Shifting Cities

Hello, from Brooklyn.

First, hello there! I know it’s been a minute. Yet, as you see from the title, a lot has happened since I returned from Mexico City in December. 

The word I chose for 2024 is Shift — and immediately, everything in my life started shifting in the first 90 days, starting with my address.

I moved to Brooklyn in mid-March. What I planned to be an ‘easy’ Q1 of this year as I figured out what’s next, turned into getting a job offer in NYC, finding an apartment, selling my car, and starting that job – all in a month.

Now it’s June, and I often get asked “How’s NY?”

Giving myself a full year in this city to answer that question in detail, I instead do internal check-ins – reflecting on how I feel and making sure I stay grounded within this place that’s constantly moving.

There are times when I feel like I’m adjusting well, then all of a sudden I’m like ‘wtf is going on?’ There are days when I fall into an adventure, and there are others when adventure finds me. Regardless of the big moves, changes, and feelings, I have this internal feeling that '“I’m supposed to be here.” Why? I’m not sure.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past few years, you don’t always get the answers to the ‘why,’ you discover it.

I was reminded of this when I visited SF for a work trip at the end of April. I love visiting the Bay Area, especially since I have close ties after living there for 7 years. After having dinner solo in Oakland, I walked down Telegraph Ave. to my old apartment. On my walk, I thought about 2017 when I got laid off and had two options — go back to Florida or give myself a year to try this career pivot. Listening to that same internal feeling of “I’m supposed to be here” I decided to stay and ultimately it changed my life.

Now I’m here in NYC trusting that feeling again. Working in a role I feel could be career-defining, building community with people, old and new, from various walks of life, and discovering a new version of myself in this next chapter.

It’s not easy navigating the feeling of not knowing what’s next. I struggle with it often. What I do know is that if everything I had planned worked out; I wouldn’t be here right now. 

And for that, I’m grateful.

Lately, during my internal check-ins, I’ve asked myself: "What am I loving, learning, and letting go?" These reflections, whether documented in my journal or voice recorder, have become important to me. I thought I’d start sharing a few now and in future newsletters. Maybe this will become a series—let’s see.

Things I’m Loving:

• Going for walks and experiencing live music along the way

• Watching my friends achieve their dreams

• Capturing photos of beautiful views

Things I’m Learning:

• Not everything needs a response

• Spend more quiet time with your thoughts

• Lead with your heart, not your ego

Things I’m Letting Go:

• Waiting for the other shoe to drop

• Focusing on past setbacks

• Making excuses for not being in the gym

Can you relate to some of these? Let me know in the comments.

Talk soon.