Our Deepest Fear

Just thought I would share this because it applies to me just as it applies to all of you. My struggle and your struggle its all the same just with different reference points. Never down another like they have it easy worry about your own battle. I have battled myself and my demons for some time now and the battle is far from over, but the more I learn, the more prepared I am to continue this battle. This is the battle that I fight far from the crowds, alone in the dark. No one cheers in this battle, there is no trophy. The reward is the peace you will find within your soul. The reward is enlightenment and the freedom to live a more complete life. So never quit the fight keep it up because the day you quit is the day you stop living. Here is some material that drives me hopefully it awakes you from that zombie slumber your in. Don't settle thats what cowards do. Get up, get out and get something. Don't do it for me do it for yourself.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” This was a speech given by Nelson Mandela, but written by  Marianne Williamson. I have been afraid of my own light for a long time now but its time to embrace it. I suggest you do the same. Goodnight LYMLifers...

A Moment of Real 1 (Thanksgiving pt. 2)

Over this Thanksgiving break I took a moment to experience the real. This real I speak of is family and friends. In life I feel we get caught up with the superficial and material that seems to fill our every waking hour. We are caught up with so many things that distract us from what's real. We tend to be driven by our wants all the time and we don't concentrate on what we have. Yes for the most part our wants alter our lives for the better but that is not always the case. Wants feed into human nature and honestly we become consumed by our own greed. Family and friends are the antidote. I think people have forgotten what really matters in life. Being surrounded by family and friends this break was like a breath of fresh air, that much needed timeout from the everyday struggles.

This year at my house Thanksgiving shrunk from the usual extravaganza to a small family dinner. The funny part though is that no matter how exclusive we tried to make the event we still ended up with a few what I call "stragglers". Regardless of what we were expecting we still accepted everyone with open arms. It wasn't until we got to our Thanksgiving ritual of going around letting everyone say what their thankful for that I realized my family had grown. The stragglers were no longer stragglers they were full fledged members of the family. Everyone should spend Thanksgiving in a loving environment.

Wise birds-no straggler left behind

Continuing on though as we went down the line we heard the usual answers "I'm thankful for family, health, friends...etc". Eventually it came around to my mom and she simply said "I am thankful for time". At first my aunt took it as holidays and the time we get to spend with each other, but my mom began to explain exactly what she meant. She explained that people whether it be family/friends or whatever in all relationships we have assumed responsibilities and minimum requirements to keep up with people. Time is the one thing that sets everything apart. Those around you who invest time are the ones who truly care. Those are the ones that matter. Someone who invests time in you is someone who truly cares. Time is the only thing we have no control over it never stops for anything. We could die any day and when we die we can take nothing with us, but what do you want to leave behind? Everyone around me knows that one of my biggest fears is being a "shoulda woulda" type of person, my mom especially. When my mothers card is called I will be sad but I wont regret anything because I will have invested the time and the return will be infinite. I invest as much time as possible into the people I love and care for. Whether they want to give me their time too is totally up to them, but I make the effort, because they are worth it to me. So I say to you if you love someone and care for them invest the time, trust me you will not regret it. Time is the currency that we never truly know are worth in. So spend it wisely, because when bankruptcy hits you want to know that your investments will continue to progress long after your gone. LYM(leave your mark) on lives its the most permanent thing you can do. It lasts longer than anything you can see, hear, or touch. So spend the time; invest it in family, friends, or whoever else is worth it. Save money, spend time....

Thanksgiving Part 1

And so it began... I woke up put my running shoes on and ran to starbucks to meet my mother for breakfast. After a grueling run and an absolutely pleasant breakfast it was time for the real battle to begin: Us vs time. We had set Thanksgiving dinner to be at 5:00PM and we started preparations the night before. So at 10:17:43AM we resumed our battle against father time and his merciless clock.

Had to keep it light because of the food that my near future had in store.

The uninvited breakfast guest sadly wandering off :(

All I can say is I envy the man/woman who just shows up to Thanksgiving. Don't over exert yourselves picking up that pre-made pumpkin pie or bottle of fine wine from the store on your way to dinner. Just joking, its all love. I'm just letting you know that I wish I had your responsibilities on this lovely holiday.

If your family hosts Thanksgiving at home and invites all the others to come over you know the struggle I lived through, but in all honesty the preparation is three quarters of the fun. All the cutting, basting, seasoning, cooking, and tasting can all be considered parts of the bonding experience. Not even two days back from college and I was knee deep in turkey gravy, candied sweet potatoes, and a mountainous pile of chopped scallions. Being in the kitchen with my parents, younger sister and grandmother was like stepping inside a time capsule. I was instantly teleported to the old times when I lived at home and the team was tightly knit.

For such an ugly raw thing turkey can be so good cooked

sweating over an open fire....

We yelled, ordered, sweat, stressed, laughed, danced, cried, thought, fried, roasted...etc. We lived through the tiring process of preparing a Thanksgiving dinner. It was the best, most tiring, horrible, "wouldn't trade it for the world" experience ever. Its one of those things that sends you on a roller coaster of emotion yet after its all done you realize how much fun you actually had and would not hesitate to do such a crazy thing again. Thanksgiving dinner preparation is not for the weak stomached, hearted, or minded. When people ask how was Thanksgiving dinner I simply say....."Amazing, I survived"
P.S. the battle ended at 5:01PM Father Time thought he had it in the bag, but we pulled a Kansas City Shuffle on Ol' boy.

Always worth it....Heavy dose of self induced sleep

Happy Thanksgiving

Due to unforeseen circumstances the post will be up tomorrow. Happy Turkey day. Enjoy your food, family, and fun.

Breathing life into a dream.....

I am currently a slave to the education system..it's rough

First and foremost my apologies for not posting anything in a while but I was stuck fighting to maintain in the trenches of life. Between school issues, "frienemies", and other outside forces it was enough to dishearten even the most focused. After taking a quick dip into the pool of uncertainty and sipping from the cup of self doubt I have returned to you LYMLIFE. With the help of my true supporters or should I call them believers?

Honestly I may have great insight and even better ideas but I'm human so sometimes you need that extra push in the right direction to get the wheels rolling. That push came for me this week from an old friend/ brother. Its weird that in life when you feel like you've reached a new low those who really care just get a feeling to lend that helping hand. They may not have any info on your situation at the time but regardless they have enough love to extend themselves without question. Those who do without question are usually the ones to keep around. The trust, loyalty, and genuine desire to see you prosper is there. Surround yourself with people who motivate you to be a better person; people who are happy to see you do well and you the same when it comes to their achievements. Don't concern your self with those "frienemies" or fake friends...

Taking a break from hectic life to travel aimlessly and free the mind

A purpose was quickly found

When life hands you a fountain make it a wishing well

Sorry for going off on that tangent so back to LYMLIFE....

After a long meeting last night with our graphic designer we are on the brink of releasing the clothing line to the world. I hope you all are ready. All I can say is its about to get real..... If you are a leader, trend setter, or just a person who likes to keep it fresh you are definitely going to want to check it out. If you are a person whose clothes represent your involvement in the revolution of enlightenment then you will definitely want to check it out. If you like going out and not seeing another person wearing the same outfit then you must check it out. If you need to wait until your favorite celebrity wears something and then it becomes the new trend to purchase something then please just leave this page immediately and never purchase any LYMLIFE product. It was not made for the followers it was meant for the LYMLIFErs. Purchasing a LYMLIFE product is taking a stand, supporting a movement, and drawing yourself closer to your dreams. As we come closer to our dreams we want to help you get more acquainted with yours. So in the meantime please support the movement, tell a friend to tell a friend. Tell you mother, your sister or even your brother. Tell everyone you care about or anyone worth caring about. Spread the word.... twitter.com/lymliving follow it.....

Meet with graphic designer (he takes my drawings and  brings them into the 21st century)

Can't work people and not feed them, there is laws against that

Men of Action

In this world we live in I have come to notice that most people are happy with settling for mediocrity. Here at LYMLife that is absolutely unacceptable. We don't compromise our dreams or goals for anyone or anything. We are down to die for what we believe.

In my travels this summer I happened to cross paths with a young man by the name of Kofi. It did not take much time to realize he was a LYMLifer. One day Kofi caught me working on something that wasn't so work related and asked me what I was doing? This opened the door of enlightenment and I explained to him what I was trying to do with this LYMLife movement. Immediately after hearing what I had to say he explained to me a project he was working on. It was called The Four Pillars. Kofi explained the whole concept of what they were trying to achieve and how they would go about it. Instantly I realized how well this piece fit into the puzzle I call LYMLife. The Four Pillars embodies the essence of this thing we call LYMLife.

The Four Pillars is made up of four ambitious young men who are changing the world by educating and motivating the youth. Their objective is to "inspire a unwaivering ambition" through their Four Pillars of Empowerment  concept of : S.E.L.F. S-self investment; E-education and how to use it; L-leverage; F-financial literacy. Support their movement it is definitely a positive one helping the younger generation realize success is always within arms reach. Find the on facebook by searching TheFour Pillars or follow them on twitter @TheFourPillars. Here at LYMLife we salute you men of The Four Pillars. Keep up the good work never let the dream die. 

Professional/Progressive/Pillar'd

Reach for the Heavens

Making a difference

Public Service Announcement

This is just a public service announcement to all those who support and follow the LYMLife. As this blog continues you will eventually come to fully understand the LYMLife. LYMLife is about regular people doing extraordinary things. We support all those chasing their dreams. We are not just posting the people doing fly things or things that might be accepted as cool. LYMLife is about the everyday struggler fighting for the things they believe in. The LYMLifers are just dreamers who stopped planning and started taking action. If you have a dream and you haven't given up on it yet the you are living the LYMLife. Don't ever give up. Even if school, work, or any other responsibility related stress is getting to you keep the fight going. We support you in your fight; we are on your side. We have our own dreams that life may get in the way of but you don't see us saying it's to hard. We represent the common folk scrounger who is grinding to get theirs. This post is just to let you know we are behind you. Your time will come just as ours is on its way. Everyone will get their time to shine. Twenty-Two years and counting and we still haven't had ours but we can't quit now. Fight for your right to make a difference. There is a reason you haven't quit yet; dreams are worth the struggle. If it was easy to achieve goals you wouldn't appreciate the outcome as much. Don't quit on yourself because we haven't given up on you yet. If your out their struggling let us know we can help. Depression, stress, defeat, confusion, and all other feelings that might get you down are just bumps in the road to success. Think about if all those who ever made a difference quit early because of these overwhelming feelings. No quitting, no complaints, you only have so much time to do what you came to do so do it. One life to live, and only so much to give. Live life to the fullest and lend the helping hand while you still can. Just like a workout you need that playlist to get you through life. So make your playlist and continue your journey into the horizon. Don't worry no need to walk alone we are walking the same path.....

Soundtrack to our Madness

Waddup, how's everyone doing welcome to the world Cudi's ruling...
After purchasing the "Man on the Moon 2: Legend of Mr. Rager" I rushed home and popped it into my cd player and blast off...

Instantly transported into the world of Scott Mescudi. Like a spaceship rollercoaster Cudi takes the listener from the depths of his stint with coke and the creature(Jack Daniels No 7) to the top of his crazy creative fun filled crest. Spilling his soul would be an understatement. This album is like the truman show starring Mr. Rager. Visiting rock bottom with tracks like "don't play this song" to the playful,spaz out tracks like "ashin kusher" the listener experiences a rainbow of emotion. This album is by far a complete work of genius. Psychedelically pleasing while still being raw and real. Cudi opens the doors of Mr. Rager's unstable abode and invites fans in at their own risk.
This album is a must listen, even if your "next track" button on your player is broken you weren't going to need it anyway. So get out there and support good music, literally.

Are you about the LYMLife because Cudi is........

Balancing Act

Immediately after posting the last post I realized I had almost forgotten a dear friends 21st birthday. So after pressing the "publish post" button I instantly attempted to right my wrong. What was about to be a calm relaxing sleep filled night quickly became a sleepless, fun filled, stop by the pizza shop downtown at 3:00AM type of night....

New Club+Complimentary Champagne+Good Company=LYMLivin

B-Day Boy buying his first round of shots

A toast to the LYMLife and New Beginnings

(Pizza Slice x 2)=Self Induced Hibernation

Welcome to the LYMLife where we work hard, so that we can play harder.Go hard or go home,and for us going home is definitely not an option at the moment.

Productivity over Procrastination

In an unexpected turn of events productivity beat procrastination by a landslide today. In our first official LYMLife meeting, productive would be an understatement.

I woke this morning with a short list of small goals to accomplish in order to further my company/lifestyle/blog. Starting at roughly 3PM, I have accomplished much more than I expected  up to this point. With the help of my Associate B-Dub we cleared all the hurdles placed in front of us. We met at a local Starbucks and ordered some seasonal beverages. After that it was straight to work. After a few hours, a trip to the mall, a margherita pizza, and two bowls of Edy's Pumpkin Pie ice cream LYMLife had a mascot, a mission statement, and some much needed technological updates. The lesson for today is basically with a little bit of motivation we all can overcome procrastination. You just have to work toward something you believe in and are passionate about. The LYMLife is my passion, and its the best way to describe the lifestyle that most of the productive people I associate myself with and myself follow. Never give up hope, and chase your dreams because we aren't stopping before we reach ours.

B-Dub handling the technological beauracracy

My pens bleed creativity

In this Life I lead

Sitting at home wasting away as my thoughts swallow me alive and the burden of a test on the horizon begins to set in, I think to myself what is LYMLife.

 Months prior I had planned to attend the Orlando stop of the Waken Baken tour, but due to some serious academic obstacles and the fact that the concert has been sold out for about 3 weeks now I have decided to put my studies first tonight. I can't lie I am slightly grieved  because I have yet again missed an opportunity to see two of my favorite artists in concert but I have put it in perspective and school is currently on a higher priority level.


Everybody knows Wiz but I suggest you don't sleep on Yelawolf......Hollerachee

 Here at LYMLife we understand the difference between a dream and reality. The difference is the reality must come before the dream. Reality is your hustle, struggle, or grind. Dreams are the prize, trophy, or "pay off". LYMLife is not doing what you want to do whenever you want to do it. Its about living life, while taking responsibility, grinding,  and eventually after the hard work is done the dreams will come. So in the name of "La Pincha" its time to face my reality and "Go Ham" on these textbooks. Shouts out to Wiz and all the Taylors in attendance and shouts out to Catfish Billy....

Prop 19 or Flop 19?

  

Pros and Cons"Cmon people this is LYMLIFE we can't be bias"

Yesterday California voters went to war in the name of weed. From the occassional pot users, old school hippies, concerned parents, to good old pot haters were all on the front lines battling it out. Their battle ground "Prop 19" on California's ballot. Despite all the efforts of "Yes on Prop 19"(support campaign), "No on Prop 19"(against campaign) claimed victory at the polls yesterday. Some supporters extremely disgruntled, others able to put things in perspective.

In a war you cannot win every battle, sometimes you must take losses in order to retreat, regroup, and eventually conquer. This concept is fully understood by "Yes on Prop 19" whose leaders have said that they consider the outcome a small win when it comes to exposure due to all the national attention. They have high hopes for the next time Prop 19 graces the ballots.

Here at LYMLIFE we just want to see you support what you believe in. Make your voice heard even if you have a total disgust for this supposed democracy. If you don't give your two cents you have no right to bitch and complain about the direction the country is headed in. So man up and stand for something or fall for anything. VOTE or SETTLE! 

Educate yourself:
http://www.ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_19,_the_Marijuana_Legalization_Initiative_(2010)