week ten: The Mile High

Fabienne Roc photo  by r é x

Fabienne Roc photo  by r é x

The Mile High Club: Serious Look

another somewhat successful week during my "I quit my job" journey, and I have something special for you guys. i had the opportunity to shoot the great folks of the Mile High Club consisting of Media Executive Rondel Holder, the mastermind behind SoulSociety101 and Event Producer Fabienne Roc. while working with them during one their events, I got to see two different sides of them.

At the beginning before anyone showed up, they were very serious because they were having some difficulties with the venue, but then when people started showing up, they seemed to be more relax and started to have fun with everyone else. it was then that i decided to do a photoshoot with them base on their Serious look, and Fun look.

i envisioned the Serious look to have that feel about it, with a tastefully darkness twist. i sent them a lookbook consisting with my vision but also told them to wear black or darker colors for the Serious look. 

now, about the Mile High Club. its is an uplifting experience where upwardly mobile, aspiring men and women between 25-35 years old, could unwind with friends and simultaneously connect with new, like-minded people.

Rondel Holder photo by r é x

Rondel Holder photo by r é x

the Mile High Club is a brunch event and day-party mixer catered to the underserved Young Professional audience. the idea was developed to provide an exclusive, elite experience for in-the-know influencers to indulge in their upscale tastes for food, champagne and rooftop views, while engaging in quality conversation and eventually dancing into the sunset.

a simple formula but an unparalleled experience.

i am very grateful for these two for trusting me and letting take control of this shoot. i wanted to prove to myself that i was capable of doing something like this, i want to put it out there that i am capable of more than what you see on my Instagram. everything about this was fun, even making this post was fun, it ended up looking totally different than what i had planned.

The Mile High Club photo by r é x

The Mile High Club photo by r é x

eight & ninth week

i didn't get to make a post on week eight because money got really tight so had to settle on this temp job for a week, for which i hated but enjoyed working with those people. during that time i realized my priorities changed from focusing on being as creatively as i can daily, to making money so that i can pay some of these bills, such a transition. i did not have any motivation to create anything, not even on the weekend. with all that being said, i am still grateful from the lesson i got from that temp job, which was to go harder with my art but at the same time not to be too prideful.  i also learned to be careful on how accept people's energy; sometimes when i tell people my story about how i quit my job to focus on my art and not being too financial stable (actually not at all, but trust me when i say its a great insight on what should really matter), they tend to force their energy on me. most of the time they talk down upon, but not in a nasty way, yet still effective because it leaves me doubting myself.  things are becoming clearer on what i should really be doing to get my stuff out there and as i leave, here the list of things i learned from the past two weeks:

• accept what you can't change
  • here are certain things you have no control and fighting it will make things worst and i know its much easier said than done, you have to be in a state of mind where you can at least accept whatever happens
• stay focus
  • i must of said this a few times in past post, but it seems they are a lot of things that we must pay attention to in order to understand how things manifest around us; i learned to focus on peoples energy as you interact with them so that you don't come out feeling down after
• don't be too prideful
  • this might be one the most hardest thing i will have to accomplish and interestingly enough as i work my way to be less prideful, i'm starting to get the notion of what my purpose is
• wake up dancing
  • n my way to work every morning, i made sure i did some serious dancing while driving. i realized it made me happy, and being that i was heading to a job i had no interest in at all, the dancing and being goofy helped a lot 

seventh week

this week was a bit tough for me because they were time i questioned if i was doing the right thing; and before i blame my surroundings, i'll be the first to admit that i was the evil in my negative thoughts and thats another thing im going to work hard to get better at.  for those who are new to my little rant (lol), i recently quit my job to mainly focus on my art. its been about two months and i'll rephrase that 'i quit my job because i didn't like working for someone else and thought it was the perfect time to go out on my own and make something of myself.' now being that im an artist, i will use that to make a decent living out of and all that good stuff. i think the hardest thing is to rewire yourself to be your own support system, i underestimated how difficult it will be and i dont think i made any big adjustment, but i do feel like im back on track. with that being said, here my list of things i learned in week seven:

• do not be too prideful to those that want to help
• keep pushing yourself to become that new version of yourself
  • the most annoying advice but it can only be true when you truly understand the power behind those words and that process, till then its just a bunch of repetitive words 
• your own problems don't really matter because this is bigger than you
• when your down, create 
• appreciate that if your able yo express artistically 

sixth week

week six was quite slow for me but i was little busy with the show with the New Visual Collective family  in jersey city. i think we have some people that are interested in what we're doing and want to be part of it as well. they are a lot of people my age that are out there doing their own things and it feels great to be part of that.  a lot of people have came up to congratulating on this journey and it is the best feeling knowing you have supporters and to those people and others i say, you can definitely do it as well. it may not be quitting your job so you can focus on your art, but it can be something that is close to you that you've always to focus on.  i look at this journey as that drastic thing that happened to me which is making me see things differently. for some reason i felt more connected this week than ever before. i'm learning to how to better utilize my surroundings and my inner thoughts.

lessons i learned from week six:

• though i mentioned it before, but making your days count is definitely a lesson that should be applied every single 
• learning how to better understand your surroundings 
• motivating yourself can be very hard 
• being patient 
• i think the world is to be used a guide through life 
• learned a little how "race" came to play throughout our evolution

fifth week: Lets Be Perfect

i think i'm starting to get in full artist mode. every single day i'd work on my craft and the best part is that its evolving and it shows in my drawing. for example, the piece i'm working on now ("The Working Progress of Self") feels different than anything i've ever done. well for one, its bigger than anything drawings and also the concept i have is accepting my perfection as a human being. the perfection i speak of has nothing to do on the pressure we put on ourselves,  but this perfection is all about accepting yourself.

i'm perfect because:

• i'm thoughtful
• i fall hard for those i care for
• i like to draw and paint things with the notion of different feelings
• i like making my friends happy
• i like watching movies
• i love spending time with my family
• i love to sleep
• i love to eat (not a big fan of spicy food)
• i love drinking tea
• i love music (not a big fan of country)
• it makes me happy when my friends support me
• i get upset at myself when i realize i'm still single
• i yearn for the warm touch of a woman
• i hate myself when i think of the many missed opportunities to get that warm touch
•  i may have a slight case of depression 
• i think too much
• i hid my pain by making you laugh 
• i love to dance
• i'm afraid i'll die alone
• i want to make my family proud
• i want to be remembered after i'm gone
• i don't think i'm afraid of death
• etc...

fourth week

i can't believe it's about to be a month since I quit my job. i am amazed on how we perceive time when we are doing things that makes us happy. its almost as if it doesn't exists until you sit back and think of what you been up to (truly amazed by that). i really enjoyed this week because i had so many things going on and i was amazed on how many people showed support. was involve in a art showcase in brooklyn and it had a great turnout (did i mention how blessed i was to have so many supporters) and also had a little pop up event with my new visual collective family, which had another great turnout. since I always have a list of things to talk about to help you during your upcoming journey, this week i was focused on one word, "discipline." 

my week of discipline

• i wanted to get into the habit of meditating every morning, which i think i did good with in my first week. started it off with five minutes every morning now this upcoming week gonna go for 10 minutes.
• stay focus. i wanted to make sure that i did not get sidetrack with unnecessary things so i marked my left arm with an X and it served as a reminder of what i should really be doing. the first couple days were easy but then i did get sidetrack into some old habits, cant beat myself up and i know what must be done to really get back on track and stay focus.
• that X also serves as a reminder to be careful on what i spent my time on. being that i am my own entity, i need to be wise on what i do and make sure it will benefit me.

third week

i was very productive in the third week and i made sure to stay active. i would recommend coming up with plans for yourself so that you won't waste your days, they can either be daily, weekly or monthly plans. either way just be productive. another thing i learned from the third week which i think might helpful in your journey; play close attention to your surroundings. things like coincidences, peoples energy and even your own. so here are a list of couple things i hope can help you when your ready to take on this journey as well.

• be productive
  • daily, weekly or monthly plans can help stay on track on what you want to accomplish   
• ind time to focus on your surroundings
  • found that meditating  can help or drawing so it all depends on your preference
• speak your mind and stand up for yourself
  • ou will still find people that will always want to bring you down for doing what your doing, so be prepared

once in a while we need to hear that we're doing the right things and moments like that can definitely can give you a little boost; i found that i didn't really have to keep telling people why i quit my job, some either already knew or some were just happy to be around me. when your truly happy in what your doing or in process of becoming the person you always wanted to be, people tend to be pulled in by the kind of energy you put out in the world, so be ready for that and make sure to give them a little hope so they could along their own journey.

second week

the honeymoon phase from the first week was over as soon the second week started. i learned from the second week not to let any bad energy or thoughts linger on. i got a little taste on how the world will see you after making the decision of quitting your job to do what makes you happy. so i've come up with a list on how to better go about the ugly days during your journey:

• know how to conquer each day
  • you can do that be either planing the upcoming week or each day
• it will be an exciting yet scary journey
  • he excitement will come from the freedom of doing as you please 
  • the scary part can be used as motivation so that you won't fail and that itself can be addictive.
• you will get a lot of support from those that believes in you, but the outside world will want to destroy you; its not often they meet someone that does not believe in the routine lifestyle they are stuck in
• get a better understand of what you want to do
• pay close attention to ones you keep close to you
• do not be afraid to fully invest in yourself
• be ready at all time to defend your decision
• one failure isn't the end of the world

most importantly, you must be ready at all time to keep pushing yourself.

first week

as all of you may know by now, i quit my job so that i can focus on my art. prior to making this decision i was working in a environment that was very toxic and lowkey depressing, and then it came to me that i should just quit and do the one thing i know i am good at. this decision was easy for me because i did not have much to worry about, now don't think i have bags of money that i can easily get access to when i please; it's the opposite actually, i don't have a savings account and not a lot in my checking account but i did not let that stop me. i just could not see myself working for someone else while i was not happy with what i was becoming. when you let money or simply accepting the fact that you need a job to survive, well that kind of changes you for the worst. after actually sticking through this decision i was very surprised on people's reaction; i was actually told by a friend to share my story so that it may help someone else, and my main advice is this, never question your happiness.

now that its been a week, i've come up with a list of things that i've learned and experience:

no pride

• accept and appreciate when others want to help
• be willing to talk with others about anything
• be ready to hear the bad and learn from them

be patient

• still learning, but i would say this is a very important lesson
• pay attention to your surrounding to know when to move about
• you have to be willing to view things another perspective before making decisions

for this to work you have to start reprogramming yourself to become the person you want and was meant to be.