I'll admit it: I'm not really a New York person. It's interesting, but there are so many people and it's so big and it's so loud and now it's hot and there are so many food choices it's paralyzing to choose.

New York is just super overwhelming for me. So yesterday, when I ventured out for a bunch of meetings in the city, I had this in my head, and I was in fight mode. I knew this would be the reality and I would hate it, and guess what, I did hate it and I was so exhausted by the time I had a moment to come back to my AirBNB, I just passed out until I had to get up to go to my next meeting. It took all my strength and resolve to go back out into the city. 

Today, I had a similar schedule - lots of meetings in the city. But it was different. I was reading a meditation book on the train, and somehow it triggered the "Be Here Now" signal in me. So instead of preparing for frustrating resistance, I breathed in and out, and I enjoyed myself for the rest of the day. I was able to let go of my resisting the city mindset instead go with the flow of it. 

My favorite part was walking around and noticing all the amazing people here. There are people from all cultures and ages and backgrounds here. So many different haircuts and styles and outfits! I enjoyed walking around listening to Taylor Swift's "Welcome to New York" song that fit so perfectly with all the people: 

“Walking through a crowd
The village is aglow
Kaleidoscope of loud
Heartbeats under coats
Everybody here
Wanted something more
Searching for a sound we hadnt
Heard before”

— Taylor Swift

I kept wondering what everyone was doing and thinking. It reminded me of this beautiful project I saw before: Humans of New York. Each person here is so different, with their thoughts and hopes and dreams. You can feel it in the air! It's truly the heart of the melting pot that is America here. 

The people I met with today were amazing and wonderful and I'm now back in my AirBNB full of energy instead of exhaustion. It's hard to not resist a new place (I had the same resistance to San Francisco when I first got there a few weeks ago) - we all have things we're used to having one way or another, and a new place means adjusting our expectations and being uncomfortable. But that moment of letting go and being one with the city is that magical feeling I seek as I travel the world. 

I NY