We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. - Winston Churchill

So which one do you focus on more, making a living or making a life!?  Of course, the obvious or best answer would be BOTH equally!  But unfortunately for many of us, we end up focusing, spending and consumed by working for money to make a living that our Life seems very insignificant in comparison.

There's really no judgment here, since both are important, both are essential, but personally I rather have a Life than simply make a living, so that's what I do.  I give to my children, my family, friends, businesses, and communities constantly.  I give them my love, support, care, and respect, I give them what they would call work but not just for the money that would be making a living ; ) but for the Life it creates for myself and all those around me.  I do make a good living and do live off my making a living, but I choose to focus primarily on creating my Life, a life worth living, and from there I get all I need to make my living.

Most people, however, do the opposite, whether they are aware of it or not.  They constantly work, work, work to make a living, to pay their bills, to keep food on the table, but at the end of the day, find themselves too tired or worn out to have a Life, not a work life, a Life beyond work, beyond making money, beyond making a living.  No they work so hard for money they forget about making a Life for themselves, a life full of love, joy, happiness, freedom, security, abundance and fulfillment, a Life far worth living by giving than by simply getting and making a living.

In Love, Light, & Luxury,

James Pham : )

"The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off" ~ Gloria Steinem

At first I hesitated to post this quote because maybe it would be a little too much to hear. But then I thought, that's exactly the point, the truth is hard to hear or read about most of the time.

This is a particularly tough one to swallow for us Dreamers whose reality are beyond the current day to day reality we are force to deal with.  It's not rocket science, but let me explain. There is day to day reality which is the truth to many and there is the Dreamers' reality which is the truth to mostly themselves and hardly anyone else, at least for today.

Nevertheless, fellow Dreamers don't be discouraged because the truth about our current realities will set us free to do and figure out exactly what we need to do NOW, in order to ultimately manifest and make our reality the reality all around us.  This discrepancy between the realities will piss us off, but more importantly, it will motivate and empower us to work harder, smarter, and better at living and manifesting our dreams which is the ultimate reality, if we never give up! ;-)

At least this is true and what motivates me.  When someone says how bad things are with the economy, marketplace, real estate, it gets me upset then it gets me really focused on what I can and need to do to make it better for myself and others. And when this hard truth is personally served to me,  for example,  if a close family member tells me I'm not making enough money or how come I don't have a regular 9-5 job, that gets me really upset, but it is the truth about my current reality.

Fortunately, by confronting and dealing with this reality, I get to go deeper into why I do the things I do, who I really Am and Choose To Be.  Also this challenges me to clarify and recommit to my goals, plans, and priorities, and gets me more serious about my life and the purpose of it.  It allows me to become smarter, wiser, more aware about what needs to be done so that I am more happy, fun, fulfilled, rich, free, secure, loving, light filled, and luxurious in everything I do every single day.

By seeing and hearing about the truth, it doesn't discourage us, it sets us free to be the Dreamers we ARE who WILL get pissed by the current realities, but takes that emotion to propel forward to do what is right and necessary to manifest and make our dreams not only a reality for ourselves but for all those around.

In Love, Light, and Luxury,

James Pham : )

Introducing EnlighTea Cafe's Loose Leaf Premium Tea Collection, Fall, 2010

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. ~ Douglas Adams

I think this may be a hard one for many of us to deal with, especially the Alpha types, especially myself.  We like to believe that once we intend on doing something, that intention will turn into getting it done, if not then wasn't it a waste of time?  As achievers/over achievers, we love to set goals, meet deadlines, have a plan, implement and complete it successfully, meaning do whatever it takes to get it done.  This can be a very successful way of being, but it is often a very stressful, unintentionally painful, and costly way of being.  Meaning what you sacrifice in return could be far greater then what you gain in return because what we sacrifice is what we need in our lives, to live, be happy, survive long term, and be overall, more successful, productive, joyful and abundant for the rest of our lives.

For example, I didn't intend to have 2 children, but having 2 children ended up being the best thing that ever happen in my life.  I didn't intend to leave NYC after living there for 16 years very comfortably and securely, but moving to San Diego, CA is probably one of the best decisions for my life, children, family and businesses.  And for many of us, we didn't intend for the economy, businesses, the market place to be in a recession, and be so bad, but whether you see it now or later, this period may be one of the best periods of your life.  If not in wealth, in experience, knowledge, perhaps a life you never intended, but that you enjoy more, makes you happier, feel better about, and mean more to you now then ever before.  A place where you didn't intend to be, but instead, you ended up where you needed to be...

In Love, Light, & Luxury,

James Pham

EnlighTea Cafe : ) 

‎"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle" - Plato

So many times we focus on ourselves that we forget we are not the only ones struggling, working, and fighting a hard battle.  In life and especially in this day and age, to live the way we choose to be, for what we represent and stand for, is not so easy, in fact, it can be one of the toughest jobs you will ever do.

It's easy to do what the crowds do, the popular thing, or be whoever the people around you want you to be. However, far more difficult to be your true Self, live, love, and even die for what you believe in on a day to day basis.  You know what I mean because you make that choice everyday when you wake up. In fact we all do this when we wake up, it's called living our lives, whether we consciously make that choice or not, we all face that choice everyday to do and be who we are.  Then we go throughout the day living, working hard, and suffering willingly for our choices.

Now doesn't that sound daunting, overwhelming, and a bit too much at times!? Well it can be without the proper support, beliefs, and systems in place (which I will hopefully get to share later).  But nevertheless, now that you understand and see the choices that you and everyone else has to make every single day for the rest of their lives, maybe then can and will we show and express more compassion for ourselves and others.

Bottom line, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle"!  Wishing you all the best on your long, hard, and prosperous Life's journey, and may God continue to bless us all...

In Love, Light, and Luxury,

James Pham
EnlighTea Cafe : )

 

Art of Living: Meditation Then and Now

Patience is the only strength you ever need.~ Hindu Saying

Dear friends,

Let me explain. All good to great people and things in our lives come to be because of the patience, love, and commitment someone had to reap the results, the fruit. Life is love and love is about patience.

What about forcing or making things and people to happen? Well it might work short term but pretty weak when it comes to long term, long lasting and good feeling results.

For example, try forcing a baby to walk or go potty before their time, try rushing a flower to bloom, try falling in love with the right person or winning big in the lottery or anything you do! ;-) The point is, some things can't be rushed before it's time, and to stand firm, unwavered by all the pressures to take short cuts, the naysayers, not seeing with your own eyes the results or being straight out impatient, requires strength, the greatest strength.

I'm no Hindu, but I have to say, they got this one all figured out!

In Love, Light and Luxury,

James Pham : )