The Joshua Gray Style Concept #77: “Warmth in the Winter” | PC: Okennichiwa

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The Joshua Gray Style Concept captures my daily style and incorporates a style, trend, and concept message to share an inspirational message. For the past few years, I’ve been a fan of earthly tones and, in the winter, a big fan of layering. Showcasing both, I employ these trends to share some thoughts on seeking comfort whilst challenging stagnation in the pursuit of our purpose.

When chasing purpose, many condemn comfort as something that is unproductive or unnecessary, illuminating the inevitability of discomfort. Although I agree that we will endure discomfort when pursuing our purpose, I believe it’s worth appreciating and acknowledging those things that gives us warmth in the winter–those things that make us comfortable during our growth while also conditioning us for our goals and dreams in life.

As a few thoughts on honor and appreciation where it is due, below are three keys that I believe lead to a grateful heart–a key to success:

1. Love what is healthily loving you: Love is prospective, love foresees aspects of your future and prepares you in the present, ensuring you’re the best version of yourself when your future manifests. Start loving what is healthily loving you and pushing you to your purpose. Honor such warmth and appreciate that love with your life.

2. Acknowledge the how behind the what, in what is encouraging you for your [GRAYTER]: Consider what pushed you to your purpose and how it propels you to your purpose, how does the warm love from your family or warm love from your friends assist in pushing you closer to your God-given graytness? Knowledge of the how, assists in discerning the what, in the future.

3. Continuously discern what is healthy comfort and what is unhealthy comfort: Ultimately, healthy comfort brings you peace; peace with God & peace with yourself.

The post Joshua Gray Style Concept #77 + Words: Warmth in the Winter first appeared on The Joshua Gray | Live Grayter.

The Joshua Gray Style Concept #76: “The Transformative Trench” | Photo Credit: Okennichiwa
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The Joshua Gray Style Concept captures my daily style and incorporates a style, trend, and concept message to share an inspirational message. While living in Shanghai, I designed this “transformative” trench, as a personal souvenir of sorts; nevertheless, it’s more than a customizable trench, it’s a testament to the power of keeping “you” in “your style”.

When creating this jacket in China, I wanted to maximize the number of styling possibilities from one piece, thus I was inspired to create a lite trench with a detachable lower half (one in red and one in black).  I literally put on a show (fake calling my accountant, fake crying, fake budgeting issues, etc.) at the tailors to bargain (a tradition at such places in China) for an appropriate price.  Nevertheless, sometimes we have to do what it takes to maximize the number of possibilities of creating the life we want. The key to creating the life you want is not always knowing what you want, but knowing your purpose.

1. Align With Your Purpose: Placed on this earth for a reason, once we become one with our purpose we are then equipped to live the authentic life we want.
2. Dream in Your Purpose: Dreaming on purpose and dreaming in purpose, creates impactful and meaningful possibilities. Dream the biggest dreams possible that all fulfill your purpose.
3. Work in Your Purpose: Seek opportunities and projects that fulfill your purpose; if none available, ascertain skills and values from your current situation to assist you to work in your purpose.
4. Don’t Give Up on Your Purpose: When you work in your purpose, yet not seeing fruit…don’t give up, you’re only toiling the soil. The expectancy of fruit must remain.

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The Joshua Gray Style Concept #75: “Olives & Chocolates: The Layers of Levi” | Photographer: Okenichiwa

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The Joshua Gray Style Concept captures my daily style and incorporates a style, trend, and concept message to share an inspirational message. Taking on a Levi’s Coat designed to acclimate to various temperatures with its various layers and components, I share a few reminders and thoughts to consider, when it comes to being prepared for the various layers and components of 2017.

When I purchased this jacket over five years ago, I appreciated that this Levi’s jacket had various options for customization (inclusive of detachable fur-trimmed hold, long flight trench, perforated under jacket). This Levi’s purchase (that I got from Ross for a mere $20.00) purchased seemingly prepared me for anything, any type of temperature; with 2017 across the block, I’m presented with a similar question: am I prepared for anything?

Reflecting on 2016, it brought with it a plethora of life experiences from: testing my physical limits during a 16 mile hike in Argentine Patagonia, to graduating from Pepperdine University with a B.S. in International Business, to then discovering how relaxation and too much social media can lead to a depressive mentality, to experiencing the affects of such depressive mentality on relationships. 2016 revealed much about me and I revealed a portion of that to the world via this site, such as how Buenos Aires surprised me, to my top 20 Midyear Moments, to how I responded to the 2016 Presidential Election with the launch of my online store GRAYTER. But, once again, as this coat prepared me for anything, I’m asking myself: am I prepared for anything in 2017?

In the year of 2017, I literally have full control and autonomy over what I allocate my time to and what ideas I’m going to pursue and develop. Honestly, it’s one of my scariest years yet, filled with potential moments of uncertainty; nevertheless, here’s how I’m conditioning myself to be prepared for anything in 2017:

1. Strengthening Relationship with God: Admittedly, this is a relationship that needs strengthening because it is the foundation, in which all other relationships are built, the foundation for my confidence, and the root of my success. With this relationship strengthened, I know I’ll be prepared for anything because I’ll have a redeemer, a refuge, and reassurer! This can be your foundation too!

2. Dreaming Bigger & Strategizing Smaller: At this point in my life, I have nothing to lose, so I’m preparing myself to dream bigger and then strategize through smaller, realistic goals. 2017 can bring whatever it brings, however, each step of the way, I’m preparing to dream bigger and better!

3. Being More Authentic in All Situations: At the same point in my life, I’m striving to be more authentic within all situations. As a relatively optimistic person, I can sometimes void valid emotions or valid assessments in hopes of things being better. Nonetheless, I’m committed to distinguishing between the faith value of something and the face value of something, that’s when your works make your faith alive!

The post Joshua Gray Style Concept #75 + Words: The Layers of @Levis & 2017 first appeared on The Joshua Gray | Live Grayter.

The Joshua Gray Style Concept #74: “Uncommon Distress” | PC: Okennichiwa

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The Joshua Gray Style Concept captures my daily style and incorporates a style, trend, and concept message to share an inspirational message. Taking on distressed knitwear, I share a few reminders and thoughts to consider, when it comes to unexpected distressed.

While shooting this style concept, I recall discussing the unconventionality of knitwear distressed with holes, rips, and tears. Recently popularized by a few of Kanye’s Yeezy SZNs, there’s something deeper than the vain ambitions of staying on top of this trend.

Who would of thought knitwear would be a plausible or passable texture to distress (besides one who must succumb to homelessness)? Socially, who would think that not every smile we see reflects a smile on the inside of every person who affixes one to his or her face?

Similar to the recent, urban popularity of distressed knitwear, unexpected distress in the lives of those who seem unfit to experience distress may be more common than we realize. I know many times, my smile reflected what I wanted my life to be and not what it actually was. Therefore, be open to opening your happiness for someone else, consider these various ways to share the light you may have with those distressed, when they don’t even seem fit for stress:

1. Pray for someone, even if they seem as if they don’t need it.
2. Smile at someone, you honestly don’t know what they’re dealing with!
3. Continue fostering relationships with the ones who love you, before you develop an unwarranted love for the ones who only like you!

The post Joshua Gray Style Concept #74 + Words: Uncommon Distress first appeared on The Joshua Gray | Live Grayter.

The Joshua Gray Style Concept #73 + Words:  “Black Friday Deals” | Photographer: @Okennichiwa

Thanksgiving came and went, and now we’re eating leftovers, shopping, or looking at Black Friday Weekend deals in our emails with no intent of indulging (Me!). Nonetheless, there are few deals that you should take advantage of, that never expire! They’re all void of capitalistic characteristics, but they are deals that save you something in life. Consider taking advantage of these personal deals, starting this weekend:

1. Your Deal With God: Assessing your relationship with all of the factors in your life and assessing how involved God is in the simplicity or complexity of your life, make a deal with God. Moving into the new year, agree to involve Him more than you did this year!
2. Your Deal With Yourself: What did you do with your life yesterday, this week, this month, or this past year? Make a deal with yourself that you will maximize the time you have daily and that you will begin to experience high productivity!
3. Your Deal With Family & Friends: Begin encouraging and uplifting your family & friends more. It doesn’t hurt to share their flowers with them more and more while they are alive for them to experience your love.
4. Your Deal With Society: Given the polarizing times, make a deal to make society a better place in truth & authenticity, agreeing to propel others into their best lives possible!
5. Your Deal With Negativity: Negativity will always be there, in various forms and flavors; make a deal to never let it season your life or allow it to marinate your mind!

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The Joshua Gray Style Concept captures TJG daily style and incorporates a style, trend, and concept message to inspirationally convey Gray’s philosophy: 1) Use what you have, 2) Get what you can, and 3) Do what you do.

The post Joshua Gray Style Concept #73 + Words: #BlackFriday Deals first appeared on The Joshua Gray | Live Grayter.

The Joshua Gray Style Concept #72 + Words: “The Tone of Thanksgiving” | PC: @Okennichiwa

Life is a culmination of seasons. With each season, we may acquire new relationships, lose relationships, experience new things, learn new skills, gain momentum, or lose momentum. All experiences, deserve the tone of thanksgiving–they all deserve our gratitude. All of our experiences deserve our gratitude; not because all of those experiences proved beneficial, but because there was a lesson in every experience. Reflect on ways you can apply the tone of thanksgiving in your life & in the experiences you’ve endured this year!

The post Joshua Gray Style Concept #72 + Words: The Tone of Thanksgiving first appeared on The Joshua Gray | Live Grayter.

The Joshua Gray Style Concept #71 + Words: “Autumn Awareness” | PC: Kenni

The Joshua Gray Style Concept #71 captures TJG daily style and incorporates fall/autumn colors, textures, & sentimental accessories to inspirationally push a message on “Finding Self-Awareness”.

Life + Style Concept Message: “Self-Awareness”

Breast Cancer Awareness was the inspiration behind the ensemble in this concept #71. In Mid-October, I was scheduled to attend an event for Breast Cancer Awareness, and the challenge was to wear pink. As an owner of not one single pink item, I improvised–correlating the pink flower with my bright Salmon pants. Nevertheless, this correlates with something more–this concept correlates with my association with Breast Cancer. My aunt survived Breast Cancer; outside of the miraculous nature of her survival, AWARENESS played a significant in putting up a fight against it.

Merely a sophomore or junior in High School, my aunt’s fight taught me the importance of awareness. Throughout the entire process, she proved self-awareness is valuable in fighting against what’s fighting against you. For some, day in and day out negativity strives to steal, kill, and destroy our purpose and our destiny. Nevertheless, similar to my aunt’s battle, awareness of the specific forces charging against you is significant in charging against those forces.

Self-awareness isn’t the easiest of realities, nevertheless, it can be a reality. In moving forward in fighting against those things that are fighting against you, consider the following, in hopes of developing self-awareness and then applying it to your life:

1. Escape the Grid: Life has a way of integrating us into a grid of robotism with the need for us to be busy, resulting in lives of mudanity and unawareness. Take some time to escape that grid and reflect on the who’s, the what’s, the where’s, the how’s, and why’s of life. Be aware of your life!
2. Be Tactful: We can easily follow the lives of others so much that we fail to follow our own lives and the things that concerns the betterment of ourselves. Once we escape that grid, be tactful when you return to that grid; return to the grid with an awareness of the things that are good to you and the things that are bad to you–all assisting in fighting against what’s fighting against you.
3. Be Committed: Negativity, procrastination, ailments, and all of the like, can pose a formidable threat against your life. But once you’re aware of those things and subsequently develop a tact against those things, be committed to fighting against them. It won’t be easy and you may not see success at first, but be committed to putting up a fight!

The post Joshua Gray Style Concept + Words #71: Autumn Awareness first appeared on The Joshua Gray | Live Grayter.

The Joshua Gray Style Concept #70: “Believing in Blue” | Photographer: Kenni

Life + Style Concept Message: “Believing in Yourself: The Present & the Potential”

What do you believe about yourself? What are your thoughts about yourself? What do you believe about your potential and what do you believe about your present?

Believing in yourself encompasses what you believe about your potential and what you believe about your present. Being honest with your present is okay: What are the factors that are contributing to your flaws? What are the strengths contributing to your success?

Honesty assists in believing and pursuing the fulfillment of your potential, authentically. Personally, I recall a time during college, in which I avoided the reality of my present: the self-inflicted stress, the unwise habits, and impractical sleep schedules. With me blaming the “college norm” on everything I was enduring, that lack of authenticity prevented me from walking in the fullness of my potential and the fruition of my purpose. By the time I started walking in authenticity (after I graduated), I realized I missed out on a lot of personal objectives and personal goals. Nevertheless, walking in a new found authenticity allowed me to believe and pursue my potential and purpose.

After embracing honesty with your present, consider embracing the following with your potential:

1. Dialoguing with Yourself: What do you believe about your potential? What gift is on the inside of you that can be flourished? What talent will take you to the next level, take you to the sky, take you into outer space?
2. Enhancing Your Potential: Once you identify that gift, skill, or talent, continue building and enhancing those tools–tools to take you and others higher!
3. Pushing to Your Potential: Never let your present push you to lose faith in your potential; continue being authentic and being aware of your present, so you can always be able and armed to arise to your potential!

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The Joshua Gray Style Concept captures TJG daily style and incorporates a style, trend, and concept message to inspirationally convey Gray’s philosophy: 1) Use what you have, 2) Get what you can, and 3) Do what you do.

The post Joshua Gray Style Concept #70 + Words: Believing in Blue first appeared on The Joshua Gray | Live Grayter.

The Joshua Gray Style Concept #69: “The Denim Combo” | Photographer: Kenni

Life + Style Concept Message: “Control”

When on a quest to keep your barrels in a bunch or keep everything you have going on in life, together, it’s easy to strive to do so in hopes of constant perfection–a reality unattainable due to our humanity & our humanness.

If not easy for you, definitely for me. There has been many times in which I would work to combine things in my life with a belief that perfection is achievable; with a belief that I could control every aspect and manage every aspect of my life (and the lives of others around me), in hopes of bridging our circumstances to perfection. Even if you’re in the same boat as someone else and you’re trying to steer the both of you to the right destination, you can’t control every aspect of their lives nor can you control everyone who accompanies their struggle–it is your life that you have live & it is their life that they have to live.

When you aim to have full control of the perfect route to healing, deliverance, or unity, you’ll cause more hurt than healing to yourself and to the others involved. When you’re trying to keep your barrels in a bunch–whether it be the tasks you must complete in a day, the number of friends’ issues you come into contact within a day, or the number of personal issues you must come into contact with daily–complete control is not the solution to keeping everything together. Understand:

1. You’re human, you’re not perfect, so you cannot individually attain perfection in any situation.
2. You don’t have complete control. Surrender to something higher, surrender to God to receive appropriate control.
3. Once you obtain the perspective for you level of control, stay in your lane & control what you can control!

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The Joshua Gray Style Concept captures TJG daily style and incorporates a style, trend, and concept message to inspirationally convey Gray’s philosophy: 1) Use what you have, 2) Get what you can, and 3) Do what you do.

The post Joshua Gray Style Concept #69 + Words: The Denim Combo Control first appeared on The Joshua Gray | Live Grayter.

The Joshua Gray Style Concept #68: The Blues Throughout | Photography: Kenni & Taylor

Life + Style Concept Message: “The Blues Throughout Your Life: Finding Your Unhappiness?”

Sometimes life concocts experiences that don’t align with our expectations. Sometimes we find ourselves doing things we never expected to do. In both experiences, we may suffer the loss of happiness (well, at least, I have). Nonetheless, in a state of unhappiness, we may be closer to happiness than we think because we’re able to identify potential threats to our happiness and thwart them. 

Personal Story: When I graduated in April of this year, it was bittersweet. On one hand, I earned my B.S. in International Business with a minor in Nonprofit Management. On the other hand, a chapter of my life, in which I affixed a large portion of my identity to, was closed. Now, I returned to Las Vegas tasked with creating a new normal. Honestly & truly, it was hard to find my happiness this summer. Considering I was in a place of unwanted realities (dependent and in Las Vegas) and unfilled expectations (failing to find the unshakable confidence to pursue my dreams), it became easy for me to become distracted–yielding more unhappiness eventually.

With all of the “blue” throughout my life–from residing back in Vegas, meeting people who would unveil your flaws, recreating a new normal out of what I considered normal five years ago in Las Vegas–I knew that I could not confine myself to the unhappiness I experienced in this past summer. Unhappiness can be the catalyst to depression if you allow unhappiness to fester within your heart and your mind. Identifying and being cognizant of my unhappiness was the first key to moving towards happiness for me. When we come across our unhappiness, here’s three keys on not subjecting your life to its perpetual influence:

1. Keep sight of the destination that will yield happiness: Regardless of what happens or doesn’t happen, Don’t lose sight of yourself being happy. KNOW that one day you may be happy.
2. Never lose the willingness to get to that destination: There were days that I’d lay in bed and wonder about the unexpected stagnation of my life, but I never lost my willingness to get to that happy.
3. Turn towards the things that make you happy: When I wanted to getting back to replicating the happiness I felt in college, I would return to travelling or chop it up with friends from college about the good times. Even when you’re feeling unhappiness, find things to make you happy.

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The Joshua Gray Style Concept captures TJG daily style and incorporates a style, trend, and concept message to inspirationally convey Gray’s philosophy: 1) Use what you have, 2) Get what you can, and 3) Do what you do.

The post Joshua Gray Style Concept #68 + Words: The Blues Throughout first appeared on The Joshua Gray | Live Grayter.

The Joshua Gray Style Concept #67: “Standing on Simple” | PC: @Okennichiwa

Life + Style Concept Message: “Standing on Simple”

Life, as beautiful as it can be, has its inherent and DIY flaws that can force us against a wall of disappointment, discouragement, or even depression. In moments as these, standing on simple triggers or reminders are integral for retreating from the wall and defeating all that’s stopping you from reaching your destiny.

As it is applicable in style, so it is in life. On the day of this particular style concept, I decided to try out the simplest of colors: black and white. This contrasting pairing is a uniform go-to of sorts when my experimental approach to style isn’t as “daring”. Same in life, sometimes we have to stand on simple to regain our experimental and progressive momentum to our destiny. Remember these three simple reminders to stand on, when life pushes you against a wall:

1. Believe: Although simple in thought, it doesn’t always translate as simply in our actions, but the first step in pushing towards your purpose, when life attempts to push you towards your past, is BELIEF. Start believing in yourself!
2. Understand the Process: There’s a season for everything. Therefore, in this push towards your purpose, understand you’ll enjoy pleasant & prosperous times and you’ll experience disappointing & discouraging times. But, push through the process.
3. Believe, Again: I’ve learned that the first thing to start deteriorating when disappointment or discouragement is planted in your life is confidence. Prevent the growth of disappointment and discouragement by KEEPING YOUR CONFIDENCE! CONTINUE BELIEVING IN YOURSELF! BELIEVE IN YOUR GRAYTNESS!

The post Joshua Gray Style Concept #67 + Words: Standing on Simple first appeared on The Joshua Gray | Live Grayter.

The Joshua Gray Style Concept #66: Summer Monochrome Hybrid-Sets | Photographer: Kenni & Taylor

Life + Style Concept Message: “Imperfections”

Imperfection is a platform to be perfected. Whether your imperfections are as simple as the colors in a monochromatic hybrid-short set (featured in this concept) not being one particular color or if they are life experiences that detrimentally deviated from how you were raised, this is your present.

 Imperfections make you who you are, but perfecting those imperfections (that need perfecting in relation to walking in our purpose) make us who we are called to be. When we submit all of our imperfections–in unison– to the perfecting of our purpose, we will begin to see meaningful and purposeful change in our lives. Nevertheless, embracing three values internalizes the process of purposefully perfecting your imperfections:

• Willingness: Just do it! Take all of your imperfections–the flaws they revealed in you and the lessons they have taught you, submit them to the process.
• Humility: Your imperfections invalidates entitlement to perfection, so fail to take pride in how perfect you are–yet take pride in the perfecting process.
• Diligence: Even when it seems as if your imperfections are too severe to endure perfecting–be diligent to the learning process.

Imperfection is a condition that every human endures, but every human won’t seek the perfecting treatment that is necessary. The process won’t be easy nor comfortable, you may even be reluctant to improve upon your imperfections (admittedly, I’m reluctant in some areas). Recognizing your reluctance to change is the preliminary step in recognizing you need revision, revival, or restoration.

The post Joshua Gray Style Concept + Message #66: Summer Monochrome Hybrid-Sets first appeared on The Joshua Gray | Live Grayter.

The Joshua Gray Style Concept #65: The Navy Alignment | Photographer: Kenni & Taylor

Life + Style Concept Message: “Alignment & Positioning Your Mind”

Are your ducks in a row? Are your quarters stacked? Are the necessary facets of your life in alignment? Positioned for striving? Positioned for thriving? Life has a way of shifting our alignments with ups and downs–shifting significant pairings for success or significant positioning for pursuing purpose? Here’s three pairings and positions for success and purpose pursuits:

Confidence & Character (Direct): True confidence and character have a direct relationship. As you perfect your character–in public and in private, in the light and in the dark–you begin to enhance your integrity. True confidence stems from your growing integrity–your growing assurance to yourself and others that you will do what you say you will do. Confidence should be reaffirmed through your character.

Faith & Fear (Indirect): As your faith increases, your fears should decrease. As you condition your mind to believe that any goal, any dream, any opportunity is possible, your increased faith should decrease your fears. Yes! Fears will arise, but the power of your fears to dictate your faith should decrease!

Determination & Destiny (Constant): As you maintain your determination, you will begin to live in your destiny. Destiny is not a destination, destiny is a manifestation; thus, as you continue to push forward so should you experience the fruition of your purpose and calling.

What can you align better? What can you condition your mind to do?

The post The Joshua Gray Style Concept & Message #65: The Navy Alignment first appeared on The Joshua Gray | Live Grayter.