It's a Lifestyle

Get the Most Out of Your Relationships

2011-07-04T08:36:00.000-07:00

The most difficult relationships in our lives come bearing wonderful fruit. Relationships are containers for our growth. Some people come into our lives only for a moment, some for a longer period of time and some for our entire life.

Whatever the duration, it matters not, each person is sent by The Uni-verse for our education and edification.

It is easy and normal to enjoy the great relationships in our lives. Our best friends, our lover, our family (well for some of us) provide wonderful experiences for us. It is easy to be grateful and see how mostly positive relationships benefit us.

But our focus today isn’t on those relationships. Our focus today is on the negative and “toxic” relationships that we have. There is soooo much for us to learn in these circumstances. When we do not experience love, it is because we are not bringing love the situation.

Wait, what? You might be thinking that you bring all kinds of love to certain people and all they do is treat you poorly.

Three things are inaccurate about this statement:

1. You are not bringing love to yourself if you are tolerating unhealthy relationships in your life.

2. Your judgment of other people prevents you from loving them.

3. When you show up to only take from someone, rather than give, you are not truly loving him/her or yourself.

Knowing these three inaccuracies in our perception can greatly assist us in making better and healthier choices. Let us intentionally decide today to correct our perception of these inaccuracies.

Let us love ourselves enough to choose to be in only healthy relationships. Let us drop our judgments of others and thank difficult people for showing us how to love them more and judge less. Let us decide to show up in our relationships from a place of fullness rather than from emptiness – so that we may give, instead of just take.

So, what are the difficult people in your life teaching you today? And as a result, how can you grow from what you are being taught?

Promote Positivity.

Thanks to Mastin Kipp, CEO of The Daily Love.

Stay Positive, Defeat Anxiety

2011-06-27T16:31:00.000-07:00

Everyone is familiar with anxiety. Sometimes we become more familiar with it than we had hoped. Well, I doubt any of us HOPE for anxiety...but you understand what i'm saying.

But what causes it? Is it from lack of planning, fear of negative outcomes and results, or just fearing the unknown. I think it's a little bit of all three. So many times we find ourselves weighing the potential outcomes of whatever we're doing, which is perfectly normal. This is when anxiety is created. When we're nervous, we picture ourselves in negative situations, and this is when fear is created. In a sense, anxiety is like driving down the street, and the light turns to yellow. You can try to beat it, or you can let it slow you down and eventually come to a complete stop. Same goes with anxiety; you can defeat it, or it can keep you from your destination. That probably wasn't the best example, always obey the law....

Anyhow, let's talk about how you can defeat anxiety. There's no reason to worry about what hasn't happened. That doesn't mean we shouldn't prepare for any possible outcomes, good or bad. Being aware of the possible negative outcomes is a good thing, but constantly running them through your head creates an overall negative environment and perspective. Having said that, nothing is wrong with being optimistic with life, but optimism is often mistaken for having a positive attitude. As a matter of fact, I think the two are very different. This is just my opinion, but i'll explain why I believe this.

Optimism can be viewed as an overestimate; expecting an unrealistically positive result. Having a positive attitude means having an open mind; choosing to be happy, regardless of the outcome. I'm not telling you to go about life with a doubt-filled, pessimistic attitude. However, just know that having a positive attitude, no matter what type of results you receive, develops character and will make future trials much easier to handle.

Promote Positivity.

"For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." -Isaiah 41:13

Oterra Has Article Published by World Vision®

2011-06-22T10:32:00.001-07:00

Click HERE to read it!

Payment receipt of $627 to World Vision.

2011-06-20T10:40:00.000-07:00

We truly appreciate all of your support in helping us save the lives of over 200 children.

3 Steps Towards a More Ambitious Lifestyle

2011-06-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

What's stopping you from trying new things and improving your life in big or small ways? It always seems like there is some sort of obstacle in the way. A lot of times, for me at least, it's hard to identify what that obstacle really is. It started to get pretty annoying, so I was determined to fix the problem. I feel like I've been successful with achieving a new mindset on some level, so I wanted to share some things I learned with you.

1. List pros/cons
Sure, it's simple, but there's a little twist. Most of the time we think of pros and cons subconsciously, or being completely unaware of it. Instead of doing this mentally, write these out and compare them physically. This could be on some scratch paper, or a computer - whatever is handy at the time. The advantage of doing so is that you're thoughts become visible, in a sense. Obviously, if the pros outweigh the cons, or vice versa, a final decision should become apparent. I found that doing this made the decision seem a lot easier than I had previously imagined.

2. When fear comes, just accept it.
Whether we like to believe this or not, fear plays the biggest role in affecting our ambitions. It's a natural instinct to try and deny fear when it presents itself. That fear is always lingering around in our heads, and we end up using a lot of thought and mental power when we constantly think about it. I found that it's best to just accept the fear. By doing this, not only will you stop worrying as much, but you will take away power from the fear itself.

3. Take small steps.
"Every journey starts with a first step."
Most of you probably have a list of things that you'd like to see happen in life. There are probably a few that seem achievable, while some may seem a little out reach. At least for right now. One of the most important things i've learned (all 19 years of my life) is that anything worth having takes perseverance & a little bit of patience. It seems like we paint pictures in our heads of how we want our life to look, but there's always that feeling of something standing in the way. It may not be like that for all of you, but that's how it is for me. The quote above this is what really changed my mindset. Have you ever thought about what is actually standing in the way of the things you desire? The good news is that we don't have to take these obstacles on all at once. You don't have to jump right to the hard part of the journey, you can take small steps towards it. It will gradually become a more approachable and achievable task. Imagine when Sir Edmund Hillary (first person to summit Mt. Everest) set out to climb the mountain. It had never been done before, and probably seemed almost unachievable. First, he had to pack his equipment. Then, he had to approach the bottom of the mountain. Next, he had to start ascending. After encountering many obstacles along the way, he reached the top. Now rewind some. Reaching the top would not have been possible had he not supplied with the necessary gear. That was his first step. Just like in anything you want to achieve, you can take small steps that make your goals a reality.

The reason why we blog is not for our own publicity, but it's out of hope that we can affect you in a positive way and help improve your life in any way possible. Thanks for taking the time to read our blog!
Promote Positivity!

The Power of Positive Thinking

2011-06-07T19:08:00.000-07:00

Being positive is contagious. We affect the people around us, whether it's instinctive or on the subconscious level. This could be through facial expressions, eye contact, or other types of body language. Sometimes, we may not even notice that we've affected someone. Believe it or not, something as simple as a smile can go a very long way. Just as you can have positive actions, you can have positive thoughts. I view thinking in a positive manner as a way of cheating life. Sounds cheesy, but it's actually worked for me. Actions follow thoughts. I'll use a simple example to try and clarify this. Just say you're headed to a job interview. You're self-esteem is low and feel like you don't deserve success. You've already convinced yourself that you won't land that job. Everyone else that has gone before you has had tremendous success, and you don't measure up to them. Your name is called, and you enter the interview room. With all of these negative thoughts racing through your mind, your confidence level has hit the floor. How do you think this affects your performance? Well, you stutter, sweat, and can't seem to make direct eye contact. It feels like the interview is going down the drain. This is the result of negative thinking. Now, say you approach the interview in a positive, confident way. You'll have confidence, and the person talking to you will be able to feel your positive vibe. This will usually give you the edge. I'm lying. You will definitely have the edge. What i'm trying to say is that positive thoughts dramatically influence your actions. You can have two types of reactions to a situation/challenge; a positive or a negative one. I promise you, if you choose to look at the situation in a positive manner, positive results will follow. The more you practice this, it becomes repetitive. Eventually, you will be able to detect a negative thought, and shield it away. Hopefully some of this can help you change the way you look at things, because it sure has helped me. At the end of the day, we want Oterra to have affected lives in a positive and inspiring way.

We truly appreciate all of the support that you've shown thus far.

Promote Positivity.

Our Vision

2011-05-24T22:15:00.000-07:00

The further we get into this journey, the more questions start to arise. What exactly is Oterra? Some of you might be wondering the same thing; and honestly, we're still answering some of these questions for ourselves. Anyhow, we hope that this will inform you about our vision and some of the things that we stand for. You might have seen our most recent theme, "Promote Positivity". In a sense, this speaks for itself. We believe that no matter what type of situation you may be going through, you should try to make a positive out of it. Think of the last event that happened in your life that you were disappointed with. Now, think about what you've changed about your life because of that, that has produced a positive result. Wasn't that easy? Believe it or not, you've just taken the first step to a more positive lifestyle. We want Oterra to stand for positivity and be a symbol of happiness. Also, when you see #TeamOterra on Twitter, we're talking to anyone who is promoting positivity. We want Oterra to stand for positivity and be a symbol of happiness. In the long run, no matter how much clothing we sell, we want to have left a POSITIVE mark on our community. Help spread our vision and PROMOTE POSITIVITY!

New tee shirt designs! Coming Summer '11

2011-05-20T15:34:00.000-07:00

Promote Positivity!

2011-05-19T20:02:00.000-07:00

The power of remaining positive in any situation can never be underestimated. The true test of an individual's power to remain positive is in the face of a challenge. Positivity can bring an unexpected sense of calmness and a balance to your life. The purpose of this entry is encourage you try and remain positive under any circumstance. It's definitely a challenge, but very achievable. When something negative happens, choose to take something positive from it. I guarantee, that with every negative comes a positive. It may not seem like it when this negative thing happens, but give it time. Another way to promote positivity is to count your blessings. Sure, you've heard this a lot throughout your life. Have you actually done this? Thoroughly count your blessings, and then count obstacles. Which outweighs the other? After doing so, continue to visualize yourself receiving blessings in the future. This is called positive affirmation and visualization. The power of positivity can never be overlooked. The reason that we're trying to promote positivity, is that we've experience its power and want you to as well! Practicing positivity will rub off on those that surround you, and soon enough, it will be a happier environment as a whole. After reading this, we hope that you've chosen to start including more positivity in your life and start to feel its effects!
PROMOTE POSITIVITY!

ACT:S To End Malaria

2011-05-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

In order for anything to succeed, you must find something that makes your project stand out from the others. After thinking of ways to build Oterra's name, we decided that the best way to boost our image and brand was through charity. Not only to we get to market ourselves, but we are able to have an impact on something that is larger than us. Amidst all the searching, we came across ACT:S To End Malaria. Basically, they are an organization whose long-term goal is to end malaria deaths by the year 2015. There is something very catchy about this; with your help, this goal is very achievable.

With that in mind, let me spill some scary facts about malaria.

-Every night 2,000 children die from it. It's caused by a mosquito bite. Scary right? There's more.

-Since 1950, there has been 41 million child deaths from malaria.

-Since 1950, there has been 20 million deaths from ALL wars combined.

-Since 1950, there has been 25 million deaths from Aids.

(Yeah, malaria causes more deaths than both.)

-Nearly 750,000 children die EACH YEAR from malaria. That's equal to ALL the kids in Florida under age 5.

But wait, malaria is ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE!

Malaria can be prevented and treated using inexpensive, proven interventions. Sleeping under a treated bed net, spraying insecticide inside homes and using anti-malarial drugs can dramatically reduce the impact of malaria.

This is where YOU can help out. For only a $6 donation, you can provide a treated bed-net that will save 2 lives.

How great would it feel to defeat this disease together? Oterra will have a tent set up at Market St. Festival in Columbus, MS on May 7th to help raise awareness and take donations. Hope to see you there!

Importance of Giving

2011-03-31T15:46:00.000-07:00

The dictionary definition of generosity is "showing a readiness to give more of something". I'm going to use Bill Gates (Microsoft), and Sam Walton (Wal-Mart) as examples for this. These are two of the wealthiest men in the world. But when you think about it, will they be known for how the exact amount of money they had, or how they actually changed the world. Everyone can't impact society in a huge way, but you can always give back. After your time here on Earth has ended, will you want to be remembered dying as a wealthy person, or a generous one? Winston Churchill said, "You make a living out of what you make, you make a life by what you give." This explains being generous perfectly. Clinging on to the search for wealth will hurt you in the long run.

On a religious note, the Bible refers to Generosity many times. For example, "You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." 2 Corinthians 9:11

-In Proverbs, there are also many references to generosity
Proverbs 21:26
…the righteous gives and does not hold back.

-The Bible also mentions to not boast about what you are giving:
Matthew 6:3-4
But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Living an Oterra lifestyle is also giving in anyway possible. There will be more information coming on the charities and community services that you can be involved in.

Wear It. Live It. Oterra™.

3 Steps To a Positive Lifestyle

2011-03-24T10:24:00.000-07:00

   Happiness seems like a simple thing, but too many people are missing out on it. It doesn't take too much. Sometimes, small adjustments can make the biggest differences. You're the only one that can determine your own happiness. So many people today get confused about what true happiness really is. The modern day process of defining happiness comes from social comparisons. People are happy only if they feel they are doing better than those who surround them. One thing that a lot of us miss is that true happiness can be found with setting and fulfilling personal goals. When I sat down and actually thought about the best way to help you find happiness, I was able to break it down into a couple of simple steps.

1) Spend time doing what you love.
   Whether you enjoy photography, drawing, music, etc.. spend more time doing that. Nowadays, we get way too caught up in what this lifestyle requires of us that we don't have time to do what we truly enjoy. Choose to spend more time each day doing something that makes you say "this is truly me". Don't be ashamed of it, life is too short to not enjoy something because you are worried about what other people may think.

2) Set goals. Reach them.
   Ever feel like you're always coming up short? In life (especially college), there is a high demand to achieve certain academic standards. Sometimes this can become overwhelming, and it interferes with our personal lives. To gain a little more confidence, start setting smaller goals for yourself. For example, if it's Saturday, and you have a test on Chapters 1-3 on Wednesday, plan ahead. Divide it up into 3 chapters a day. Not only will this allow you to not cram the night before, but you will achieve a goal each day, gaining confidence. Also, reward yourself at the end of this process with some free time. You earned it. This can also relate to life, whether it's taking small steps in improving a certain relationship, or making a complete lifestyle change.

3) Be yourself.
   Don't worry about what other people think of you; we've heard it countless times. But have we actually taken it into account? I'll admit, this is a hard mindset to achieve. College is the perfect environment to test yourself when it comes to this. The college environment is all about relationships and social bonds, and we'll do whatever we can to fit in. If you're stressed about trying to wear certain clothes to fit in, there's a nice solution. Be yourself. It requires less effort. When you act in accordance with your own interests, you will be content. It might take awhile, but you'll get there.

   When I was typing this, I realized I sound as if I had this down perfectly for myself. I don't. With so many obstacles life throws at me, I still struggle with these things. These are the steps I try to live by though, and encourage you to at least attempt this. I promise you'll be satisfied with the results.

Wear It. Live It. Oterra™.

What is Oterra?

2011-03-22T15:20:00.000-07:00

Oterra™ started as a vision by Chris Uhl, Justin Frye, Hunter Brown, & Daniel Haas. We have always enjoyed the outdoors and its ability to bring peace and calmness to our lives no matter what situation we may be going through. Whether you run, walk, bike, climb, or hike, we encourage you to spend some time every day outside. Some of the goals we want to accomplish with Oterra™ is to not only provide quality outdoor clothing, but also try to influence others to lead an exemplary lifestyle. There is too much negativity in the world today, and this is what we want to change. When you decide to throw on one of our shirts in the morning, we want you to feel like it is your role to brighten someones day in any way possible and live a positive way of life. So, when someone asks us what Oterra™ is, we tell them it's a lifestyle.