Think. hakuna matata (hey did you get a chance to catch the 3D version of the Lion King before it left theatres? Technologically not up to 3D movies of today, but how great to see old Pumba and crew on a big screen again!)     OK back to the “shak” – (did I mention I have ADD?) – could anything be cooler than to share the feeling of chillin’ out with just a one second flick of the wrist?

Now you’ll score points with your Hawaiian friends or on your trip to Hawaii if you can make the shaka sign properly: a little tip –  so start by holding your thumb and pinkie out (not TOO far out) and then curl in everything else – but give just a little flick of the wrist turning your palm toward you – don’t wave it around too frantically or you’re not hangin’ loose enough!

So where did the shaka sign come from? Even though I’m from Hawaii, I confess I never knew, but I did a little research and discovered it’s apparently a little bit of a mystery – one story is that it was started on Oahu (the major island that has Honolulu, the capital, on it) by a local man who had lost all three middle fingers – he would stand along the road leading to the Polynesian Cultural Center (which you’ve got to go see if you make it to Hawaii!) and wave at everyone who passed encouraging them to visit the Center. People would wave back, imitating his gesture, not realizing he was missing his fingers!

I really like this story if it’s true or even if it’s not – I love it when an adversity or misfortune, in the right “hands,”  leads to the spreading of aloha a million times over and throughout the world.    Cool – isn’t this why we’re all here?

So let’s let the hang loose philospophy enter our lives – there really aren’t THAT many things worth getting stressed over. I’ll be sharing lots of other ways to de-stress in my blogs, but I suggest starting with this idea (btw this isn’t my original idea – I don’t remember where I heard it so I can’t credit them, but I like it anyway J) – all right, so whenever you’re feeling stressed out, make the shaka sign with both hands– at YOURSELF – you can wiggle it enthusiastically like a tourist this time, and just visualize ALL your stress shaking out of you. Shake off the bad driver, the unreasonable boss, the noisy neighbors – whatever might be stressing you out lately – if you have some health challenges, shake them out too!  Just repeat until you’re completely and thoroughly hangin’ loose – or until people are looking at you funny.

And don’t forget it’s a fun idea to try the local version of the sign around other people too – I’ve noticed a lot of people everywhere starting to use it whenever they’re in an island – or partying – state of mind!

And now, a totally cool picture of a tourist making a shaka sign – this guy really looks like he’s having a blast and hangin’ loose (credit to Tracey Northcott (GomiGirl)

Much aloha and remember – hang loose!!!  – Ronnie Tsunami

Want more info on Yo and her hula group, Halau O Napua Kea?  Please visit www.halauonapuakea.com.

View more tips about massage from Angela Joy Goble by clicking HERE!

1.  “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose”.

2.  “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”

3.  “Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.”

4.  “Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.”

5.  “We’re here to put a dent in the universe.”

What is the attraction of the Coast? 

The last time I was there – at “the coast,” (which for me was Oak Island, North Carolina – a beautiful place halfway between Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina), I got to thinking that not just me – who grew up in Hawaii and Savannah along the coast – but pretty much ALL people LOVE to go to “the coast.”   Whether there is a nice warm soft sandy creamy-colored beach with calm waves, or a sharp rocky black lava covered shore with dangerous bursts of waves and big belligerent skuas – it’s all good.  It’s the coast, and you just say “ahhh.”

Interesting fact: the coastline of the world measures well over 200 THOUSAND miles in length – as long as the distance from the earth to the moon! So while finding a place to put your towel on Myrtle Beach  in the middle of spring break may be something of a challenge (trust me, I know), finding a beach somewhere where you hear nothing but birds and waves should be pretty easy, if you’re willing to think and travel outside the box a little bit. Many of the best times I’ve had at the beach have been in some deserted little piece of heaven beside the ocean – I’m not going to tell you where those places are but I might lead trips to them some day – and if you accidentally stumble across them and see me,  come over and say aloha!

Soak it all up – the sun, the surf, the walks on the beach, the different food at different restaurants – maybe parasailing, a helicopter tour, or maybe just picking up shells or looking for fossil shark teeth, or building sand castles with the kids or grandkids.

And then remember it whenever you’re stressed – with the huge array of ways to take pictures now, from your phone to your laptop to even cameras – there’s no excuse not to come home with a huge quantity of pictures to plaster all over your facebook, laptop or walls, whichever you prefer.

Life isn’t just about living life to the fullest, it’s also about your sharing your experiences with others!

Anxiety is characterized as extreme reactions to fearful situations.  When someone follows you into a dark alley, those anxious feelings of a racing heartbeat and sweaty palms gives way to heightened senses and a rush of adrenalin that can save your life.  This is the fight or flight syndrome.

In the case of frequent anxiety, the fearful feelings are dread of a particular situation and not the situation itself.  Getting caught in traffic can cause an anxiety attack over what might happen when you get to work late.  Starting a new job can bring on anxiety attacks.  You don’t know anyone and fear of that unknown can send you into a panic.

Everyone experiences panic or anxiety in small ways.  Like the fight or flight example, it can save your life.  In new situations, we get panicky but when the outcome we fear fails to materialize, the anxiety stops.  For someone with chronic anxiety, this is not the case.

Every situation that brings anxiety is not life-threatening.  More than likely it is an extremely stressful situation that has brought on the anxiety as a way of dealing with it.  Unchecked anxiety of this type can lead to depression.

If you suffer from anxiety attacks on occasion or a more frequent anxiety disorder, there are steps you can take to keep your anxiety under control.

1. See a professional.  This is always a good first step.  Self-diagnosis of any type of physical or mental condition is unwise and can be dangerous.  A professional psychologist can help you understand your anxiety and prescribe medication or other effective techniques.

2. Get a good night’s sleep.  During the sleep cycle, your body repairs itself.  You feel more rested after several hours of restorative sleep, reaching the REM stage.  Most people need eight hours a night which varies within an hour or two each way.

3. Exercise on a consistent basis.  Exercise helps you to use oxygen more efficiently.  It helps to get more oxygen to the brain.  It also increases focus which may help you see solutions to problems rather than simply worrying about them.

4. Meditate.  Meditation is more than chanting mantras.  Yoga is an exercise that involves quieting the mind and controlling your breathing.  Simple mediation such as taking 5 minutes to clear your mind everyday can work wonders in the fight against anxiety.

5. Manage the worry.  When you feel your pulse start to quicken, count backwards from ten.  As you count, focus on the situation.  What has actually happened? Resist the urge to read anything more into the situation.

6. Don’t use alcohol.  You might think that the glass of wine is relaxing your tension but alcohol is a depressant.  In anxious situations you could rely too heavily on it and gain another problem in the process.

7. Find some relaxing activities.  Stress can rob you of your energy.  On a regular basis, do something you like such as gardening, painting, reading or listening to music.

Anxiety can come into your life at any time.  It’s normal.  When the anxiety becomes frequent you could be at risk for more serious conditions.  If you feel your anxiety is starting to take over your life or increasingly causing you problems, seek professional help immediately.  There is no need to suffer this terrible condition in silence.

You may think that taking time out of your already busy life to meditate is ridiculous, but I assure you it is not ridiculous, and it will absolutely help calm your nerve, which will help you relax enough to sit down and calmly work out the situation that is upsetting you.  I found that I can relax and meditate by lying down and relaxing in a hammock.  If you are worried about not having enough time to lie down in a hammock, maybe you can just go outside for a breath of fresh air and take time to just collect your thoughts.

If the kids are stressing you out, you know how easy it can be to lose your temper with the kids, the spouse and just about anybody else who happens to walk within shouting range of you.  To make sure things don’t get out of control, you can do breathing exercises to help meditate you. Let the kids go outside for a few minutes or maybe let them watch a movie or whatever they like to do within reason for a few minutes so that you can get your thoughts together when meditating.  Breathe in and out slowly and take time to think about what options you have to control the situation that has upset you. Personally, I like to to listen to a little island music to help me forget where I am, and instead I am instantly transported to Hawaii

Take the time to clear out all the negative feelings you have in your mind so that you can concentrate on how to improve your life and make a goal for yourself. Meditation can help. When you take the time to relax and really stop and think about things that are going on in your life, you can also find that you are relaxed enough by meditating to find solutions to many different things you question in your life.

At the campground, I met up with several Good Sam Clubs, people who enjoy helping others, and as much as I love my original home, Hawaii, my new home in the Carolinas is full of people with just as much warmth and aloha as my family and friends back in the islands.  As I recounted my stories of traveling in the South and being treated differently, which always fascinates people curious about my island heritage, this time I looked into the audience filled with people from every ethnicity and age group, and I realized I wasn’t that different anymore.  There were people from at least 10 different states that had traveled to this event.  We performed our usual set of music from around the islands, and everyone loved the hula show.  I tried to engage the audience more, and I talked more and sang less than I usually do, and the show was a lot more fun than usual.  However, the most fun came AFTER the show.  People swarmed around Joanna as she taught them more about the steel drums she plays.  Arda, our guitarist from Turkey, had people in their 80s coming up to him and asking him to “rip” more on his guitar, and I had people thanking me for bringing back the memories of their trip to Hawaii years ago, and I even had young teenagers wanting to talk and take pictures with me.  The overwhelmingly positive response and appreciation was simply more than we ever expected.

For years, I have “stuck out” in a number of ways, and I enjoyed being different and telling people I am from Hawaii, but something changed that night in Marion, NC.  I realized three things:

1.  As much as I missed my home in Hawaii, I am proud to be a North Carolinian.

2.  People have the same hopes, dreams, fears and needs no matter where they are from.

3.  We all bring different talents to the table, but the biggest common thread is the desire to share aloha, to get together, to help each other as a community…and that is what binds us in our “rainbow”.

Like a rainbow, you often don’t see one until a bad storm hits, but when the sun comes out, it can take your breath away.

Taken in Marion, NC, Sept 23rd, 2011.