The less we want, the richer we become.

The less we want, the richer we become. But, It feels nice to have a goal. A goal keeps us on track. It keeps us in focus. Focus and energy are two of the best feeling drugs we’ll ever experience. We can work with fashion for the sensation of an acheivement. But, if we buy frivolously, we rob ourselves of that determination to achieve. When we lose the sacred nature of our money, we lose a bit of why fashion is fun.

Let’s instead choose something that will give us less of a fix, and more of fulfillment. If we are thinking of an object, let’s let that object be a friend through the tough times ahead. For me, believe it or not is not rings. For me it is jackets. I love testing a jacket in the elements. There’s something there that I find so satisfying. I think it is the utility of it. I love that I could be out on a frozen river bank in Alaska 20 below, and still be warm. The utility and style is where I find my joy.

For many of you here, your love is jewelry. I very much thank you for your passion in my craft, but I urge you to frame your mind to the utility of a ring. How is a ring utilitarian? Style, prayer, honoring your achievements, investments, heirlooms, pivotal moments.

There is immense power in a EARNING a sense of style. For many people the act alone of wearing a ring in public might be terrifying. I used to feel that way. At one point in NYC I remember it taking all of my courage to wear a green Peruvian “cowboy” hat in public. It was very cool, and for no reason should I have been so insecure about wearing it. It took several brave days of wearing it to feel normal.

I learned that style is a gentle practice. It is like showing up for football practice on the first day of the season, and the entire team is staring you down as you approach; and you’ve never played the game. It is The thing is, nobody is watching. If someone is scrutinizing, then you are doing something right! Bravery is rewarded with attention if that is your goal.

Style can take that kind of bravery to overcome. I did wear a pair of black rock and roll leather pants to Santa Fe once. People treat you differently when you are wearing a pair of black rock and roll leather pants…..until they see you getting out of a mini van pushing a stroller with four kids! Ha!

Investments!

I always say to myself, let’s let our investments pay for our desires. A ring is not something we should buy, it’s something our investments should buy. Lets put our money to work for us so lets first ask ourselves, where can we put our money that it will return enough money to pay for a ring and have enough money left over to reinvest?

Money comes in waves; a gentle roll for a sustained period is our best friend. Invest in something you love and it will give you joy throughout the period of your life. How many people can say that?

AMBIGUITY IS YOUR FRIEND.

Though it may seem counter intuitive to remove our heart from our sleeve, in the modern world of today ambiguity is your best friend. We have an endless array of machines and robots scanning our phones, images and posts on social media with sole intent of learning about you. Who are you? Where do you stand politically? How can your stance on society make it easier to sell you ideas, products, and votes.

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There is real power in remaining unseen. That power allows us to move in and out of people’s micro cultures. When people or machines do not know who we are by the way we look, talk, or act, it makes their data about us useless. The data from machines, or preconceived notions from people are the same. We collect data ourselves about the people around us. That data we collect we use to determine whether or not somebody is safe, like-able, friendly, mean, a threat.

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Our style is likely the first tool people use to collect data about us. If we wear a cowboy hat, people assume that we like guns. If we wear a beanie at a coffee shop, people assume that we are protesting inequality. What happens to someone’s stereotypes if we wear a white silk suit with a camouflage baseball hat?

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I can tell you. People have no idea which box to put you into. If you want to move freely in our society, you cannot live in a box. The box can restrict your motion, and in return restrict your freedom to exist everywhere.

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The truth of the matter is we all have friends and family on all sides of the political, idealogical, belief and race spectrums. We’re all actually a part of the same team. The idea that we are different from one another is invented by those hoping to leverage our differences for their own benifit. Fight back first by keeping yourself out of a box. Lets put our money into our beliefs. Let’s allow that to be our business alone.

Unabated Travel in a Sea of STUFF.

Before we ask ourselves “what we can add to our lives for more happiness?'“ We should ask “What can we leave behind to create more happiness?”

Keep ourselves light. Mobility and efficiency are key to feeling free. Would you rather be a Knight in shining armor, or a Ninja in the night? More often than not, we’re subjected the ‘more is more’ mindset ingrained in our systems. It’s a lie. It should be stated, “More is more weight to carry.” Resourcefulness is the majesty of time. Build a fortress of the mind with the mud under our shoes if we have to. We live in resources abundant.

Should we find ourselves down and out, we should be resourceful enough to find our way to up and at’em! Atom, Adam At’em!

We’re living in a sea of STUFF. I give STUFF all capitals because it is massively present in our lives. It’s like a warrior guarding the bank of our time and energy. If buying a ring is buying more stuff for you, please buy someone else’s rings.

Instead, let these pieces be a symbol of your freedom. Let the lightness shine through in the weight of our day. Ride the lightness like an easy read. Red is the sky at dusk and dawn, so enjoy it. We’re here for a blink of the eye of a storm called Super Nova. Let’s travel unabated! The world is our vessel.

Blatant Disregard of Pride.

What have we achieved for ourselves today? In many people’s eyes I have been someone to admire for my stamina in the jewelry design arena. I have taken a licking and kept on ticking(with help of course). I am often asked by my partner if I “am proud.” of making a big sale. Or “proud” of making an amazing piece?

The answer is: Never.

Pride is the end of the journey. It’s the end of the movie! It’s a moment in time and then it’s gone. I always ask her to ask me on my death bed. Maybe in that moment I will cave. SURE WHY NOT?!

Pride is in worked into our society like a sugar. It tastes so sweet yet gives us nothing in return but a crash. Pride is an oppression. It can taint the mind while our competition is continuing their work. THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE. Celebrate a great victory, not something we been handed for free.

Instead let us stay humble. In the light of a great victory, let us smile and keep our nose in the work. Let others celebrate our victory. When others celebrate our victory, IT MUST BE TRULY MAGNIFICENT. A true achievement.

What are you looking to build? I can tell you now, keep your pride out of it and it will grow into a magnificent palace. People will celebrate you, so you do not have to.

Take a step in the direction of something you want to build. A business, art, science, religion, a home, a spaceship! Whatever that is, remember that it takes one brick at a time to build a castle. You will never have a castle without laying that first brick. Do it for others and the bricks will practically lay themselves.

Revel in the Nature of Change.

The green of the gods. The color of peace and serenity. It’s free. Not too oddly enough it is color of currency here in the US. Though it true that money cannot grant the happiness we seek, it can provide opportunity to make a self level up. There’s a peace in leveling up our souls. Let’s not discount that.

In my little family of a 7 year old, 5, 2, a wife, dog, 11 ducks and myself, we give thanks to the money. “Arigato The Money”. Being of the creative ilk, we often have none. In those times we can be stressed, sometimes we are at peace with it. I’ll tell you that when we find a moment of happiness in the stressful time of scrounging up a mortgage payment, it is truly a gem.

Though it is tough. We’re not built for happiness ever long. Happy ever after is lie. Without the tough times we have nothing to break through, or nothing to break free of.

Little demons attach themselves and we often invite them. They’ll ride our backs until we decide that we are too tired of carrying their weight. Demons come in all forms. One of mine is anger. His name is probably Anger and he eats my energy like a a kid in a candy store.

He comes around when the bills are coming out like a geyser and the money stuck is in the purgatory of chance.

But, there is hope. WE CAN TURN HIM INTO A SLAVE! Instead we can choose to build! We can crack the whip on anger! Even if we have nothing to build with, we can seek a small challenge to overcome. Walk barefoot in the snow, take a cold shower, relinquish old objects that do not serve us, call an old friend, make a new friend, play with our kids, be an inspiration for others to follow. TURN OFF THE NEWS.

Challenges are all around us and a small victory can reset the entire course of our lives. We’re all capable no matter what we look like, feel like, want to be like. Bravery is the first step so step forward.

DON’T PUSH BACK, PUSH FORWARD.