So, LIFE guys. I know, it’s been a long while since I’ve opened up about life in New York. The reason mainly stemmed from the fact I’ve been so busy and have had a lull in inspiration as a result. To be completely frank, there are periods where New York really takes it out of you, and that’s okay. It’s actually a part of the process. I wanted to elaborate on just that this week, what New York does to you after living in the city for an extended period of time. It’s time to kick the life back into the Life section here.
There’s a certain juxtaposition that exists if you live in New York City for a while. You begin to feel it first, waves of tired followed by clear-headed inspiration and vigor. In the beginning, it was hard to pinpoint why and how it came to be. Almost two years in, all signs point to one general principle. Living in New York City, you don’t have to sugar coat your feelings. Almost ever. It breathes life into our day to day interactions with a sense of genuineness and openness I’ve never felt anywhere else. However, how you choose to wield it will either fuel your success or detract from it. After realizing this fact was at the root of New York’s energy, I wondered how and if it affected its residents the same across the board in some way. It posed the question: what is the one thing New York does to you?
The Cold Hard Truth
The rage and sensory overload of living in a city like New York sometimes cloud us from where we need to be keeping our mindset. Everything is unexpected, but that’s exactly the point. It will bring you back months or years later in a different swing of the cycle. As I began to roll with the proverbial punches over time, one thing became abundantly clear: change became easier to manage, and my mindset got stronger as a result. It wasn’t just me either. I observed the movements of seasoned New Yorkers around me: their swift movements and ability to adapt to the chaos was almost like watching an ice skater leap and land on their feet. Nearly two years later, I feel like I’m finally mastering it.
The One Thing New York Does To You
New York will show you exactly what you’re made of. It may not be today, 2 years from now, or longer, but it will happen. More importantly, it proves to you exactly how capable you are. The energy here does rub off, and it welcomes you to step up your own game. Over and over again.
How To Master It
While the city may have the firehose effect, I can tell you from experience that it’s not the roadmap for your life. There are a few key principles you need to practice daily to avoid burnout and lack of inspiration:
Consistency
This applies to every part of your life: your sleep schedule, your morning and evening rituals, and everything in between. This was my first big blunder. I hit the ground running at work and got out of routine with my wellness. As a result, I was more lethargic and found myself falling into lazy habits of eating late and staying up late watching TV. The more you start letting yourself off the hook for missing workouts, not taking vitamins, or really whatever, you snowball right back down to stagnant. With a weekly array of alarms, calendar reminders, and a trainer that keeps me honest, I’m back into the groove.
Transparency
This refers to transparency with yourself. One of the biggest mistakes I see people make here (or in any big city for that matter) is not being honest with themselves. When you blame the world around you for failures, it stunts your personal growth. Yeah, it’s loud, people can be harsh, and transportation is a bitch. Don’t lie to yourself though. Instead of talking yourself out of it, try leaning into the challenge. News flash: you CAN adapt and learn how to swerve or block the punches. I studied my Uber ride data and the subway time schedule and learned to optimize how to get around the city efficiently. The same goes for airport optimization, this post is a great resource if you’re flying into New York!
Automate the Bullshit
I sell digital financial automation in my full-time tech career and can tell you first hand: if you’re not automating busywork, you’re bleeding money. Why? TIME IS MONEY. It’s the one thing we aren’t getting more of, and the more you learn to optimize it, the more successful you’ll be. Trust me, I know large companies that were bleeding money doing things by hand. To the tune of six figures per year. I automate some chores through subscription services like Amazon Prime (Dash is CLUTCH), Rent the Runway, and Hello Fresh. I also like to automate tracking my finances with TrueBill and Nerd Wallet.
How to Spend Two Days in New York (with photos)
Outfit Details
Makeup Details
