Saturday, January 25, 2020

New York City


As the sun began to rise this Saturday morning, I found myself tossing and turning, full of energy mixed with a massive dose of optimism for the day that lies ahead. Without further thought, I decided to get out of bed to capitalize on this heightened sense of awareness. My next move was to put on some winter gear, get on the elevator, and head to a nearby café to enjoy a cup of joe before taking a jog on the Hudson River. After drinking my coffee, I insert my AirPods, take a few seconds to zip up my jacket, put on a hat, and gloves to go outside to battle with the cold weather. When I opened the door, a chill went throughout my body that stopped me dead in my tracks. Yikes! Once I recovered from that arctic blast, I looked across the river and felt the magic of the city. I then took a moment to listen to the sound of the waves crashing into the pier while simultaneously observing the bright lights impressively reflecting from the freezing water as well as lower Manhattan. Indeed, we each draw inspiration differently. As for me, a beautiful setting often sparks a thought that inspires me to write. It’s a serene feeling, and at that moment, I am fully present and can easily get lost in thought. So, what triggers the creative juices that compel you to write? hashtagmotivation hashtagnyc

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Central Park


While traveling down 8th Ave towards Columbus Circle with a colleague assessing some new territory, I realized that we would soon be approaching Central Park, which is the most visited urban park in the U.S., with an estimated 38 million visitors annually. As we landed near the park, for a split second, the view of the main entrance captured my imagination, so I took a quick photo. I wanted an image of that moment for a point of reference to revisit and crystalize a thought I had over the weekend. Just as I began writing my thoughts, suddenly, a new message notification popped up on my LinkedIn page! It was a message from Regina Aguila, a connection from the Philippines, who mentioned the Taal Volcano eruption. I was not aware of this news, so first and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go out to the people impacted. What I found most extraordinary about this email exchange was the tone of her message. It was full of positivity, words of encouragement, and concluded with, “This too shall pass.” I also learned about her untiring efforts to help others, which is admirable. Keep uplifting, my friend, and I trust that better days are ahead for all of those that were affected. Feel free to add a comment and engage with the group. Have a peaceful weekend! hashtagphilippines hashtagnyc

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Sense of Urgency


While easing back into the swing of things with a tremendous amount of energy and focus, I found it pleasurable to reengage with my clients, colleagues, and professional network, after a 10-day respite. Fast-forward to Friday, and I found myself in the heart of the NYC evening rush on the way home to decompress before I transitioned into weekend mode. As I made my way to catch the 4-train, I stopped for a moment to marvel at the thousands of passengers getting off the subway moving towards their respective destinations via the WTC Transportation Hub Station, which services over 250,000 commuters daily. Indeed, a sight to behold! As I began to collect my thoughts and embracing the energy from the electric atmosphere, the phrase “Sense of Urgency” came to mind. Yes, it’s great to operate with a sense of urgency; some may even say it’s a prerequisite on your journey to success. I think that there’s much truth in that thought process if it is purposeful and well organized, which is what I observed while watching the movement of the people at the train station. 15-minutes later, I put on my backpack and went on with my day appreciative of the time spent reinforcing a valuable practice. Please share your thoughts with the group. Enjoy the weekend! hashtagmindfulness hashtagsuccess hashtagnyc

Friday, January 3, 2020

Washington Square Park


With strategy top of mind, I decided to sift through my closet to find my chess set to get the strategic juices flowing. After 20-minutes of searching, I found it, dusted it off, and now I am ready to play a game of chess. To my surprise, I could not find a foe. Yikes! If you’re under 25, you may be thinking, why doesn't he play online? Well, I am from the old school, and I enjoy looking at my adversary in the eye, mono e mono, only joking! 😊 All of a sudden, something that I’ve been yearning to do flashed in my mind! I’ve always wanted to play at Washington Square Park, arguably the most famous outdoor chess spot on earth to tangle with the city’s best. Without a second thought, I rushed to the subway to go to the park. Once I arrived, I took a few minutes to survey the landscape, and then I secured an opponent. Now let’s get it on! I won the first 2-games and lost the 3rd in a dogfight! It’s all good, and I hung around for a few hours to learn some new strategies. In the end, I partook in an experience that I will cherish, met a few new people, and grabbed a hot dog with sauerkraut & mustard from an NYC street vendor on the way home. Good stuff! Please share a similar spur of the moment experience that you made come to fruition. Have a fun weekend! hashtagfun hashtagmotivation hashtagnyc

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Execution Excellence


Like many, I’ve been off this week enjoying time with family and friends. Now that the parties are over and the New Year’s Eve confetti is gone let’s jump-start the year with a dose of positive momentum as we enter into the new decade. So, as we roll into the weekend and gear up for the first full workweek, I don’t know about you, but I am ready to hit the ground running bright and earlier Monday morning. Let’s go! I begin my year by taking a brisk walk in the city that eventually lands me at one of my favorite cafés to read and capture my thoughts. Not for nothing, I always find any of my go-to coffee shops peaceful; thus, I can easily get lost in writing in this type of environment. Whatever your intentions are for the new year and beyond, be sure to operate in your zone of genius, which is your innate talents + your purpose. Enjoy the process of working towards achieving your goals, and keep an insatiable appetite for learning something new every day. Also, ignore the haters and naysayers as they are a waste of your time. Instead, focus on running your race and remember that execution excellence is vital. Lastly, no more excuses, and let’s all go out and get it done! Feel free to leave a comment as we grow together on the 1st day of 2020! hashtaglife hashtagmotivation hashtagmindset