You Are What You Consume

consumption. it is the center of our world. it drives all industries. tv networks, sports games, retail stores, transportation, hospitality, restaurants, etc. we are consistently "fed" an influx of information everyday in a world where transmittance of knowledge and data is getting faster and faster. i work at a job that fuels the world of the consumer. i work with local businesses, hungry for the audience they hope to capture. i started thinking about the concept of consumerism this week and not just in the conventional way. let me explain. when i think of consumerism, i traditionally think of spending money on goods and services that are of value to me. i am the target consumer of America. i constantly spend money in places because it makes me feel a certain way when i purchase whatever is appealing to me at that moment. to explore a bit further, i want to talk about what i am learning in the marketing class i am taking at UCLA. 

the class is called "the power of brand management." we are focused primarily on why certain brands develop successfully while others do not. from what i have learned so far,  brands succeed because they understand how to speak to their audience in such a way that allows them to connect to the brand. conversely, the audience is able to identify with that brand in which the consumer becomes hooked and loyal to that particular company. it is no longer about purchasing a pair of NIKE shoes to run every so often, it is about the consumer needing the brand to identify who they are to the world. the consumer broadcasts the voice of that brand by emitting certain attitudes, lifestyle choices, etc. for instance, when you think of NIKE, what comes to mind? i think of running, active lifestyle, competition, sharpness, etc. the brand becomes more than just a logo, or a sales gimmick, but a way of life. 

going beyond the world of brand and consumerism in terms of buy/sell, i got to thinking even more about everything we consume in our lifetime. there is a quote by L.N Smith saying "every dollar you spend, or don't spend is a vote you cast for the world you want." i thought, could the same be true for everything that comes in our road of experience along the way? the food we eat, the people we choose to spend our time with, the books we read, music we listen to, jobs we take or don't take, the places we travel. all of these unique experiences each of us have, is something we consume just like the brands we identify with and products and services we buy. 

it is very easy to become complacent and non-intentional about the way we live our lives. the comfortable pulls us into its spell, keeping us bound to the pre-conceived ideas we have about who we think we are supposed to be. to step into our full potential, and full power, takes some real elbow grease and potentially extremely uncomfortable situations in which we are completely vulnerable. i sense that if we really take a good look at all it is we are consuming, and make some sometimes very difficult decisions about what/who to block out and what/who to take in, we can create a profound existence transcending into each of our full and unique purpose on earth. 

The Dangers of Wanderlust

ahhh, spring. the inevitable newness of the season, the change of tides, blossoming of ideas and hopes for the future. for the past 3 weeks, i have been incredibly distracted. it seems like every time i begin a task, my attention is pulled in another direction. my mind is continually floating somewhere other than my body. everywhere i turn, it seems like everyone is doing something extraordinary. starting businesses, traveling to exotic places, getting married, having children, buying houses, changing careers, moving to new cities, moving to new apartments, writing, making art, painting, challenging, challenging, challenging themselves to new things. it's funny when the universe speaks to you in such a way. my intention is to begin to pay more attention. have you ever had the feeling you are receiving the same message from multiple different mediums? it seems as if every email i receive, every conversation i have, every situation i am in lately that a similar theme is transcending. and the message i keep hearing is, immerse yourself in your life, in this moment, entirely. 

back to dreaming. i am sitting at my 9-5 career, the one that supports my passions and lifestyle, and i am a million miles away. i search flights on kayak.com, read travel blogs, research yoga studio sites and yoga teacher trainings in exotic places. my phone buzzes, a text message comes in, i check instagram, i check my email, search flights to thailand, look up things to do in jamaica. i can't seem to focus. i can't seem to stop the dreaming. this is where my mind travels to daily. everywhere, but this cold, bright, crazy office world i am a part of. wandering my days away, while my body stays anchored in my hard office chair. 

the mind body connection fuels creativity, positivity, love, healing and spirituality. i got to thinking about this "wanderlust illness" that has plagued me my entire life. always dreaming about the next space, place, job, experience i am to be a part of. i read an article, am reading a book, and have been paying attention to the signs of the universe more so than ever these days. while i believe it is essential to the mind, body and spirit to dream and wander, i am beginning to realize the absolute peril of this as well. while the mind wanders, the body stays grounded and in this moment. the only moment we truly have is this one, right now. the one where i am sitting on my outdoor patio, drinking a glass of red wine, writing this post. 

the message is this: dream of those places, those things you WILL do. put the steps in place to accomplish it. but do not neglect or miss out the power of the moment. for the true connection is right here, and right now. where the true beauty and magic of life exists. 

live well, 
h   

The Comfort Zone.

The beginning of my week began with this quote, and it has been something I have been pondering the past few days. If you were to look back and think about the times that glow, those inevitable times you felt the most alive, the most present, what would they be? Lately, I have been putting myself in more situations that are outside of my comfort zone. I am a primarily a very routine animal, as I believe many of us are. I stick to the routine, to the comfortable and cozy, to the things that make me feel in control and safe. However, it is the times when I feel the most uncomfortable, the most stretched, and the most out of control where the true magic happens (and I am not saying that I ever or anyone should put themselves in the face of true danger, to be clear). I practice a lot of yoga, and I believe that the practice of yoga can teach us about life off the mat as well. Each time I practice, I attempt to go further than the last time I was in class. I have been trying more headstands, flying pigeons and arm balances that make me feel quite uncomfortable, and in those moments I breathe and welcome the beads of sweat and pain knowing that my body will thank me later. 

The transfer has become quite evident over the last few weeks. My routine at my current job has me feeling mundane, monotonous and craving for more. It has me pondering, what is my purpose? What do I want my contribution to be? What impression do I want to leave on those around me in my work? These are some pretty big questions, and it's not that I have just started asking them, but rather am beginning to act on them more and more. 

I start "The Power of Brand Management" class at UCLA next week, am continuing to choreograph with LA Unbound this time with a counterpart and am beginning to research a Yoga certification, along with exploring new job opportunities. All of which I hope to be extremely uncomfortable, and outside of my routine knowing that my soul will thank me later.

My generation has the blessing and the curse of options. Travel, alternative lifestyles, various job opportunities, ability to live multiple different places, along with many others. Options overwhelm me. I want it all! And we live in a time where, we might, just MIGHT be able to have it all. Oh, the illusion that having it all exists! 

In the midst of the swirl, the options, and social media where we can compare ourselves to everyone else and what they are doing compared to what we are doing and what more we could or should be doing, it is difficult to remain grounded in who we are (and most of the time we are still finding out!) and to be content. It is a struggle for me, anyways. I am finding that there is a delicate balance, between the comfort of who I am today, and the person and life I strive to create outside "the comfort zone", where the illuminating feeling of alive-ness is ever present. 

Live well, 
H

Peace.

my best friend gave me this wall hanging several years ago. i believe that when i received it, i am sure that i read it, but i don't think it held the meaning for me that it does until now. about a year and a half ago, my life got flipped upside down. with the end of a significant relationship, having to move to a new apartment, and realizing i was terribly unhappy at my job, i made three of the most stressful changes, all at the same time. 

what a gift! my life has been blessed with good family. friends, a wonderful education, and abundant opportunities. i really cannot complain; i've had it pretty good. according to a good friend of mine and her extensive research on stress and its affect on the body, it seems as though those who have not experienced great trial in their life, tend to react with higher amounts of stress and anxiety when faced with some of life's difficult challenges. i believe that i may fall into this category. i say this was a gift, in that i have never felt more awake and alive with life. i quite literally, have broke open. i got a life coach, started meditating, started attending more yoga classes, started choreographing for my dance company, spent long nights staring out into the ocean and starting to listen to the deep, deep longings of my heart and soul. 

in a world faster than any of us can keep up, i am realizing that impressions we make on those around us are merely flashes of light before they fade and the next flash catches their eye. our time on this earth is brief, and it forces me to ask the question, what do i want to do with this one beautiful life? what will be my contribution? its a pretty big question to tackle. i have learned that we can only control ourselves, our actions, reactions, and our perspective on any given situation. the rest is up to the universe. if we are quiet within our souls, amidst the noise, trouble and hard work, and we treat each person we meet along our journey as a true teacher, it is my understanding that our unique truth will never be with held from us. true peace lies within stillness of self. 

live well, 

h