Living an Asymmetrical Life: The Hawaii Years
Go East Young Man
Horace Greeley said go west. I kept going — past the west, into the middle of the Pacific, where the story actually started.
Two Books Came Out of This Water
Hawaii didn’t just rearrange my address. It rearranged the furniture in my head. These are the field reports.
Who Wants to Be a Time Millionaire
An inspirational guide to time wealth and authentic living. The best things in life aren’t things — they’re moments, they’re freedom, and they’re time. When you slow down, the world stops shouting. This book is the math behind that.
Get it on Amazon
MAHA: Make America Happy Again
Happiness isn’t a slogan, and it isn’t a lottery ticket. It’s a decision you make one morning — and then again the next morning. MAHA is the case for choosing it deliberately, at human speed, the way the islands taught me to.
Get it on AmazonFrom Maui to Hollywood: My Hawaiian Adventure
After making my way from Maui to Oahu, I bought a car, turned it into my makeshift home, and sent my headshot to Hawaii Film Studios. To my surprise, they called me in! They couldn’t give me a part since I looked too much like the lead actor, but they offered me a gig as a stunt double instead — talk about an unexpected turn in my journey!
Being T/here in Hawaii
Living in Hawaii has put me in a unique space that supports personal exploration, oneness, and the mystical experiences of Huna, the Shamans about manifesting and tapping into “mana,” “Chi,” also known as the life force.
I have had a tremendous amount of good fortune, starting with a gig on the TV show Lost, and the teaching contracts I got, and my reverse commute from my condo in Ka-a-a-va (Yes, that’s how you spell it).
It starts with sacrifice, from sacrifice comes bliss. My general formula for my students is “Follow your bliss.” Find where it is, and don’t be afraid to follow it. — Joseph Campbell
Bill Moyers once asked Joseph Campbell: “Did you ever have the sense of... being helped by hidden hands?”
Campbell responded: “All the time. It is miraculous. I even have a superstition that has grown on me as a result of invisible hands coming all the time — namely, that if you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.”
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Blog Entries
Waikiki — Banyan Tree Hugger
Standing under the sprawling banyan trees, I hugged the trunk and felt energy. I made promises to myself that I would Go For It! even though there was no indication that I would succeed. I couldn’t help but marvel at their grandeur. These majestic trees are more than just a part of the landscape, they are guideposts.
The Banyan tree is revered for its strength and its ability to grow new roots as it matures, symbolizing growth and wisdom. In Waikiki, these trees provide a cool and inviting place to reflect and connect with nature.
Be(ing) There, Aloha! (Bora Bora)
The spirit of Aloha is more than a warm greeting; it’s a philosophy. During my time in Honolulu, I found myself embracing this ethos of being present...
Aloha encompasses love, peace, and compassion. It’s a way of living harmoniously with those around you, embracing each moment with open-heartedness.
Life of Pie — π and Unconscious Eating
What do mathematics and pie have in common? More than you’d think. This post explored how π, the symbol of infinite possibilities...
Conscious eating isn’t just about savoring food, but about being mindful of where it comes from and the journey it takes to reach our plates. It’s about truly appreciating the experiences that food brings.
The Huna and The Spirit of Aloha
As Cruise Director aboard the Crystal Serenity, I embarked on a 110-day World Cruise — a journey that would redefine adventure. But it was Hawaii that informed my practice of hospitality and tapping into the Huna, or sacred knowledge, that leads to harmony with nature and oneself.
The spirit of Aloha is more than a warm greeting; it’s a philosophy. During my time in Honolulu, I found myself embracing this ethos of being present, connecting with others, and sharing kindness. Whether it was the soothing rhythm of the ocean waves or the smiles exchanged with locals, Honolulu taught me that being fully present is the greatest gift I can give myself and others. Aloha isn’t just a word; it’s a way of life.
Ed Reif and the Spirit of Aloha
A Hawaiian Odyssey, in six port calls.
Jump Ship and Say Aloha
Long before he was cruising the open seas, Ed Reif jumped ship — literally. A Merchant Marine turned adventurer, he traded a structured life at sea for the spiritual call of the Hawaiian Islands. Armed with nothing but a duffel bag and a sense of destiny, Ed landed on Maui. The “Aloha Vibe” hit him like a warm wave — slow, sacred, and full of synchronicity. He called it “Aloha Time” — where life didn’t rush but unfolded.
Banyan Trees and Promises
One morning in Waikiki, Ed found himself face to face with a sprawling banyan tree. He wrapped his arms around it — not out of whimsy, but reverence. Beneath its wide branches and tangled roots, he made a promise: “Go for it. Even if you fail.” The banyan became more than a tree. It was a guidepost, a symbol of resilience, strength, and new beginnings.
From Car Seat to Call Sheet
Living out of his car on Oahu, Ed sent a headshot to Hawaii Film Studios — no agent, no expectations. He didn’t get the acting role. Ironically, he looked too much like the lead. But the universe had other plans. He became a stunt double on Lost. One gig led to another. Teaching contracts rolled in. The island was giving back.
Fire, Water, and Film Sets
Before Hawaii, Ed studied at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training. He knew how to fight fires, survive at sea, and save lives. But Hawaii taught him different skills — energy, harmony, and mana. He discovered Huna, the sacred knowledge of spiritual alignment and manifestation. As a Cruise Director, he didn’t just welcome guests. He created experiences — tapping into his Chi, syncing with the rhythm of the islands.
Hollywood Hula
Back in L.A., Ed re-entered the mainland madness. He visited a filming location “just to say hi” — and walked off with a SAG contract. Day 1: Background extra. Day 2: Upgraded to a speaking role. Boom: Taft-Hartleyed. Thirty days to go union. No formal acting school, just on-set lessons: “Whisper, it brings the feelings to your face.” “Less New York, more neutral.” And that Stanislavsky rule he broke early on? “Love the art in yourself — not yourself in the art.” He laughed at the memory. He was learning by doing — and that was the Hawaiian way too.
Still on Island Time
Ed Reif didn’t find fame. He found presence. He didn’t chase roles. He followed roots — like the banyan. Hawaii wasn’t a detour. It was a recalibration. To live slower. To breathe deeper. To be abundant, even with less. And when people asked him, “What did you learn in Hawaii?” He just smiled and said: “Show up. Hug the tree. The rest will unfold.”
The First Deposit in the Time Bank
I learned it the hard way, one deckhand shift at a time: time, not money, is the currency worth counting. Hawaii made the first deposit. The interest kept compounding — through the South Pacific, across 96 days of blue-ocean cruising, all the way to Bora Bora.
The best things in life aren’t things — they’re moments, they’re freedom, and they’re time.
The Time Millionaire in Bora Bora
In Bora Bora, I wasn’t just taking in the view — I was cashing in on something far more valuable than money: my time. While most people spend their lives working to eventually live, I chose to reverse-engineer the formula. That’s what it means to be a time millionaire — not waiting for someday, but living fully, now.
On a South Pacific cruise in 2007, I woke up to emerald peaks rising from turquoise lagoons. There was no 9-to-5, no agenda. Just nature’s clock — sunrises, ocean breezes, and island rhythms. There’s a serenity to sailing the South Pacific that no spreadsheet can calculate. Bora Bora isn’t a vacation — it’s validation that you’re living on your terms.
Someone asked me, “Who is the most important person you ever met?” I answered: “That mountain.”
So next time you ask yourself what you want to be when you grow up, consider this: Would you rather be rich in dollars — or in time? The full answer is in the book.
Read Who Wants to Be a Time Millionaire
About the Author
I am the hero of my own life. When I think of The Hero’s Journey, it refers to Joseph Campbell’s basic pattern found in many narratives from around the world. My journey brought me from the mainland to Hawaii, where I’ve found unexpected opportunities, incredible friendships, and a deeper understanding of what it means to truly “follow your bliss.”
Travel well. And prosper.