Lady Liberty

I woke up this Saturday morning excited to partake in a virtual coffee meeting with a connection from the city of Brotherly Love, aka, Philadelphia, PA, as I continue to find creative ways to stay socially engaged responsibly. A few minutes into our Zoom video chat, my coffee partner eyes gravitated towards the Statue of Liberty in the background of this photo, which sparked a lively conversation. As we discussed the symbolic meaning of Lady Liberty from each of our viewpoints, suddenly, my last visit to Ellis Island flashed in my mind, and my heart filled with joy! We talked about that experience, and she reciprocated, in-kind, by sharing a story from her youth, and I learned some cool things about Philly. At the tail end of our exchange, we both acknowledged that every calamity has a silver lining if you keep a positive mindset combined with seeking new opportunities. That sentiment is undoubtedly apropos present-day, and allow me to add that it is incumbent upon us to exercise social caring and uplift others; whenever possible during these unprecedented times. Okay, all done with coffee, so it is now time to head back to my man cave. 😊 Please share a comment that just may brighten someone's day. Have a fun weekend, and let’s stay connected! hashtag#inspiration hashtag#life hashtag#nyc

Enjoy your day!

Like many of you, I've learned firsthand that cabin fever is a real thing, but a small price to pay as we all practice social distancing for the greater good. So, as I collect my thoughts this Saturday morning and head over to the grocery store to pick up some necessities, I also elect to get in 45-minutes of cardio in a solitary way. When I crossed Columbus Circle adjacent from Whole Foods Market, I had a direct view of the Central Park West entrance to Central Park. So...what was my immediate thought? Well, even as NYC's busiest park on a typical day was relatively devoid of people, I was still bedazzled by its charm, as depicted in this picture. As I took a moment to observe the scenery, I became enamored by the blue sky and then started to notice the gradual movement of the clouds, all while adoring the sight of the sculptures. As a result, I developed a deeper appreciation for Central Park, along with my many blessings in the midst of adapting to our new normal. If you have time, examine this photo, and express your feelings, wherever they may take you. Please consider this my contribution to uniquely stimulate our collective creative minds in place of binge-watching a series on Netflix this weekend! 😊 Stay vigilant, optimistic, and enjoy your day! hashtag#life hashtag#mindfulness

After completing work on a Monday evening, it’s customary for me to head over to the gym to workout. However, on this particular Monday, that wasn’t the case because of what’s transpiring in the world. As I adjust to these unusual times like everyone else and find new ways to channel my typical workout energy productively, I felt duty-bound to jot down what was on my mind at this moment and decided to share it with you via a quick post, respectfully. I then scrolled through my photostream, and a pic I snapped near the financial district in Lower Manhattan last September grabbed my attention since the image was absent of people. As I took an in-depth view of this photo, I begin to appreciate its brilliance, and a feeling of serenity came over me. Subsequently, I closed my eyes and thought of a few incredible email exchanges I’ve recently had with some of my LinkedIn connections from the United Kingdom, Italy, as well as here in the United States, which warmed my heart, tremendously! Moreover, I am grateful for the encouraging words conveyed during these email exchanges, especially during these challenging times for everyone around the globe. Indeed, we're all in this together, so let's support each other in any way we can. Stay safe and informed, friends! hashtag#humanity hashtag#life

Be Vigilant

I spent this past weekend laying low, checking-up on family, friends, and yes, even my LinkedIn connections from all over the world. I appreciate all of the valuable conversations, which capped off an extraordinary week on so many levels! As we all come to grips with our new way of life, for the time being, a dear friend of mine reached out asking for my perspective on things and encouraged me to post this Sunday, which I rarely do. Nevertheless, she was insistent, so I put on the noise-canceling headphones to listen to an instrumental playlist, looked at the attached photo and let my mind wander! I have been staying informed by watching the news and putting an extra emphasis on the local press to ensure that I have a good sense of what is happening in my immediate area. As a result, I learned a new term, 'social distancing,' that is now part of our lexicon and day-to-day life. Since a LinkedIn post is limited to 1,300 characters, I will close by saying, please listen to your public officials, and let us all do our part to be cautious when the need arises to go out to purchase any of life necessities. Stay safe connections! I will remain active on this platform for the next hour if you want to chat in the comments section. hashtag#life hashtag#motivation

Keep Looking Up!

When daylight saving time kicked in last Sunday, I carved out some time that morning to evaluate the progress of my 2020 goals. That included reaching out to a few mentors to get that valuable feedback we all need, which often helps ensure that one is moving in the right direction. After a couple of hours of engaging in this process, I was no longer in that mindset, so I decided to stop; and called a mentor to schedule a brunch appointment for this Saturday at South Street Seaport. However, in the ensuing days, life as we know it changed drastically, so I canceled the meetup for the obvious reasons. Like most, I will be hunkered down in the house this weekend, and will use this time to count my blessings, journal, reflect, and do my spring cleaning! Note: Since I did not visit the Seaport, I couldn't capture my usual weekly LinkedIn pic. Thus, I referenced a photo I took at Washington Square Park back in Dec. to stimulate my thoughts for this post. To that point, allow me to share a quote from my favorite cartoon character to brighten your day, “Keep looking up…that’s the secret to life!” –Snoopy! 😊 As we exercise social distancing for the foreseeable future, what are some cool ways you are spending your time this weekend? Be vigilant; this too shall pass! hashtag#future hashtag#life

Chelsea Market

While attending an after-work networking event, I struck up a conversation with a part-time Yoga Instructor and 5-minutes into our discussion, I was impressed by the degree of enthusiasm she expressed about this practice. Our talk concluded with her inviting me to attend a Yoga class near Chelsea Pier that I gladly accepted! Saturday morning arrived, and it was now time to get ready. I grabbed my newly purchased Yoga Mat (Lol) and cruised down to the Chelsea area with an open mind, prepared to embrace this new experience. Let’s do it! When I walked into the class, I was blown away by the number of people in the room. I proceeded to introduce myself to a few folks, got some guidance, and then the session started. It was kind of awkward at first, but once I got the hang of it, indeed, it was a calming experience. On the way out, I stopped in Chelsea Market to pick up a few things. With my shopping all done, I snapped a quick pic, sat down on the bench to the right side of this photo to enjoy the atmosphere, and took the next 15-minutes to write this post. 😊 To end, if you have a few valuable Yoga tips for a novice like me, and others that may come across this post, please share with the group. Now go out, try something new, and make it a fun weekend! hashtag#yoga hashtag#life hashtag#nyc