Sunday Reflection

As we get ready to ease into April later this week, I scheduled some time to ponder yesterday afternoon on my way home from Brooklyn. That led me to one of my favorite spots, where I put on my Bose headphones to listen to an instrumental playlist while walking along this path, purposely reflecting on the past four weeks.

 

After getting the volume just right in my headphones, I stood at the front entrance of this gorgeous park, looking at the Freedom Tower and relaxing my mind. The combination of this view and the sound of the light jazz music playing in my ear sent me into a beautiful state of reflection.

 

Now lost in thought with my writing juices activated, I began to move around slowly, allowing my thoughts to flow freely and capturing them without hesitation! When I was all done, my mind was free from clutter, giving me a feeling of mental liberation that I always find refreshing!

 

I will end this spur-of-the-moment post by encouraging you to find time to reflect if that is not in your playbook. I believe wholeheartedly that our best days are still in front of us, and I wish you all a lovely Sunday. 😊

 

Have a successful week ahead. Let's go!

 

#inspire #motivation

 

Walking Towards the Brooklyn Bridge

I was on the train this morning to Brooklyn when out of the blue, I felt an urge to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Ready to seize the moment, I took a few seconds to figure out if the train had passed by the stop to the bridge, and what do you know, it did not.

 

Now knowing there are only two stops to go before landing by the bridge, I got an adrenaline rush, forcing me to stand up in jubilation to get off the train. When it arrived, the double doors opened, and I jumped off with a pep in my step!

 

As I was making my way through the City Hall subway station, I tried to remember what I would see when I got outside. With only six steps to go before I would be out and walking on the concrete, I started to feel like a tourist preparing to see some famous landmarks for the very first time.

 

Once I was on the sidewalk, I saw signs pointing to Broadway, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the two city airports. Seeing the airport sign made me fantasize about my next vacation outside of NYC because I am sick and tired of all these staycations. LOL!

 

As I started walking towards the bridge, I took a moment to admire the New York by Gehry skyscraper, a 76-floor luxury apartment building where many of my friends reside.

 

Okay...off to Brooklyn to visit my mom.

 

Have a fun weekend! 😊

 

#nyc

 

Foggy Morning

I began my Thursday at 5:25 am, looking at the thick fog hovering over the city while applauding the tiny raindrops falling from the sky. In a flash, it was 5:35 am, and I was jogging on a treadmill, getting some cardio in!

 

Soon, it was 6:35 am, and I found myself standing on a corner in front of a giant clock, getting ready to munch on a fresh sesame seed bagel. When I looked around, I noticed that pedestrian traffic started to pick up as people walked towards the subway station to go to work.

 

Knowing I had a packed schedule on tap for today, I made a conscious decision to stop for a moment to sit on a bench and enjoy my continental breakfast.

 

As soon as I sat down on the bench to the right, I opened my Dunkin' Donuts bag, pulled out my bagel and a packet of Philadelphia cream cheese. Then, I took a plastic butter knife and gently spread some cream cheese on my toasted bagel.

 

When I took the first bite, the bagel melted in my mouth because it was still nice and hot. After taking the last bite, I wiped off a few crumbs from my face, tossed the bag in the trash can, and said to myself, "that was delicious." 😊

 

Embracing this experience set the tone for another exciting and productive day. Let's go!

 

How was your day?

 

#inspire

 

The High Line

While running errands on Sunday morning, I found myself near the High Line, and with nothing pressing to do, I thought maybe this would be a good time to take a tour. The last time I visited this place was back on October 24, 2020, so I started walking towards the main entrance without any further thought. Let’s do it!

 

When crossing the street, I opened the High Line app on my iPhone and downloaded a ticket to get in. On the way up the stairs to begin this impromptu walk over to the Hudson Yards, I was salivating, thinking of the beautiful scenery I was about to view.

 

Upon arriving upstairs, I stood there for a moment, so happy to be in the presence of a diverse group of people I do not know. Everyone appeared to be thirsty for face-to-face social distancing interaction (including me), and I got goose pimples thinking about how close we are to being on the other side of this pandemic. Moreover, I can’t wait to attend in-person networking events to meet many of you!

 

As I wandered along this mile and a half long elevated linear park and trail, I felt like writing and sharing a snippet of my latest journal entry with you.

 

I hope this spur-of-moment jovial post adds a little pleasure to your day.

Enjoy your Sunday, and have a great week ahead. Let’s go! 😊

 

#nyc

 

Sunrise

I was out early this morning watching the sunrise over NYC when I intentionally guided myself to drift into a state of calmness. The next thing I knew, the outline for today's post began to form, and I remained in stillness before jotting down every word visible in my imagination.

 

As I sat here on the observation deck relaxing and allowing my thoughts to develop naturally, it seemed like everything was moving in slow motion.

 

Living in the moment, I continued looking at the sunrise, then, all of a sudden, I noticed two birds gliding peacefully in the sky. I quickly became enchanted with the sound of their beautiful wings flapping softly, en route to gracefully landing on a table right in front of me.

 

When it came time for me to stand up, I had a big smile on my face because I was in that magical state of flow, ready to fully embrace the day and all that it has to offer. Let's go!

 

I will end this post with thoughts of love while sending you virtual sprinkles of kindness through my words in the spirit of promoting togetherness.

 

Well, friends, time flies when you're having fun. Thank you for spending a portion of your day with me by way of reading this post. The pleasure was all mine. 😊

 

Share your thoughts, and have a great weekend!

 

#nyc #mindfulness

 

Diversity

I had a spirited discussion with some friends this week about Women's History Month and the importance of diversity. During the talk, someone said that NYC is a union of many nationalities, cultures, and ethnicities with over 800 languages spoken, which I find noteworthy.

 

Fast forward to this evening and walking through the World Trade Center transportation hub, I came upon a digital piece of art that made me pause and reflect on the encounter mentioned above. I then was compelled to move closer to the pic followed by capturing my thoughts.

 

As I stood in front of the image, admiring the diverse group of people depicted as cartoon characters, I felt a sense of pride and joy about living in the quintessential melting pot, aka the Big Apple.

 

After that lovely thought, I began to think of you, my LinkedIn family, in a similar fashion, then I started to celebrate the diverse group of individuals and ideas that I am fortunate to be exposed to in my network. With that premise, I share this post with extreme optimism, and I want to say that I value and stand with you all!

 

Indeed, there is much work to do to make this world a better place, so let's all spread kindness, learn from and grow with each other while engaging on this platform respectfully.

 

Are you with me?

 

#diversity

 

Jersey City

While gallivanting around Jersey City this morning, I came upon this beautiful beige setting that grabbed my attention. So much so that I decided to stop and take a picture because the imagery inspired me to write!

 

Since it was pretty early, there were not many people out, mostly runners and folks walking their dogs. After snapping a few pics, I started to walk towards the extended bench underneath the umbrella to chill.

 

Just as I was about to sit down, I noticed a woman jogging and waving at me as if she knew me. To my surprise and delight, she was a friend of mine. We chatted for a few minutes, and then she went on her merry way.

  

Once that excitement was over, I was ready to relax and enter into a deep meditative state. I hopped on the bench, took a quick look to the left and then to the right, closed my eyes, and concentrated on being still. So what happened next?

 

I began to feel the warmth of the sunlight and a light breeze touching my body while simultaneously admiring the lovely sounds of pigeons flying by. When I opened my eyes, I saw that the pedestrian traffic along the pier had picked up, so it was time for me to go.

 

Before leaving, I took five minutes to recap this experience and decided to share it with you.

 

Have a successful week ahead!

 

#mindfulness

 

Enjoying a Cup of Coffee

Indulge me for a moment and imagine you came to visit me, and I am about to take you on a personal tour around New York City.

 

The time is 10 am, and we stroll over to Starbucks to grab a cup of joe to get our juices flowing. We walk by a girl wearing neon orange sneakers and matching gloves just as we are about to enter the coffee shop. I open the door to hold it for you, and we are in and out in a flash!

 

Now standing beside a street lamp, getting ready to sip on our venti blonde roast, I calmly open my lid, pour out a teeny bit of coffee because the server filled my cup to the brim. You chuckle as I explain how this usually annoys me; however, at this moment, I choose to believe that the person who made it didn't do it on purpose, so it's no big deal.

 

Suddenly, you spot the Krispy Kreme store across the street, and now you are craving a doughnut. On the way to pick up a few, I give you a rundown of all the cool places I am taking you to sightsee.

 

After treating you to a hot glazed doughnut, we jump in my SUV and drive to Broadway, talking and laughing all the way there.

 

I've reached the 1,300 character limit, so I have to end it here. It was fun letting my imagination run wild and spending time with you. 😊

 

Share your thoughts, and have a fabulous weekend!

 

#nyc

 

Fire Pit

After completing the workday, I went outside to decompress by a nearby fire pit. Even though it was a little after 6 pm, it was still light out and a pleasant reminder that daylight saving time is just around the corner.

Before walking towards the Adirondack chairs to grab a seat, I did some light stretching to clear my head and relax my body. As I sat in the chair furthest away from my neighbor, looking at the people strolling around the observation deck, I suddenly felt like writing. It’s been over a month since I’ve posted on a weekday, so I thought this evening would be a good time to post.

Now sitting comfortably in a chair with my feet up, preparing to watch the sunset, I decided to pause, take a deep breath, turn on a smooth R&B playlist and let my mind wander.

Then, in the twinkling of an eye, I was in tune with nature and appreciating all that it has to offer. Indeed, a beautiful state of mind to live in, enjoying the vivid imagery, sounds, and blessings all around.

Friends, if there’s a silver lining about this virtual journey we’ve been on together for the past year, taking the time to be thankful for our surroundings and the simple things in life is my biggest takeaway.

Embrace the present moment, and have an enjoyable evening.

#nyc #inspire