In all honesty I don’t think that the governing bodies of the world really care so much as to what you do with your life. Especially if a majority or all of your life has been spent on the soft/regal lands of western society. However, if allowed I do think if given the opportunity the overlords of the “New World” order will trick you out of being the most honest version of you. Which in my eyes, in so many regards are far worse than just holding a bullshit job, as a fry dropper at White Castle (no offense to fast food workers. I hope you guys get every inch of that $15/hr).

Das thing ist, what are these vessels we call bodies without the soul? What is a road map that lacks destination? What are our purposes in life? Why are we here?

Even though I don’t have time/and am too insanely lazy to crack open that entire can of worms. I do however wish to share some tips on self-discovery to those humans that are open to it. To those humans that don’t mind feeding their brain for a second to make their lives better.

I studied dance at the University of Southern Mississippi. Like....all the dances, Ballet, Modern, Bartenieff, Composition, Notation, Contemporary, etc. Prior to University I studied in the hood; Hip Hop, Popping, you know....the street shit. If I’m to be honest (in which I always tend to be) being a student of a great institution pushed my movement leaps and bounds. It unfolded my creative muscles and put them back together in a more prominent fashion. In some regards I feel borderline unlimited in my dance because of this.

GRATITUDE USM

However, I can’t help but think (because I am such a lover of bohemian experiences) that I could have learned the same creative aspects in the world and not had to pay back $70,000 dollars (no worries, no need to start up a go fund me to save my financial soul from an abysmal Sallie Mae hell, my shit is paid). To put it mildly I believe the greatest teacher in life is experience, and experience’s bad ass stepchild.....failure.

To keep it light though, lets break our foot off in the ass of this list of life teachings I have uncovered throughout my life as a street artist and vagabond.

-Accountability.

I cannot preach this enough!

The chambered halls of the French catacombs cannot not echo this message enough. There’s something about simply accepting our own personal shortcomings in life as the fault of our own that redistributes our own personal power.

When we as humans are so quick to point the finger at the outside world. What actually occurs is that we give imminent domain over our lives to those who in most cases have no clue that we exist. Fall down alone and stand up alone. This isn’t to say, that we don’t require assistance in this life but it is to say that at the end of the day, YOU/WE have to get it done.

-Patience

The number of ex-students and humans that I speak to these days that are all under the age of 25 that are profoundly worried about their next step in life is staggering.

Like, it feels as if an entire society is standing above a frozen lake of thinning ice during the god damned Vegas summer. Honestly, I am 34 years of age now and literally have no clue what the fuck is happening around me at any moment. Even when I had decent paying jobs that secured my life. Outside of that, as an independent artist, life was/is forever shaky.

Life is forever changing.

So, I say this, take a deep breath, and accept all that the world is. Be grateful for all that you have but understand that you have all the time in the world fuck up and start anew. Contrary to popular belief, life is typically long and only getting longer for those of us in the West. New Medicine, better food, better health. I mean fuck, self-love is even being implemented into billion-dollar corporate jobs.

Shits hot!!

-Embrace Death

Most don’t wish to talk about the finite ideals of life but if you’re keeping it funky in this life, what is the true constant that everyone knows?

The short answer, is that everyone dies.

Everything must go....and that’s fine. In fact, the understanding that one day we will no longer be here can be the catalyst to your life. The flame to your cold ass Alaskan camping trip, that you had no business taking. A true savior.

The thing is, the universe doesn’t give a damn about life nor death. It doesn’t understand good, nor bad, angels nor devils. It works through chaos, and chance. So here you stand, a brilliant specimen that was sling shot across the galaxies to connect with an earthly body. The odds, a staggering 400 trillion to 1 that we are here. Please don’t waste it only focusing on the end or living in fear of life and progression.

Don’t kill yourself before it’s your time.

When it’s time to go it will be time to go. Until then maybe, just maybe “rage against the dying of the light”.

I love that quote.

-Make You Own Life

I mean this both very literally and creatively. For life is simply a big ass overpriced canvas and we are so fortunate as to be able manifest into this realm what we want and love. It doesn’t always have to be money, but it can be a few stacks here and there. Alas, what about travel? What about having brilliant cuisines in the jungles of third world countries? What about boxing a fucking kangaroo and completely dusting that nigga? ADVENTURE!!

Life is to be colorful. In my own opinion the world is far too vast to grow and to fade in the same place that you started. Nothing wrong with it but this planet and all of its grandeur belongs to everyone. NAMSAYIN? With that bit of understanding, there simply is no reason to go out into the land and look to conquer what is already yours. It’s simply waiting for you but first you must accept it.

On another note. Speaking of creativity. If by chance you are an artist for hirer in life like myself you probably understand how difficult it is to make a career of it. Especially in these creative seas that hold so many big artsy fish. So, I said all of that to say this, Make. Work. For. Yourself.

Be aware of your community. The mom and pops shops, restaurants, coffee shops, schools, that are looking to bring a new fresh up and coming artist to their establishment. To network and make “hip” their brick-and-mortar businesses. As a matter of fact, my first official show was done at a coffee shop in Mobile, Al that goes by the name Red Bar. Straight up, I simply walked in, asked the owner if I could do a dance show in his new establishment. He said “hell yea”. We set up a date, I invited everyone I knew and their mommas and we went HAM.

BEST MEMORY EVER. YOU CAN DO THIS TOO.....JUST GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY.

It’s rather counterproductive to give life tips and end by telling the readers to give up on listening to outside influences! BUT, that’s EXACTLY what the FUCK I’m about to do. Seriously, every human is in charge of their own happiness. Every man in charge of the scripting of his own story. One cannot create and edit at the same time. It’s impossible! Even your parents as best as they try to guide you, can never understand the innerworkings of your heart and mind, in full. Parents do their best and they’re lovely and cute in all their attempts to guide us but they are them and you are you.

Hands To Heart

P.S. Comment below whether or not you get my drift, or add to the many topics I can blog about.
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