Money

I think it's pretty safe to assume that money is probably the largest cause of stress in most people's lives. If you have too much money, the stress probably came from earning it. If you don't have enough money, the stress is coming from trying to make more to get by. Graduating college and becoming financially independent was a rude awakening of truly how much control money CAN have over you. I say CAN because there are people in this world who have the ability to keep money from taking control over them. The irony of it, is that they seem to be genuinely happy.

I learned about a study done with people of varying incomes. The lowest group was made up of people who make less than $10,000. The highest group was people who made above $100,000. The money figures are a single income too, not a household income. They were asked one question...Do you make enough money to buy everything you NEED. Two amazing statistics came out of this:

1) Around 36% of people making less than $10,000 said they could afford everything they needed.
2) 27% of people making over $100,000 said they cannot afford everything they need.

Both facts above warrant the question: Do we know what we really NEED?

It's amazing to see that such a percentage of people making so little believe they have everything they need and at the same time, 27% of people making more than 10x as much as the first group thinks they cannot afford everything they need.

This really caused me to look inward and try to put myself into a category. I'd be lying if I told myself that I didn't enjoy luxuries here and there. If I had more money, would I immediately elevate the things in my life, or am I content with where I am?

One of the things this whole story made me realize is while I have indulged on some items, some of the things that make me happiest are the cheaper things I have.

1) Running - It is by far one of the most stress-free, relaxing, and altogether uplifting hobbies I have. In the book "The Athlete's Way", you are encouraged to keep a journal where you rate your happiness before the run and then rate your happiness after the run. In almost every single run, you begin to see that you are always rating your happiness higher after the run. Best part is, if the weather is nice, it is virtually free. Besides the cost for a good pair of shoes, you're gaining a tremendous amount of happiness for practically nothing. That's just a normal day on the road...I won't even talk about raceday.

2) Hiking/camping - follows virtually the same principles as running with the added benefit of being easier to do with friends and/or family. There's nothing like a nice couple of hours or even a full weekend without a cell phone and without society. Almost assuredly with any hiking trip, you will really get to know whomever you are hiking with a lot better. There's just something about being out in the woods and being more comfortable. With the ability to hike in any comfortable clothes, the only cost you are going to deal with is a 2-5 dollar fee to get into a park.

3) Block party/friends gathering - There's a lot of different get togethers that could fit under this category, but the root of it is just getting a bunch of friends and/or family together at a house, pool, or even street and enjoying some food, cold beverages, and each other's company. A lot of times, it's worth taking a step back and taking it all in while appreciating how lucky you are to have such a great group of people around. I myself am thankful everyday for my amazing family and great friends. The cost is variable, but when shared, relatively cheap for everyone involved.

4) Concert/Sports/live event - I paired these together because part of the draw I have to these is the ability to see someone perform at something they are decent/amazing/extraordinary at. From piano to curling, it is just fun to watch somebody having so much fun. Even better when you get the ability to enjoy it with friends and family again. While these have higher costs than the previous events, they surely do not cost as much as a Ferrari, bottle of Crystal, etc.

I think we all want more money because it's always nice to be comfortable with finances, but when you look at some of the most fun moments in your life, you'll realize a lot of them came at a relatively low cost. The majority need just some time and some company.

Jar of Mayonnaise and 2 beers

Honestly, I probably get 20 emails like the one below every week and just delete them out of my inbox. For whatever reason, this one actually made me think a little and I thought was a pretty good analogy of life and the infinite struggle to prioritize all the things going on everyday. I do warn you, it's cheesy.



The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Beers
>
>
> When things in your life seem almost too much to
> handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough,
> remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 beers.
>
> A professor stood before his philosophy class and had
> some items in front of him. When the class began, he
> wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise
> jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then
> asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed
> that it was.
>
> The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and
> poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
> The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the
> golf balls. He then asked the students again if the
> jar was full. They agreed that it was.
>
> The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured
> it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up
> everything else. He asked once more if the jar was
> full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes'.
>
> The professor then produced two beers from under the
> table and poured the entire contents into the jar
> effectively filling the empty space between the sand.
> The students laughed.
>
> 'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I
> want you to recognize that this jar represents your
> life. The golf balls are the important things---your
> family, your children, your health, your friends and
> your favorite passions---and if everything else was
> lost and only they remained, your life would still be
> full.
>
> The pebbles are the other things that matter like your
> job, your house and your car.
>
> The sand is everything else---the small stuff.
>
> 'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he
> continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the
> golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all
> your time and energy on the small stuff you will never
> have room for the things that are important to you.
>
> 'Pay attention to the things that are critical to your
> happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time
> with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take
> time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to
> dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time
> to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of
> the golf ball first---the things that really matter.
> Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'
>
> One of the students raised her hand and inquired what
> the Beer represented. The professor smiled and said,
> 'I'm glad you asked.' The beer just shows you that no
> matter how full your life may seem, there's always
> room for a couple of beers with a friend.'

I think this got to me, because I definitely can see how work can suddenly take over your life and cause you to not do everything you want to do, or hang out with all the people you want to see.
The line I like the most is about cleaning the house and fixing the disposal. After living in a house for over a year, I still have a completely empty dining room minus a lighting fixture hanging from the ceiling. I get asked about it constantly and I only have one answer. "What do I need a dining table for?". Why would I put money towards furniture to fit into a room and sit there unused when I could spend that money on a trip somewhere?

I'll leave with a quote that I've always liked and I think fits into this post. It just magnifies how important it is to have fun because once it's over...it's over...

" Life is not a journey to the grave
With the intention of
Arriving safely in a pretty
And well preserved body,
But rather to skid in broadside,
Thoroughly used up,
Totally worn out,
And loudly proclaiming,

WOW !!!! What a ride!"

To Coach or not to Coach....

Coachella 2010 lineup has been posted and I've got to say, it made my heart rate jump to a threshold level. In no particular order, the top 5 bands that are making me lean more towards going are:
1) Gorillaz - their concerts on Palladia just look ridiculous and they are supposed to be debuting a lot of their new album
2) MGMT - i've heard they are amazing live and just damn weird
3) Muse - same as MGMT, heard they are great live and although I wasn't ecstatic about the newest CD, still think they are great
4) Frightened Rabbit - Heard about this band from BK and is one of the bands that I've actually liked that he has played
5) Avett Brothers - IMO, just great music to sit outside to and enjoy on a great day, why not see them in California live?

Image might be a little small so visit www.coachella.com to see it larger and for ticket information. If you're interested, let me know...

The science of shopping

Through the many hours I've spent at Barnes and Noble, I have passed over Malcolm Gladwell's books (The tipping point, Blink, Outliers, What the Dog Saw) and never shown the interest they deserved. My Marketing professor is a huge fan and as a part of the class, we are reading a lot of his articles related to Marketing. Needless to say, at this point, I'm hooked on Gladwell's articles and have picked up his latest book, "What the Dog Saw". It's a collection of some of his articles from the New Yorker.

I'll share one of the first articles we read because it's definitely an article everybody can relate to. It was written in 1996 and details a company that sets up video cameras in stores and highlights the habits all shoppers have in stores. As a result, the stores lay out the products according to the habits so that they can sell as much as they can. For example, have you ever noticed that when you walk into a store, you almost always walk to the right? While the article is a little long, I assure you it is worth reading...

http://www.gladwell.com/1996/1996_11_04_a_shopping.htm

Might as well JUMP

Sometime in November, I was challenged to skydive before the end of the year. While it had always been something I wanted to do, I was not expecting a trip so quickly. After all, what sense does it make to fly 2.5 miles above the ground and decide to just jump out?

When you arrive, you are required to watch a video of a lawyer do nothing but reiterate the danger of skydiving and the ugly truth that the waiver you sign states you cannot sue the company even if the company acts negligent. Great way to get the nerves out. I was fortunate my instructor had a couple thousand jumps behind him.

In the plane, it was hard not to look out the window and see the ground get further away. At one point, I thought we looked really high and realized we were only 2,000 feet up (14,000 was the jump height). Once you get to the right altitude, your adrenaline is pumping so hard, it would almost be too hard to shy back. Jumping out of the plane was like no other feeling a human can experience. In that split second, all my fear and worries just disappeared as the view overloaded all my senses. For one minute, your body accelerates to 120 mph during the free-fall. When the chute opens, you are jerked up quickly into a standing position and the world goes silent. There's not a whole lot of things that are a mile above ground making noise. If you hit it on a clear day, you can see for miles and get perspective on how big the world is. Total peace is the only way I can describe it and that does it no justice. 7 minutes after jumping out of a plane, I landed safely on the Earth thinking of nothing but when was the next opportunity I would be able to jump.

If you have ever considered jumping, DO IT. It is worth every penny and the anxiousness leading up to it. If you are in the Upstate SC, Charlotte, or Asheville area, I recommend going with Skydive Carolina. They did an excellent job and are worth trusting. And if you need someone to go with...I'm open to invitations

Day one: New year's resolution 1/5th done

Might as well do a big shameless plug on the first post while I'm at it. I didn't think I was going to create a New Year's Resolution this year because, well they just never work out. It makes the end of the year that more disappointing when you don't fulfill it. I figure, if I go into the New Year without any goals, my accomplishments will seem like overachieving at the end of the year right? After a sign at my gym went up and hearing my marketing professor talk about it, I've decided I'm going to try to donate blood 5 times this year. You are allowed to donate blood once every 2 months and I feel that 5 is a pretty healthy dose of donations for the year.

Why give blood? Tonight's reason...it was a long day at work and I didn't feel like working out. There's two things that are terrible to do after giving blood: 1) Drink (believe me, it turns sour) and 2) work-out. I was also told by the nurse that donating blood helps you drop 600 calories. Even though it probably gets gained back fairly easily, I feel that it took place of my workout.

Downsides to giving blood? 1) Having someone ask you some extremely personal questions where it can get pretty awkward when you laugh at them 2) Needles and slight pain 3) Some people pass out because you do get a pint taken out



Despite the negatives, it is probably the easiest and most selfless way to save somebody's life. As my marketing professor said: You have no idea who it's going to and there's no way for them to trace you and thank you.

I promise they will get better from here...