My Life

I'm a sucker for quotes. And when they are summed up like they are in the Holstee Manifesto, they transport me into a mood that makes me feel like anything is possible. 

Any one of the sentences rings true at one time or another and reminds me of who I am, what I love and where I want to go.

I was 29, divorced from the man I was married to my entire adult life, mother to two little girls, and determined there was an amazing life somewhere in my future. During the days, I worked at the job everyone said I should enjoy. At night I wrote poetry, spray-painted canvases and tried to figure out where to go.

A year has passed. I bought a guitar and a bicycle. I made a point to meet people, and listen to them. I made mistakes, big and small. I enjoyed all the little freedoms of a new life. I found the Manifesto and it resonated with me. I'm still searching, and I hope I always will be. It takes a lot of courage to embark on a new life. But it only takes a moment to decide to do so. 

Another day in the lift on the way to work and I cop an eye of the Holstee Manifesto; the first day I briefly scan it. The second, I'm relating it to my life, the third, I'm realising how my thoughts have been printed onto paper. The forth? Well, I'm taking life as it comes. The world is open to anything and we can take what we want from it.

These experiences are what make us who we are. 

"Do what you love and do it often."

As we speak, I have your Manifesto hanging right by desk. I recently quit my job to pursue my dream of creating a social enterprise that provides crucial financial education and life skills training to our youth. I've always wanted to inspire positive change and hope in America's youth but never had the guts to go after it full-time.

A year ago, I was introduced to your Manifesto and I kept reading it--all day, every day. One day this year, I was like, "You know what, right on--why am I not LIVING this?" It was time to make the switch. I am so fortunate to have figured out my life calling and nothing should stand in the way of pursuing it.

Thank you, Holstee, for having the guts to inspire millions of people to do what they love and in return inspire others to do the same! Your Manifesto allows us all to pursue what truly makes us happy--sharing happiness is a key part of cultivating the human spirit in our world!

Love and Peace

My Holstee Manifesto is still ahead of me. I've not quit the job. I've not found the time. I've not yet done "life." I've not ridden the bike on Brooklyn Bridge. 

I just write. Or help people with their dreams in any way I can. Or dream a little dream of me on the Brooklyn Bridge. 

And smile when I see us, one by one, escaping our dullness for a possibility. Or a stupid chase of an aspiration. 

All we need to find is the balls. The Manifesto, we have.

Last summer, I stopped looking for love and stumbled upon the cute boy-next-door during a fire drill (he's still my boyfriend). I modelled during fashion week in New York. And last semester, the little girl who was afraid of going to sleepovers backpacked solo across China and Southeast Asia for 3 months.

Thanks for reminding me everything that we can do and should be, Holstee.

260 days a year 50 of us enter the back stairs to pulmonary and sleep.

I leaned the framed Manifesto at the top of the 2nd set of stairs so with every step I take it reveals itself to me.

The line that always draws my attention is: Start doing things you love.

At this point in my life, if it is not fun, I'm not going to do it.  With that said, my new office is taking shape as we type and I'm headed down the road to independent medical practice.

Life is good - always.

2 years ago I was the Manager of a National Recruitment Agency in Northern Ireland. However, in 2011 myself & my team were made redundant. Sad times. However, in hindsight redundancy was probably the best career decision that was made for me! I had always been a creative person & had good ideas. The Holstee Manifesto was an early stage inspiration to me - especially the "Start Doing Things You Love" line - for too long I had sleepwalking in my career and had not been brave enough to consider the bigger picture.

The platform I went on to co-found seeks to inspire, encourage and motivate people to come together, connect and collaborate on creative and entrepreneurial projects - A true Holstee mindset me thinks!

My life isn't really all that grand. Life is what is grand, but mine is just one of many. From my birth to where I am now, nothing of importance has occurred, nothing worth telling at least.

I've always been within a 50 mile radius from the hospital where I was born, with the exception of a couple of vacations here and there. I feel like this isn't so rare when you go outside of a big city, but New York is such a melting pot of different people that weren't born here. They all add something to New York, contribute in some way. I may not contribute to the diversity of the city but I do embrace it. The bottom line is that I was born in New York City, went to public school here, went to college here, and got a job here. I am a New Yorker, my life, is, for all intents and purposes, defined by that fact.

I am a web developer by profession and by passion. It all started when I taught myself web development in college. It allowed me to explore ideas I had in my head. It was like being completely illiterate but having the greatest verses in your mind, unable to get them down. I craved learning, but not what college was teaching me. I craved knowledge about things I was interested in, mainly computers. I grew up in the information age, I had access to a wealth of information at my fingertips, and for that I feel very grateful.

I was lucky enough to be adopted by the Holstee family straight out of college. Joining Holstee has been one of the most significant things in my life. It allowed me to do what I love for a living, and do it side-by-side with awesome people.

My life was directly impacted by the Manifesto and the people who wrote it. This being said I have a much different relationship with Holstee and the Manifesto than most people. There are so many people out there who are constantly searching for things in their life, but I'm not one of those people. I consider myself very lucky that I found my passion early in life. I have a job doing exactly what I always dreamed. Constantly being challenged, constantly learning, constantly creating. What more could I ask for?

I was always very ambitious and dreamed of doing something big in life. And so I jumped with joy when I saw my result on a website that I had gotten through an entrance test qualifying me to do a Doctorate in one of the best universities in my country. I packed my bags and left, in the anticipation of a beautiful university awaiting me to embrace it and make it my home for the next 4-5 years.

But it was not to be. I felt a fair amount of hostility and animosity towards me, the very first day I attended University. My teachers there were not very kind to me. One day I was terribly sick and wanted to meet a Professor for just a few minutes. She was talking to someone and had me wait in front of her office for almost 3 hours. I was not even allowed to sit anywhere. Another time, when I asked another Professor for granting me the permission to go and open a bank account during university hours (when we didn’t have any class, of course), she asked me to go when it was raining heavily outside. And she knew I couldn't and wouldn't go in the rain.  But she was obstinate that she wouldn't allow me to leave the building at any other time. The entire ambiance of that department, generally, was stifling. It felt criminal to even smile. And I wondered how students even survived there. No one laughed and almost everyone I met wore a sullen expression. This went on for a few days and with each passing day I felt a certain dissatisfaction and anxiety brewing up inside me which I was refusing to confront.

I was 22, and to do a PhD at such a young age and after having competed with people around the country, quitting seemed like a foolish option. I was afraid of quitting. What would people say? How would my parents react? What would my future teachers and employers say if I ever mentioned that I did quit on a University PhD course. What then?

But what was upsetting me more was bubbling noisily inside me rather than the thoughts of what lied ahead. How would I survive in such a hostile environment, where your supervisors don't even smile at you, where you are treated like just another contract labor who was there just doing their job and hence shouldn't be treated kindly. More importantly, how could I live without respect, kindness and devoid of any affection?!

I called my University professor of my old University where I had done my Masters (and with whom I was pretty close) and shared my concerns. What she told changed my life. She said, "You can't live in a place where you are not appreciated, respected and loved. Your mental peace is important and since you are a promising student, you will do well wherever you go. Come back and your quitting doesn't mean a thing. You're just making a choice. A choice of leaving a place where you are not treated with kindness and love. A PhD student and her supervisor are not just any teacher-student, but they share a bond. When they are together for such a long time, there has to be mutual admiration, love, respect and kindness"

I was deeply touched by her kind words. They gave me the strength to move on and in getting rid of my worries. My parents were speechless when they heard I was coming back. But they were very supportive of me, and respected my decision. 

Getting through the qualifying test to do a Doctorate in one of the best Universities surely was one of the best things that happened to me. Not because I decided to quit on it months later, but it opened my eyes to one thing, "How important it is to do what you love and to love what you do."

Also, how important it is to be in a place where you are appreciated, respected and most importantly, loved. I am now doing my PhD under the very same Professor who asked me to quit the course. My University is not as huge and loaded with the brilliant facilities I used to get in that other University but I am in peace. I am happy. Life is simple and beautiful. I also work in a school for autistic and learning disabled kids. And boy, can I tell you how fulfilling it is?!

I never regret having made that decision of leaving that huge University. But I do know that I would have regretted staying back there, discontented, unhappy and still trying to figure out what to do with my life.

I can only tell you one thing. Never be afraid. Never. You just have to do what you have to do. Never get stuck in things you do not enjoy doing. I am sure most of the older folks you meet will disagree. You can never be productive and creative in a hostile environment.

And never regret your decisions or actions, no matter how much people tell you otherwise. You can never give your best in places and circumstances where you are not respected and appreciated. Always chase your passion. Do and be what makes you happy and gives you a sense of purpose. Whatever and wherever that is.  

I graduated with a dual major in Marketing and Business Management back in 2009 when the market was in shambles and no one was hiring recent college grads. I decided I needed a mental holiday and took off for 3 months as an aupair in Italy where they paid for my airfare, living and weekly allowance. It was an amazing experience and one that I will never forget and highly suggest trying. When I got back and had to move back home with my parents, I got to work immediately writing everyone that graduated from my college (St. Bonaventure University) on LinkedIn, begging and pleading to pass my resume along.

I wrote 300 of these desperate emails when one day I got a response! From that one nice man that passed my resume along, I got 7 interviews in NYC and landed them all! I choose NBC and moved to NYC a week later on a bus with a suitcase, $300 to my name and moved into a terrible apartment with a hoarder as a roommate. The market was low in NYC for rentals and I was able to save up enough money and got my own apartment 3 months later.  After working in digital media for 2 years, I soon realized that corporate life is not for me. I hate Excel with a burning passion and it was a sick joke that that became 50 hours of my week! I decided I needed another change. I decided I wanted to follow my passion of being a floral designer! I grew up in upstate NY working in greenhouses and creating flower boxes during high school. I missed working with nature. 

I had one month saved for expenses and I decided to go for it. I started my company Miss Fancy Plants as a pop up flower shop at the Brooklyn Flea Market and word of mouth quickly spread. I am now specializing in wedding and event floral design full time and have never in my entire life felt so alive. I live and breathe my passion now and it's both terrifying and exciting in all the right ways. I am so happy everyday that I wake up it feels like my heart could burst. 

It's true. Do what you love and never work a day in your life again. 

About a year ago to the day, I saw the Manifesto for the first time while searching for a new direction to take myself. My life had been taking dramatic turns very quickly; I was about to graduate, my relationships were evolving as I was quickly getting older, but I was not feeling like I was really “growing up.”

I was browsing through a list of entrepreneurs, trying to narrow down the five that I would beg to let me work for them. And then, I saw the Manifesto. I must have read it ten times in a row. I knew from that moment on, regardless of where life took me, the words on the Manifesto would always have an impact on my life.

Later that same night, I had a date scheduled, my first with this particular girl. As I sipped my margarita, I remembered the words on the Manifesto, and decided to be myself: open, naive, and to put all my awkwardness right on the table.

“I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. I want to change the world. Do something crazy. I just applied for these programs. I’m either going to Cali or NYC. I have to get out of here and take a risk on something.”

“That’s awesome! I think you should explore outside of the Midwest.” She replied. “I want to teach Earth and Space Science...and shave my head.”

Our Mexican meal turned into hours of talking about life, death, fears and passions. I credit a large portion of our conversation on the Manifesto. It pushed me away from typical ice breaker questions and down a path of intellectual exploration, which led to genuine interest, insight and sparked amazing conversation.

“If you don’t like something, change it.” How true.

I’m in NYC. She’s bald and beautiful. And life is short.

I was first introduced to Holstee and the Manifesto by a good friend of mine who inspired me to go out and use my passion for doing great things.

It all sounded good on paper but I didn't know where to start, how to use my passion proactively, and I was completely stuck. I was working a job I didn't enjoy at all but knew it was just a part-time thing until I found something more. The only problem was that I couldn't find what in my heart was looking for.

Another thing that fueled my fire was Project M, a platform for social good using creativity in a new way known lovingly as "Thinking Wrong," and this changed my life dramatically. Those two weeks involved in Project M solidified my desire to do good in the world and focus on what I can do using my knowledge and skill set to inspire others and make positive change in my community.

Once again the words of the Manifesto were intertwined with my life and my aspirations. I was inspired to leave my job and pursue something more, to be a student of life and strive to constantly learn and grow.

Ultimately I was led to Holstee and found a position as their design intern, which is where I am today. I never thought I would end up in New York City with an amazing group of people, but I certainly appreciate every moment here and look forward to what lies ahead.

I'm grateful for that first experience with the words of the Manifesto and truly believe that everyone should go out and do what they love, and do it often. And no matter how bleak things may look if you keep working and keep searching for your passion, you'll find your place.

In 2010, after I got dumped from my 20 year job at a company I had lost belief in, it was like I was shot out of a velvet cannon into everything I was meant to be.  Without the chaos and self-sabotage of a daily toxic environment, I was able to gain elevation and see things from a different view, a higher open view.  Not being in a cage unlocked my knees and legs and I feel like I'm running, full speed, toward who I am meant to be and doing what I am meant to do.  When I read the Holstee Manifesto, I felt like it had been etched in my bones a million years ago.  It felt like whatever that ineffable thing is that's truer than truth.  It reminded me that all those years at a job that flattened my heart served the fine purpose of reminding me over and over and over that I am an expert at having a flattened heart! --- so know I will be an expert at open, huge, lively heart!  xoxo

"GET BUSY LIVING, OR GET BUSY DYING."

In 2004, I weighed in at almost 310 pounds!  I had never before been so unhealthy - I smoked cigars, had high blood pressure and was pre-diabetic.  Always short of breath, I really was a mess.

Despite my poor health, I wanted to do something I had not done since I was a child - ride a bicycle.  Though I was terribly out of shape I bought myself wheels.  At first it was difficult to get going and I only rode once in a while.  I always thought, however, if I remained faithful to riding I would one day do something I had always thought about - ride my bicycle across the United States.  My wife thought I was nuts.

Convinced I had to do this crazy thing, I began to ride more often.  I commuted to work once in a while, then every day.  I planned routes across the United States and even went on a few overnight trips with friends. I traveled everywhere by bike - to work, the market and was more and more consumed with the dream of traveling across the United States.

In 2012, the year I turned 50, I finally realized my dream.  I started on April 22 from Ventura, CA and ended 50 days later in Cape May, NJ. 

During my trip, I met many wonderful people.  My friend Ray rode the second day of the trip with me to keep me company.  My wife met me in the hotel every night for three weeks of the trip.  My sister Kathy and I trekked across Kansas together, and my son Zach rode for 10 days with me.  I met George Rossi, the school teacher in Kansas who was also a 50 year old bike rider.  Aaron, in Indiana, was so concerned I would get hit by a car he insisted on giving me a ride and we spent a few hours together. 

I will never forget the excitement I had while alone on the road, but could always count on a wave from passing motorists, a smile from a store clerk or texts and posts from my friends reading the "joeonabike.com" blog. 

Now 9 years after I got back in the saddle, I am 70 pounds lighter and no longer have hypertension or diabetes.  I am happier in work, my marriage, my relationships and in my life.

Albert Einstein said "There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as though everything is a miracle."

Living life, on YOUR terms, is a miraculous, wondrous thing.

Peace,

After a few years working for a large mining company, I found myself repeatedly looking at the computer screen, and asking myself: "Why am I doing this?" It had no meaning, had no real conetion, there was an inconsistency within the enterprise system, and I tried to resist for longer, I resigned, and fortunately I came to see life through different eyes, more maturely. I moved to Sao Paulo, and started working with my father, and come the time that everything changed. Strong and profound changes, so there's no coming back, I always say, "knowing the truth, I can not stay in 'convenience,' I must be part of the solution, not the problem." I realized that I sold organic products, and like me, producers should consume and promote this chain. I've engaged in Sao Paulo group, which discusses and puts into practice requests from farmers along the organs responsible government. A year after many meetings, and we made a change of a organics law, thanks to the joint efforts of farmers, traders and consumers of organics in São Paulo. Promoting the sale of products that replace pesticides in our farm, and in 2010 I discover that I am "social entrepreneur," another radical change in my perception of identity and community. Inside The Hub, I found people who are like me, do a radically better world. Before, I felt alone because hardly among my friends people had engaged in transformation. Last year, climbed nearly 50% in our revenue, coming in 425 thousand reais, employ 14 people, all with their labor rights guaranteed. We are proud of our employees. After a few years, "sold my life," everything that I "had" turned into money, or was happy to be in the house of some friends, and my brother, even my car was stolen, and since then, the bike is my best friend & transport. I spent so much time in hard traffic, so today I've decided to travel by bike, feeling life with another rhythm and path. On the way, the expedition Ciclocultura will be planting permaculture knowledge, and exchanges ancestors wisdom mixed with modern technologies. We intend to lead workshops, such as bicycles that generate energy for locations without electricity, as well as bioconstrution and gardens, root seeds exchange and fostering fair trade economy. A year is the expectation on the farm until we hit the Amazon, were my farm is located, on the Pará state. Living the dream really, believe in the heart, go fearlessly, answers reside within each one. As our trip is collaborative, we ask please to share it! ALso you can send suggestions for routes, receive us into your homes, towns!

  Grateful!