion: the action or power of moving the intellect and emotions.

•BE INSPIRED•
•IMPOSSIBLE IS ONLY AN OPINION•
•DEFY THE ODDS•

For the last 3 years or so, the little missive above has been one of my email signatures. It was something I came up with, with a little help from Merriam Webster at a period where I was feeling incredibly inspired by some outside source that I felt it should be shared with those who I interact with. Being that it's my own email signature, in the hustle and bustle of thumb-bruising, mobile-messaging (Blackberry), I often forget that it's there. But whenever I take a moment to breathe, let my thumbs rest and scroll down a tad to take a look at it, I'm always overcome with a certain feeling of warmth. Those four little lines of text make me think of and reflect on all the recent moments and instances of inspiration that have occurred in my life and use those thoughts as fuel for the days to come.

I personally tend to find nuggets of inspiration everywhere, in all situations. It may take me sometime to actually understand and process these moments fully at times, but inspiration is ever present in my life. Whether it come from the kind deeds of a stranger, the life story of an elder, the drive and motivation of a public figure towards their goal or just a hello from a friend, I am inspired.

Inspiration of course is often overlooked. We often get so caught up in our on lives, in the moment, in world events: war, a debilitated economy, natural disasters; that we forget to take the time to appreciate the gift that the present is and understand the opportunities that the deeds of others, or even ourselves can provide to us in the form of inspiration. During those moments when we're feeling low, when it seems that all may be lost - knowing that we don't have the monopoly on struggle or hard times, knowing that there are others out there who have been where we've been and are now where we're attempting to go, can provide that shot in the arm necessary to get us through the roughest times.

Although inspiration sometimes comes to us in it's epiphany form, shiny, hovering yellow light bulb and all, it's important that we understand that this moments for most of us are far and few, and that, instead of waiting for inspiration to just strike us in those "AHH HAAA!" moments, that we actively seek it in all that we do. If we begin to feel that our environment or situations that we live, work and play in are rather uninspiring, we should understand these feelings as indicators to consider a change of venue. It is important that we position our lives in such a way that we can receive the positive energy that inspiration provides as well as emit it. It must be understood that inspirations power to move the emotions and intellect are necessary to our life force, and should be regarded as a form of "spiritual respiration" if you will - a power that is as important to your spirit as air is to your breathing.

Just as air is taken in and returned to the atmosphere refined as carbon-dioxide, the energy that is produced by inspiration must be taken in, processed and sent back into the ethers to be used by others. One of the effects of living an inspired life is that through our actions, we in turn inspire others.

As a treat, I'll leave you all with a wiki of the poster-boy of this heading. This man's story has inspired me for years now, and it only keeps getting better. Kurt Warner's story is one that Hollywood screenwriters dream of and is chock full of the qualities that legends are made of. Link

Peace & High Fives!!!

Woo-sha photo!

2008-05-07T15:12:00.003-04:00

The High 5 Club went to the Grand Canyon in April. (Sorry no posts for the month of April! We were too busy getting ready for the trip!) and above is a gorgeous shot of the sunset. We absorbed some of the most calming energy disbursed by nature along our journey. Woo-sah moments happened throughout the 4 day trip and left us saying America is really a beautiful place!

Lead by Example

2008-05-07T15:10:00.000-04:00

“You cannot get sick enough to help sick people get better. You cannot get poor enough to help poor people thrive. It is only in your thriving that you have anything to offer anyone. If you're wanting to be of an advantage to others, be as tapped in, turned in, turned on as you can possibly be.” - Abraham-Hicks Daily Quote March 29, 2008

There are times when we all wish we can help a friend or family member get out of their rut, whether it is an emotional rut, financial rut, etc. However, many times we can’t help people see past their own issues. They could be stuck on old anger patterns or have an emotional block they just refuse to get past. It is at this time they we can only lead by example. We can not join our friend in the angry tirades or poor behavior. We can listen and be understanding, but by joining it is only bringing down your own energy. Even forcing guidance or aide on another individual can only hurt the situation and drain your own energy. In short, some people just do not want to be helped! So like the quote says above, in order to be of advantage to those around you, you must be at your highest and best self. It is through this example that the positive energy will guide others. Be at your best and others will follow.

Money, Money, Money...

2008-03-13T12:13:00.002-04:00

“Decide [together] what you want your life to look like and then use money as a tool not a goal” – Margaret Shapiro Vanguard Winter 2008 Newsletter

Yesterday, I received a semi-annual newsletter from Vanguard, my 401k investment broker, and it had an article about why couples argue over money. The above quote within the article struck me not only for couples, but as a general rule for individuals and gaining a healthy relationship with money. Money is a piece of paper that is always on Americans minds. Either you don’t have and want it or you already have a lot and want more of it!

Relationships with money begin as a child. You receive allowance or gifts from your grandparents. That $10 seemed like a lot to a 7 year old! You always hear your parents talk (or maybe even fight about it.) You’re in a clothing store and your mom will say “Put that sweater down! It’s too expensive!” There are even quotes drilled into society’s minds like “Money is the root of all evil.” By the age of 18, before even making any significant salary, you already have formed opinions and ideas about money. For many of us it could simply be “I am going to be rich!" with no concept of how to get there. We may even pick a profession we hate simply because it pays well.

What is money really? One definition on www.dictionary.com defines it as “any article or substance used as a medium of exchange, measure of wealth, or means of payment.” This means candy can be money! However, candy is only recognized as a medium of exchange amongst 5 year olds. “The green stuff” is what we are after, but why? Money can buy you things and experiences, like trips around the world, a day at the museum etc. These things and experiences can be a PART of happiness, but it’s not the full picture. Money can not buy you a family, friends, love, and all the other intangibles that make human beings whole and happy. Still, we are socialized to believe the goal in life is to “make a lot of money” or “marry a rich husband” as if POOF all the problems can go away.

The above quote seems to describe the best way to have a healthy relationship with money. Picture how you want your life to be and strive for those things, using money merely as a tool. A tool does not make it the ONLY way to achieve these goals. You can potentially win a free vacation to the Bahamas by playing Bingo at your local church! Instead of thinking purely about money and how to earn it, think of the best possible life and that includes the material things as well as immaterial. Money can play a role in getting what you want, but merely earning money should not be the goal. Chase the life’s experiences and not money!

Woo-sah photo of the day....

2008-03-12T12:15:00.003-04:00

LAUGH MORE! It is the best medicine! Seriously! I recently researched adrenal fatigue (the adrenal glands are responsible for pumping those stress hormones into the body) and it listed LAUGHTER as one of the remedies for adrenal fatigue. Apparently, laughter also releases some great chemicals that relieve the stress!

Trusting the Almighty Jar Opener...

2008-03-12T12:10:00.001-04:00

Ever struggle to open a jar? You put the top under hot water; even bang the top along the side of a counter. Still, you can not open this jar! Then, you ask another person to open it and WHAA-LLAA without a strain or any issue the top goes POP, right open! It’s always funny how that happens!

I see patience as struggling to open a jar. I am a firm believer that with focused thought and intention anything is possibly. The question is in what time? Destiny seems to always unfold in its own mysterious way and not how you planned it in your mind! The more you push on it (ala the jar), the more is seems to resist. Sometimes you need to trust another individual to do the job. On a larger scale (putting all jars aside), there is a higher power that seems to govern your path. He/She is the almighty jar opener! (lol) Being able to simply let go, practice patience, and wait for the path to unfold can be super difficult for some. (I am one of those people that have a hard time letting things JUST BE!) I am a hard worker and strive for what I want. Perhaps my own belief is like the Frederick Douglass quote, “Without struggle, there is no progress.” However, it doesn’t have to be a struggle if you simply put your faith in the Almighty Jar Opener. Knowing that the path will unfold before you in the most perfect effortless way can take practice. As I read my own blog, I know I must practice! However, I also know that something is planned for me that will look better than what I ever imagined!

BACK TO BASICS

2008-02-13T07:32:00.000-05:00

It's impossible to escape... Whether it's gossip, cold-hard factual news, rumors, speculation or "expert analysis" (how one becomes an expert in the field of hilly-billy turned washed-up, drug-addicted model, turned heiress to over hundreds of millions completely eludes me) we all face the same distractions in today's bold, technologically advanced world: Outside Influence.
The sources are numerous and often contradictory - one "trusted expert" will tell you that you should cut down on carbs while another, with seemingly identical credentials- tells you should increase your carb intake. And as always, you are left confused and stuck in the middle. And that's just one subject, because before you've sorted things out in regards to the first issue, you have a couple more experts tossing their trusted-take-it-as-gospel-because-it's-being-delivered-to-you-by-a-trusted-multimillion dollar-corporate-source.
So who do you trust in this crazy world? How do you keep up?
Well, as confusing as things may seem today, the basics always remain the same. Love, honor and respect for yourself and those around you will continue to be the driving forces behind all things good whether it be via the internet or your personal network of technologically blunted friends. From neanderthal to new age, man has learned to adapt to innovation after innovation - surviving for the better each and every time.
Those basic principles are what keep us balanced. As crazy as we may think the world is at times, imagine how bad it would be without those elements in man that keep us civil. We protect one another from what could be a harsher reallity each and every day without a moment of conscious thought by allowing ourselves to influence others with and be influenced by, the simple things.
So in respect to that, the next time you're being pulled in a thousand different directions by experts, bloggers and the like, take a deep breath, a step back and allow yourself to get back to basics.
Peace,
HIGH 5!!!

Maintaining Balance....

2008-02-11T12:27:00.000-05:00

Anyone that lives in a major city like New York or even in a surrounding metropolitan area travels on a train, bus or sits in traffic with a group of people that look exhausted. Maybe they are not completely unhappy, but they have that worn out-I-need-my Starbucks-now look on their faces (or perhaps they are already sipping their Starbucks.) You could be one of these people as well!

In a society where costs of living are rising every day, it is no surprise that people are working harder and more often to maintain a living. In New York City, there is also a group of super-achievers that work extra hours not simply because the job demands it but because they are working to get that career success they have always hoped for.

With all this extra work and stress we give to our bodies, where do we refuel this energy? Starbucks isn’t going to cut it! If anything the sugar and caffeine adds more stress to your body. The energy can only be restored in one way and that is through healthy sleep habits and developing other easy activities that simply make your mind and body feel better. In other words, it is achieved through BALANCE. One way to analyze the balance in your life is to write down how many hours a day you work, sleep, watch TV, read, etc. If the scale severely tips to more work than play and sleep, then in the long run you will be that zombie on the train every morning! Things can get worse for the zombies too like heart problems, adrenal depletion (Yes go Google adrenal glands and find out what they do! They help you actually deal with real stressful emergencies!) etc.

So how can one start this life of balance? This particular high five member’s first suggestion for the over-worked crowd is to pick a day and do….NOTHING. If you work all the time doing NOTHING is going to feel like work! However, it is the best way to master the art of “unwinding.” Wake up late on a Saturday and don’t shower. Actually, don’t even get out of your pajamas. Just do NOTHING. Read. Watch TV. Do nothing strenuous. If you have kids send them on a trip to grandma’s Friday night so you have no worries on saturday. Seriously do NOTHING.

After you have mastered “nothingness,” find ways to possibly leave work 30 minutes earlier. Find some time to pick up that hobby you used to love; perhaps, you can do it in the 30 minutes you saved from NOT working. If you can afford it, get someone to clean your house so you don’t have to clean on weekends or every now and then drop your laundry off to be cleaned. Find the extra minutes! It may take some time to achieve balance. Of course, there may be some weeks or months where things are off kilter. However, you will no longer be a Starbucks zombie, your health will improve, and so will your happiness. Make it a goal to achieve BALANCE!

Even Quitters Get a High 5!

2008-01-26T20:31:00.000-05:00

"Do you really wanna win? Or just look good losing?" - Phonte of Little Brother in "Dreams"

If you've ever played sports, you've always heard coaches say, "Winners never quit!" Or maybe it was your parents who pushed you to get that A in high school chemistry, but a B+ was all you could seem to produce since science just wasn't your subject. They too exclaimed "Winners never quit!" No matter who it was, we've been given the definition of a winner and part of that definition is never quitting. However, sometimes that is so far from the truth. O Magazine's January issue recently had an article on this same topic so I must give credit to my inspiration (along with Phonte from Little Brother) Martha Beck the author of "Know When to Fold Em."

This Phonte quote above rings home to any person who has had the job, man/woman, life of their "dreams" and decided to quit one day. Sometimes we have a picture in our heads of what is "perfect." Then, we achieve our goal, that dream image, and it's still not quite what we want. Or maybe, after 1, 2, 3 years we simply out grow the situation and change our minds as to what we want. Yet, this is what we planned! This is what we hoped for! We can't simply quit! This is what we've always wanted! At least that's what we tell ourselves. And of course we've been socialized to believe, "Winners never quit." Sometimes though, we have to let go and know that quitting is OK. Sometimes quitting is actually winning. Quitting a marriage that is failing beyond repair can actually free us for the relationship that is right for us. Yes you may disappoint a few people who want you to "stick it out," but do you really wanna win or just look good losing (look good to others that is.)

Recently, a few of my friends and I have all come to terms with changes in life direction. We all seem to be quitting something, but are rejoicing in the adventure that awaits us. About 8 months ago, I came to terms with not wanting the job that I worked so hard to get. It took a few months of agonizing over it. I thought I lost my stuff! I just didn't have what it took to survive in such a competitive industry. I beat myself up because I thought I was getting lazy or lost motivation. It wasn't that at all, however. It was that I didn't want what I had. You can no longer try to win when you don't want to win anymore. It took me 4 internships to get hired in this "glamorous" business. After a few years of paid employment, I simply out grew my circumstance. Why I out grew my position is a whole new blog all together, but coming to terms with quitting and being OK with quitting is very liberating. Staying at my job would be the epitome of "looking good losing" because it is the job that hundreds of people die for (ala The Devil Wears Prada.) There is a strength in quitting when it is really the appropriate thing to do. If you truly WANT something then go for it and try, try again. However, know your limit and know when it is time to pack it in. Winners quit when they don't want to simply look good losing. Quitters deserve high 5's too!

Woo-Sah photo of the day!

2008-01-22T16:30:00.000-05:00

Some High 5 club members were at the top of Sandia Peak in Albuquerque, New Mexico this summer. Although we did not take this beautiful photo, we traveled to the top of Sandia Peak via tram and took some wonderful pictures of our own. All we could do was breath, take in the beauty, and be inspired by this place we call Earth! WOOO-SAAHHHHHH!!

Giving Along with Taking...

2008-01-22T11:21:00.001-05:00

Not so long ago, I was going through a rough patch in life. Every morning, I would get on my knees and ask Spirit for what I wanted/needed. I have never had an issue with asking the Universe, God, or Higher Power (however, you’d like to phrase it. I am not sure how I’d like to phrase it since I am so open spiritually). At this difficult time, I also found myself receiving all that I needed! Slowly but surely all the “bad” things were dissolving away. I was getting so much from the Higher Power and I was truly overcome with gratitude. Then, it struck me. The thought popped into my head out of the clear sky or at least that’s how it felt. “The more you get, the more you must give.”

From that day forward, I devised a plan to make volunteering in the community a routine. Even if some months I have a hectic schedule, I make sure at least once a month I have donated some time. Luckily, the organization I have found allows me to pick and choose from a variety of activities. I can be at a coat drive one weekend, a soup kitchen the next, or take some kids to a museum. I leave completely exhilarated with a renewed sense of spirit. It is the one true way I have found to create a natural balance. I enjoy receiving, but I also enjoy the giving portion as well.

Perhaps volunteering in a structured setting like a soup kitchen isn’t for everyone. However, every day you pass by people that need help. You can always stop and help a mom struggling to carry a baby carriage up the subway steps. It takes 2 minutes really. You can probably run into this scenario a few times a week and there is your version of volunteering! There is no one right way to “volunteer.” It is something that you feel compelled to do at that moment and you leave the act feeling renewed. Think of this way. Your local deli may have a “Give a penny, take a penny” cup. If no one put any pennies in, then no one could take a penny when their item rang up to $5.03! Some times you just have to give your pennies too! J

Not long after I began volunteering, I read an interview with Richard Branson (Founder of Virgin Group) in Oprah’s magazine. In it he states, “Capitalism is the only system that works, but it has its flaws; for one, it brings great wealth to only a few people. That wealth obviously brings extreme responsibility.” So for that inspirational quote and all his charitable work around the globe, Richard Branson gets the High 5 of the day!

Hang WIth Nine... And You'll be the Tenth

2008-01-19T04:31:00.000-05:00

A commonly used American idiom to express or forewarn the benefits (or lack there of) by one person to another about the company that one chooses to keep. Yet as much as we've heard Grandma, Mama, Uncle-This One, or Auntie-That One, say this, we somehow forget to apply it in our everyday lives.

Keeping good company is not a modern concept by any means, it's been a basis of life for people since the beginning of time. Regardless of caste, class, nobility or socio-economic placement within society, the good folks have always tended to wield a lasting degree of power. The bad folks? Well they've come into power yes, but their losses always seem to far outweigh their gains, and Ha! you guessed it, those same good folks are always right there to pick up the pieces and restore order at the fall of the bad folk regime. The good folks over at Disney, you know the ones that keep making good money from all those good movies, good programs, good networks, good plays, good theme parks, High School Musicals (and accompanying multi-platinum selling soundtracks and tours, wow) that you hate-to-admit-you-love, toyed with the whole "hang with nine" idea about 15 years ago (among countless other times, this just illustrates it best) with the whole "Circle of Life" concept... well, sort of. See the good animals hung out with other good animals regardless of creed, and the bad animals - all cast aways and even close relatives of the good animals - cliqued up together and collectively "hated-on" the good animals, and... Well, you've seen the movie, it made in excess of a billion dollars (try that scarface... good/bad, making sense?) so everyone's seen it. But the point is this, not only will you be judged and measured by society at large due to the company you keep, but those are the standards by which you'll judge yourself. Good happy animals (and people for that matter) really don't have much time for their angry, jealous, hateful bad opposites - no matter how much they love them. It's just not worth them risking the personal investment they've made in themselves. So, f your third cousin twice-removed, brought 12 men on a day time t.v. show to determine who fathered her child, only after her 2 other friends did it before her, guess who's next in line!

So does this mean to rush out and find a bunch of financially rich, ivy leaguers to buddy up with and throw up two fingers (peace) to your cousin & co.? Lol, it wouldn't hurt! But how many of us actually have 9 of The World's Next Top Leaders waiting around in the wings for us to get our acts together? Show of hands? Yeah, didn't think so. So the next best thing is involving, surrounding and immersing ourselves in the throes of the good folks around us. We should invest in our personal interest instead of the common interest that our projected upon us, and join the circles of the best and the brightest on your level in that field. I say "level" because you're obviously not going to be invited over to Bill Gates' house after your first day of a computer science course , but you can choose to hang with the kids that were most attentive in that class instead of the ones who slept through it. Hey, the precedent has been set, so there's nothing to hold you back or have you believe that you and your crew can't be the next Bill Gates, Paul Allen and the rest of the crew that founded Microsoft. And if you think that success can't be repeated, send an email to the guys that own this whole Blogger/Blogspot thing, I think they call their company Google. Think about that next time you're lucky number 10.

Peace

Relative Success and the Power of Positive Energy

2008-01-19T01:36:00.000-05:00

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome" -Booker T. Washington-

With grandiose displays of wealth and apocalyptic-like signs of poverty being embedded into our society's collective consciousness, the millions of us stuck in between the two are often left wondering which side do our lives bear a closer resemblance. If we are to believe what we see and are told the wild, young, flavor of the week millionaires who have helped bring terms like "paparazzi" to prominence in everyday American-English, and their snarlingly stiff billionaire "guardians" are the embodiment of the word success. In today's bustling world anything falling beneath that simply misses the mark.

Of course, if you're honest enough with yourself to think that through just a little bit you'll know that nothing could be farther from the truth. Because when you think about it, you'll think of all the other images of hard work and perseverance you've seen and/or experienced throughout your lifetime that pushed you to keep going when times were rough. You'll think of the immigrants, not of Ellis Island of yesteryear but those of today; the refugees of war-torn Cambodia, Sudan, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. You see their scars, you feel their pain. Are neighbors from just below, who risk their lives on the lines of an invisible border to experience the luxuries of proper clothing, shelter and running water. You think of those who have come in rafts from countries so close in proximity that you just may be willing to commute that distance to and from your to home to a place of employment 5 days of the week - but so far behind in terms of progression that if our land is considered to be of the "new" or "first world", their homelands have been left behind in the "third". If you're being honest with yourself, there is no doubt that you think of them and countless others that have seen that beacon of light held high in the sky above Liberty Island "Enlightening The World" .

Being completely truthful with yourself you think of the scruffy kid you met in college, who at times seemed to be in perpetual motion - always on the go, with the weight of the world on his shoulders as he hustled back and forth from job to job funding his "chance". All just so he could slide through at the bottom of the class in a triumph that would rival that of your school's summa cum laude recipients. Or think of the kid you watched wait tables at the local greasy spoon until would he one day own the place. Maybe you even think of the girl who was subjected to an unplanned teen-pregnancy in high school, but now as an adult raises a healthy family on the salary she makes as a youth counselor educating young women who are at risk of facing the same fate. Then there's the story that always warms your heart, the one that you gladly share with friends and family whenever it comes to mind about the down-trodden, underprivileged, undereducated, overburdened guy that you seen come up from waving a change cup in hand on a street corner, to zipping by you each day with a smile on his face, leaving his apartment, on his way to work. Or hey, if you're seriously, seriously being honest with yourself, you may even think of... YOU.

See with all that's going on in the world, with all the images pushed into your head, with all the expectancies and the demands that are laid upon those of us stuck in the middle, the biggest problem we may have within this jumble of extreme plight and prosperity is that we forget about ourselves. Yes, if you admire the openly apparent accomplishments of your neighbors, by all means, be inspired. But, by no means what so ever should you feel compelled to keep up with the pace they have set for themselves - for, that is who that set it for, themselves. Nor should you allow yourself to feel pressured to live like the ever-present, star-spangled, celebrity "Jones'". The darlings of mass media that sneak into your home each day are paid well to do so, but you must remember that there's always more to it than what meets the eye. If you really want to be inspired, look no further than yourself. Look at what you've done to make your life and the lives of others just a bit better - no matter how small that bit may seem (you gotta start somewhere)- and build from there. Reward yourself for your past accomplishments and use that positive energy as a stimulus for triumphs of the future. If the greatest accomplishment of your own that you can recall is taking one step toward a goal that lies 10 paces away, use that first step as a catalyst to take the second - see how much closer you are?

Where ever you may be in life, you worked hard to get there and if you've fueled yourself with positive energy along the way, that place is undoubtedly somewhere to be proud of. So, the next time you find yourself caught in the middle of the world's madness, take a quick time out and with a full open hand - fingers spread wide - give yourself a congratulatory pat on the back; or as we like to call it around here, a "Personal High-Five"!!!

Peace

The Key is Believing...

2008-01-18T22:46:00.000-05:00

"What you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours." - Mark 11:24

It is very easy to want. In 2008, you may want a new job, a better salary, a boyfriend/girlfriend, weight loss, and the list goes on. Your lists of resolutions are things that you want to have or happen. However, do you BELIEVE these things are possible? Do you want to lose weight and think, "Well I lost 10 pounds last year, but gained it all back so what's the point?" With that thought, you cancel out your true desire. Do you want a boyfriend or girlfriend? And yet, at the same time, believe you will not find them easily in the places you frequent? All of the doubts simply cancel out your desire once again. Your wants never get a chance to appear in your life due to your own disbelief.

The quote above from Mark 11:24 is the key to manifesting your true desire. Asking is always simple. Creating the desire for that new job is simple! However, it is the belief that you can have it that can be tricky! Maintain positive thoughts on your quest for a job. Know that you have the skills, intelligence, and motivation for the best opportunity possible! Even in a slow hiring market, all you need is the one interview for a better position! All it takes is ONE company to be hiring with a better salary, better hours, or whatever it is you desire. Yes, you may have days of doubt. You will send hundred of resumes, but the more passion you put behind the belief, the greater the possibility of the job showing up. It has always been said that like attracts like. A positive person with strong desire and belief can only attract what they want! Now ask your God, the universe, or write in a journal what it is you desire. Then, BELIEVE, BELIEVE, BELIEVE!