ONE YEAR...

HAPPY ONE YEAR IN NYC TO ME (and Boo Radley too, of course!).   I can't believe I did not realize that my one year anniversary as a NYC resident was several weeks ago.  To be honest, I completely forgot about it with my mom being in town and a few other things going on...it just hit me this weekend that I have lived here over a year now!  WOW and what a year it has been. I'm so thankful for the amazing experiences I've had this first year in New York, and for all of the wonderful friends I've made so far.  I could never have predicted in my wildest dreams the past year to turn out the way it did but I'm immensely grateful for each and every experience life has thrown my way.  I also believe now more than ever that with each new experience there comes a chance to learn a lesson or something about yourself and the world around you.  That certainly is the case here in New York, because every single day, without fail, I see something new.  It's really quite interesting to think what used to make me stop in my tracks to take another look no longer warrants a second glance anymore.   For me, that is one of Manhattan's biggest allures, and often the biggest drawback for those outside the city. There is something I've come to love about the day-to-day craziness, and the belief that truly anything can happen in this city, and quite often it does!

I absolutely love this article by Brett Nelson titled "Fifty Important Lessons New York City Taught Me." Such a great read and definitely recommend it to anyone who currently lives in NYC or is thinking about making the move here.  Another good article to take a look is Goodbye To All That by Joan Didion. 

Looking forward to what the next year brings in NYC and if you're ever on the fence about moving to NYC or really just outside of your comfort zone to try something new, I would say DO IT.   Don't wait.  You could convince yourself forever that you'll never have enough time, money, friends living in the city, job opportunities, whatever the excuse, they are all just that...excuses.  As the inspirational Randy Pausch, once said, "The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people." If you want it badly enough, you'll figure out a way to make it happen, whether that is moving cities or not is something only you know, but the reality is that if you want to move, then move, because I can guarantee you it will be worth it and change your perspective on life allowing you to see the world through a different, larger, lens.  I'm working on a list of my NYC favorites for anyone who is visiting and in need of recommendations, make sure to check back in a few weeks and hopefully I'll have it posted by then!