A successful dream board Workshop at R/D in Kakaako. (Courtesy photo)
BY CHRISTA WITTMIER / Special to the Star-Advertiser
Dream big. It’s not necessarily the mindset I’m accustomed to. My problem is the anxiety that sets in once I commit to a project.
Stepping anywhere outside my comfort zone seriously freaks me out. The risks involved bring me so much stress, my chest experiences physical pain. It’s just not healthy. So you can bet when I see other people taking risks to make things happen, I raise my hands in support as high as they will possibly go.
Mostly what’s holding me back from dreaming big is my own damn self. I do realize this. It’s sad because that should be the easiest part to conquer, that fear. The do-ers will tell you fear is their biggest motivator.
I can see why so many people are interested in Tiare Thomas’ dream board workshops. Participants assemble a collection of photos, artwork and written affirmations of their dreams and desires to help motivate themselves.
Once you can get over yourself and learn how to focus on what you want, well, that is pretty much all it takes. The mind is such an incredibly powerful thing.
Thomas is a stylist who is very well known in the scene as a beautiful ray of sunshine, always happy and usually glowing. I absolutely love bumping in to her. It’s hard to believe only four years ago, she was in that dark underbelly of self-doubt many of us are very familiar with. She was at a friend’s house to make her first dream board with Noelani Love, another young woman going through a difficult time in her life.
“We were both young women under 27 years old going through divorces,” said Thomas. “We were starting our lives over and had no sense of direction when it came to our career and life style paths.”
Tiare Thomas helps dreams become reality. (Courtesy photo)
Skip ahead to the present, where Love has made a major leap of faith and brought her vision to life with Noelani Studio in Haleiwa. It was a considerably large risk, but one that has already brought her much success with a regular schedule of yoga, art and dance classes along with a place where she can sell her beautiful Noelani Designs jewelry. It is here where Thomas will host her next “Dream Board” workshop on July 20.
If a North Shore retreat is a little too adventurous, there will be other workshops around town; Thomas has hosted them at Collins & 8th, R/D, and Fresh Café in the past.
“(After) a year of working (with) family and friends, I decided to hold workshops so I could reach out to people who are not in my immediate circle,” said Thomas. “My mission is to share dream boarding with as many people as possible in hopes of helping them live happier and more balanced lives.”
Follow Thomas on Twitter to find out more. And once you meet her – one of the most radiant, happy and loving creatures I have ever met – you will be inspired to balance your life and focus where you need to.
I can’t wait to do mine.
A BIG (little) dreamer I love bumping in to around town is young Aidan James. I see him pretty regularly with musician Jeremy Cheng at RumFire Waikiki on Mondays blowing away the crowd with his pint sized talent.
“I’ve known him since I was 8 years old,” said Cheng, 11, while I downed my Monday usual of a spicy macaroni and cheese with a glass of milk before my weekly DJ gig at RumFire. The Monday crowd is mostly made up of Cheng’s local fans and lately has included more and more hotel guests, which builds a very nice atmosphere those who do visit.
Chatting with a smiley Aidan James at RumFire Waikiki. (Courtesy Christa Wittmier)
When I asked James about his ultimate dream goal as a musician, his whole demeanor lit up considerably.
“Playing Madison Square Garden,” he said. He also would love to open for Bruno Mars. I don’t doubt for a second he will get there.
I love talking to James as he takes quite a while to come out of his shell, but when he does, he gets just as excited as I do about just about everything. He loves covering popular music including the Lumineers, Bruno Mars, Maroon Five and Rihanna. (I watched the entire room go still during his chillingly flawless rendition of Rihanna’s “Stay” during a recent performance.)
James plays the Hard Rock Waikiki at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 14, and I’m pretty much planning to go just to hear that song again. It’s perfect. You can also catch him at the 2013 Ukulele Festival on July 21 at Kapiolani Park.
THIS WEEKEND marks the first of hopefully many more daytime parties at the Moana Surfrider. “Keep Calm and Brunch On” will be a nice break from the craziness of Honolulu’s nightlife scene, with ridiculously affordable pricing and the gloriously relaxing setting of the Moana’s Beach House restaurant, which I often refer to as the “Hamptons of Waikiki.”
For all those who power through the anxiety and stress of doing what you do, I just want to say thank you. This event will hopefully have many of you finally able to eat and relax on a Sunday afternoon. You deserve it.
———
Christa Wittmier has chronicled Honolulu nightlife since 2004. She is senior marketing director at Young’s Market Co. of Hawaii and executive director of music for POW! WOW! Hawaii, and also helps promote the popular “Bacardi Pool Party” on Oahu. Contact her via e-mail or follow her on Twitter.