Tag:

mindfulness

Zach Leary On Technology and Identity

Welcome back to Season 3: Episode 22 of The Art of Humanity, where we explore creativity + consciousness to allow you and your business to evolve. In Episode 22, Jessica Ann talks with Zach Leary. In all of Zach’s work he blends his roles as a spiritual aspirant and a futurist into a unique identity all his own.

With a background as an attorney and an educator, along with experience working with social media companies, he is able to take a Multidisciplinary approach to our evolving use of technology.

Listen here or subscribe on iTunes.

In this interview, Zach and Jessica discuss:

1. Who is Zach today?

“Who are you today” is something that Ram Daas said to him back in the day. You can take this with you. The whole idea of “be here now” have permeated our culture and part of the fabric of “being in the moment.” But what does this do for our identity? I like to leave enough room in my identity to not be any one thing. I keep spirituality in the center and present throughout everything I do, and also leave room for my interest in technology.

2. How Zach grounds himself with two extreme identities: The spiritual multidimensional being and a socioeconomic theorist?

It comes back to what you’re passionate about. Dharma is not about following your path but it’s also about stripping away all of the things in your environment that make your experience less than ideal. I follow what I’m passionate about and it happens to be those things.

Because of this, I’ve formed a point of view in the fusion of spirituality and technology. When I got into expanded consciousness, starting with psychedelics and then into yoga and spirituality I saw the world’s blending together.

3. All spirituality is a movement towards truth and there’s always a way to move towards enlightenment. What does Zach commit to on a regular basis?

4. There’s a beauty to technology. Zach writes on his blog:

“The wonderful thing about the technological realities of today combined with the non-dogmatic approaches to the many spiritual paths available is that they can be blended to fit your personality in a way that also gives you the freedom to leave behind what isn’t serving you. It’s not a take it or leave it proposition. The only real requirement is sincerity. After that you’re free to exist as you wish. The previous gate holders of the church or the media don’t have to be a part of your trip anymore. It’s up to you.”

There’s also a cautionary tale about this because there’s no precedent. There hasn’t been a time in man’s history (unless you bring in alternate realities) to where man has started receiving so much data and input on a daily basis because of screens and informational flowing in.

5. How does Zach process reality through the filter bubble?

6. When you enter into the realm of spirituality, the herd mentality is as strong there as anywhere. So, you enter bubbles and layers within the community you’re in. Do we sacrifice awareness when we enter the herd mentality? Or do we sacrifice a part of our identity?

52% of white woman voted for Donald Trump. Millions of women ignored the data and went with the herd. They saw it as part of a greater message and they could forget the details. It never used to be like this. Now, we know all of these awful truths about the President – and he still won. Marketing is still as powerful as ever.

7. How do you incorporate goodness when there’s so much darkness in the world today?

8. Do you have a choice when you start heading down this path? How do you find yourself walking the path so fearlessly in a society that wants you to be afraid?

The Maya is the false attachment to the illusions that make you happy. If you say you drove a Rolls Royce here, that’s beautiful. But if you absolutely think you need a Rolls Royce to define your happiness, then we have a problem.

9. Drugs are temporary portals to other dimensions. Are there other ways to access different dimensions in contemplative practices?

10. What was one of the defining moment of being raised by Timothy Leary?

You can follow Zach on Twitter or instagram, and/or subscribe to his podcast here.

Episode 3: Shannon Hernandez discusses music and motivation

The Art of Humanity is a weekly 30-minute podcast that explores creativity and consciousness with artists, leaders, authors, and entrepreneurs.

Note: If you enjoy this episode, please leave a review on the iTunes store. It’ll mean so much to me to see your feedback!

Episode 3: Radio personality and podcaster Shannon Hernandez.

Shannon Hernandez is Dave Grohl’s shorter twin. He has a passion for being on the radio and educating the everyday man/woman to do what he does. During our conversation we discuss:

What it’s like to live the dream he’s had since a little boy
How to get used to the sound of your own voice
The music that inspires him (along with some nerd talk: books and philosophy!)
How he rewired his mind to lose a ton of weight

Please subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and leave a review!

April 22, 2015 0 comment

Blog

Five Ways to Free Your Mind

When you free your mind, you have more time to spend mindfully with family and friends, more freedom to be fully control of your life. And when you’re fully in control, you feel good about your life. But how do you go from the daily grind to freeing your mind (especially in the midst of the holiday season and planning for the new year)?

Here are some tips:

1. Try adventure

“If you think adventure is dangerous, you should try routine. It is lethal.” – Paulo Coelho

Nothing makes me more happy than leaving the country for an adventure. Taking in the smells, sights, and sounds of a new experience, and coming back refreshed. I recently traveled to Costa Rica, which was a big milestone for me. You see, I brought my MacBook, and did work while I was away. My business is location dependent which means I can technically live (and work) from anywhere in the world. But I haven’t taken advantage of this beyond business trips throughout the U.S.

Going on this adventure vacation, mixing business with pleasure, is my lifestyle choice. It’s not one or the other – it’s a completely blended life. Focusing on business and pleasure in the same trip makes sense for me, because I don’t see my work as a chore. I love what I do, and I love my clients. The only downside is that I had to reschedule one business call due to an unexpected traveling conflict. But otherwise, I was able to fully lead a blended life.

If you have the freedom to travel, why not go on an adventure to free your mind? You’ll come back refreshed and feeling alive. If you can’t travel for your work, try to plan an amazing getaway for your pleasure in 2014.

here’s a photo I took

2. Embrace creative confidence

Creative confidence leads to freedom. I learned this the hard way, after struggling with not thinking I was a good writer for years of my life.

You may struggle with this concept too. Try to embrace the many traits of creative people. That’s when you can feel more free, and more at ease.

Embracing creative confidence lets you evolve. And when you evolve, you can more easily free your mind. You’re not attached to the past, or too focused on the future. You’re merely embracing who you are today. And that’s more than ok.

3. Gain levity

In Dan Pink‘s book, he describes levity as that “unseen force that lifts you skyward.”

I experienced levity while surfing in Costa Rica this week. It’s that feeling that you’re on the brink of something amazing, and you feel a force pulling you up, up, up. You’re floating on air (or water, in this case). And you’re not sure when you’re coming down.

You know you will fall, eventually (gravity will do that). But you’re enjoying the momentary beauty of your high. Levity is the luxurious lack of a leash. It’s that place where you’re free to roam and writhe with wanderlust. You see the world, from high above, and there’s tons of wiggle room to wonder. And you know that gravity will be there to help keep you grounded. When properly combined, these two opposing forces leave you buoyant.

Levity (coupled with gravity) helps you free your mind.

Do you ever feel levity, through your work or through your art?

4. Curate good content

When you curate your way to quality content, you can change your thinking. You create meaning out of what you find. And you start to see things different. When you start to see things differently, you curate the process of change.

The funny thing with the digital economy, is that when you curate content regularly, you become more free. When you release your ideas to the world, you humanize your marketing. And when your marketing is human, you don’t need to hard sell your product or service. And that’s always a good thing.

5. Create quality content

You probably want to bring in more sales in 2014. Get a social media strategy together. Maybe even learn how to use Twitter (if you’re feeling ambitious). Why not think about creating quality content as the way to bring in more revenue?

When you create quality content, you weave stories throughout your customer’s experience. And as freeing as storytelling is, it’s not just for kids.

Bonus #6: Practice gratitude.

Gratitude did not always come easy to me. But today I have a daily gratitude practice, and I’m not sure what took me so long to appreciate the good things in my life. Maybe it’s because it’s been quite a struggle getting to where I am today. And I view it all as a work in progress. But I couldn’t be more thankful for a business that gives me freedom, and for friends and family that bring me joy.

I’m thankful to my amazing clients, my growing team who lives around the world, and for a community of friends. I value your support immensely. And I’m beyond grateful for each and every one of you.

How do you free your mind? Do you practice gratitude? Please comment below.

Note: this is the last blog post of 2013. See you in 2014!!

December 12, 2013 0 comment

Blog

Why Three Words > One Resolution

Instead of a New Year’s resolution, I choose three words to implement more into my life. This means a menu of opportunities. It frees the mind to think bigger than concrete tasks. Instead of the “do this not that” resolution approach.

My three words (inspired by Chris Brogan) for 2012 were: Mindfulness, Spontaneity, Simplicity.

I want to remain true to my words and hold myself accountable. So here’s how I applied them:

1. Mindfulness.

Cluttered thoughts and things can often get in the way of vision. Here’s how I cleared the clutter, and applied mindfulness in 2012:

Less is More

Minimalism is something I incorporate into many aspects of my life. Whether it’s through digital minimalism, creative minimalism, or clothing minimalism. Get your mind out of the gutter…not that kind.

This year I tried a personal experiment in living with less. The goal is to own only 33 items of clothing. Sounds crazy, I know. And certainly a challenge for a former shopaholic. Don’t get me wrong – I believe in always looking fabulous. But I also believe in:

Softening the consumption footprint.

Giving to others less fortunate.

Purging to create positive energy for the future.

I have a walk-in closet – which naturally (for many women) means the ability to…have more clothes! Not me, anymore. I minimized to about 100 items in my closet (if that sounds like a lot, count the number of items in your closet. You’ll be surprised).

I donated the majority of my clothes. And then I donated again when Hurricane Sandy hit. Now I’m only left with clothes I only adore. They’re quality, staple pieces – that truly make me happy when I wear them. The bonus is that life and travel have become much more efficient.

We all have choices. And sometimes our decisions become so ingrained in our belief system that we forget that we can do things differently.

This project is not just about price tags. It’s a way to be uncomfortable (in a “first-world problem” way), question my belief system, and focus on quality.Â It’s about putting my core beliefs into practice. It’s one of the reasons why I don’t own a microwave or have TV/cable (when Netflix and Hulu work just fine).

This project has allowed me to choose different and better ways of doing things – both personally and professionally.

2. Simplicity

The good: I moved to a more simple life by the sea. The salt air and open water is a better energy to make things happen (compared to life in Washington, DC). It’s given me the opportunity to reflect. Which is necessary to build (more on this in my next post).

The bad (which in retrospect isn’t bad – just a learning experience): Some projects I got involved with were far too complex and convoluted for their own good. But I learned. And the choices I make in 2013 will be based on what I learned from 2012.

3. Spontaneity

When I chose this word, I knew I’d be in for some exciting trips. I planned slightly ahead for business reasons. And traveled to Las Vegas for CES and Austin for SXSW. I also popped into NYC to fill up on inspiration.

Meet Karma

I got a puppy. Tried the blowfish. Traveled alone to a new country.

Spontaneity led to new opportunities. Fun experiences. New friends. And an overall fulfilling, exciting year.

How do you set goals or make resolutions? What are your three words for 2013? Please comment below.

January 2, 2013 1 comment

Blog

The Minimalist Guide to Resolutions

We all have grand plans around this time of year. We’re reassessing our skills and strengths, while creating new goals for the year to come. It’s a quiet time to reflect, plan, and become a better person. But it all starts to sound like gibberish after awhile. Do this, don’t eat that. Be like this, not like that. We’re complex creatures, and only time will tell if we’ll revert to our big, bad ways. Then we’ll wait 365 more days to restart our grand plan all over again.

Resolutions grind my gears. Why? Because resolutions are a waste of time. They give in to complacency and the lizard brain. Not my style.

The truth is, we can create resolutions, or form new habits, at any time of the year. Sure, it’s more socially acceptable to create resolutions when it’s a new calendar year on January 1st. We’ll have more support for about a week (especially at the gym). Then it’ll dwindle. Doesn’t this give us a greater incentive to make changes throughout the course of the year? I think so.

How do you become the person you want or hope to be, without setting yourself up for failure? Or worse, mediocrity? (Yes, mediocrity is worse than failure. At least we learn from failure). Here’s a minimalist guide to creating an un-resolution:

Instead of a resolution, choose three words that embody goals. The good news? They can be anything. We can achieve the goals that these words represent at any point throughout the year. It takes pressure away from “sticking to a resolution” while providing the challenge of remaining true to our words. It encourages the formation of new habits. And new habits are stronger than resolutions. New habits lead to productive change.

Last year, my three words were creativity, connection, and mindfulness. I always want to stay true to my word, don’t you? Let’s see how I did:

Creativity. I used to resist and fight against creativity. Or not know how to channel it properly. It was only when I gave in to my overpowering desire to create that things finally began to make sense. Writing became an outlet to channel my creativity. Thoughts no longer sit stifled. And I can be more real to my “authentic self” <buzzword alert> through creating.

Connection. I’m honored and humbled to have met so many talented folks. From DC to NY to Philly, I met new friends and was surrounded by greatness. The energy from talking to like-minded entrepreneurs and artists is priceless.

Mindfulness. Mindfulness is considered to be important in the path to enlightenment. Out of my three words, mindfulness was the most challenging for me. 2011 became the year of going back to the basics, in many different ways. It wasn’t an easy year, but I somehow allowed myself to embrace the many challenges I faced. Mindfulness forced me to pay attention on purpose. I became fascinated with measuring success, or at least tracking it along the way. In turn, I became financially mindful by knowing every penny spent. I could have achieved mindfulness in many other ways. I still have some work to do with this one. Maybe I’ll revisit in 2012?

How do you set goals for the new year? Do New Year’s resolutions work for you? Do you prefer to set an intention? Or do you like choosing words instead? Please leave your thoughts in the comments.

December 29, 2011 5 comments