What I Explored in March
March is not too hot, nor too cold, it is a month in between. That is how I felt in March, in between a transition. I am in between jobs, in between figuring out my life and what to do with it. I wonder how long I am going to say this and when/if I am going to know when I am not transitioning into something else when I’m just there. Is there ever a period when someone stops and says, “Yep, this is it for me, I made it”. I’d like to feel like that. In my blog post about What I Explored in February, I talked about needing to figure out what to focus my time on. I narrowed it down by focusing on some of the things below, that grounded me and made the month a bit more interesting and reflective.
Here are some things I explored in March:
Giving up sugar
Hosting meetups
Practicing piano 15 minutes a day
Attending an art gallery event in NYC
Walking Manhattan from top to bottom
I will expand on each a bit more below!
Giving up sugar
I decided to give up something every month, for the fun of a challenge, and in March I gave up sugar. It was hard to make that call every day, looking at the food in front of me and asking myself if it was allowed or not. There are added sugars in everything. I remember someone telling me when I was about to take a bite out of bread, “You know that has sugars in it too, right!?” So I did not cut it out completely, but I refrained from the obvious sugar-filled foods. In the beginning, I noticed how often I would reach out to grab that cookie because it was sitting in front of me. It was hardest when clients at work came in for appointments and brought donuts or cookies and offered me one. How could I say no to that!? I had been working so hard all day that I felt like I deserved that cookie. Admittedly, I had to cave and have JUST ONE now and then, so I did not follow through completely with the challenge. Nevertheless, I cut down on sugar. I noticed how often I opt for the sweeter option without even considering how much sugar it might have. As a result of the sugarless (because it was less) month, I noticed an increase in energy levels and clearer skin, which made me feel better in the long run. It made me think about growing up and having parents tell me what I could and couldn’t eat and teach me about the health of food options, and now as an adult having to make those decisions myself and wondering how often I reconsider my food choices and how they affect my body.
Takeaway: We often give in to defaults and easy decisions. If I am given a cookie, I am going to eat that cookie. However, even though long-term decisions and delayed gratification are more difficult than instant gratification, they often produce more fulfilling rewards. And it's also okay to eat that cookie :D
Hosting meetups
I have used the platform Meetup since I moved to Spain in 2016 and was looking for a way to meet people. Meetup is a platform that shares events run by groups of people who share their interests and allows others to join those groups and events. It is a great way to get out and be social and meet new people in your area. When I moved back to my hometown recently, I found myself lonely after realizing many of my friends had moved away or started families and were busy. I was nostalgic for all of my travels and wondered if anyone else in my area was also into traveling. I started my meetup called “Wanderlust Explorers” and have now hosted 4 meetups and I would like to say they are going well. The events included a meet and greet, “Planning a travel trip 101”, and a walk. People are showing up! I realized that with these meetups you never know who is going to come. I could have 20 people say they are coming and then only four do. I learned not to get attached to the numbers or the turnout but to be prepared with a few conversation starters and activities so that no matter who comes, I know that I will meet someone new and we will have a good time. I learned that there are many people like me, just looking for something to do and to shake up their everyday routines. The title of the meetup exploring appeals to people who want to get out and do something exciting and adventurous, especially when doing the same thing every day.
Takeaways: Keep the purpose and goal in mind and ignore the rest (:
Practicing piano 15 minutes a day
I met my current piano teacher during COVID-19 through a mutual friend online. He was just starting up his music business and wanted to practice giving lessons. Throughout the years he started up his music community in which he inspires musical hopefuls to keep learning and grow in their music playing. The last time I met him for our class, he pushed me to spend more time practicing the piano every day and not just play when I met him. He gave me a challenge to practice 15 minutes a day, which I thought sounded easy enough. Then I started to practice and realized it was almost impossible to only practice 15 minutes because once I started I wanted to keep going. And I did not always have more than 15 to practice so then I would not even try it. The 15-minute goal was becoming harder than expected! So now I am working at still just getting on that piano and practicing even if it is just that fifteen minutes - I set the timer and ignore the guilt for not getting through a song or goal.
Takeaways: Even if it is not perfect, the key is to show up. Even if just for 15 minutes.
Attending an art gallery event in NYC
Mari Andrew is a blogger who inspires me through her honesty, specificity, and ability to mix heart and humor in her writing. She can write something I have felt but never knew how to describe, and I have the feeling she gets me so well and we would be best friends, without ever having met her. When I saw that she was hosting an art gallery in NYC, I knew I had to go. I did not ask too many questions about what type of event this would be or if I would have to pay, I arranged plans to attend. I dragged my partner with me and we showed up to a small room packed with other people hoping to meet her. I went all the way to NYC for this event so I knew we had to go in, so we nuzzled our way through. I soon realized, eavesdropping on other fans’ conversations and seeing the turnout, that many other readers feel the same connection that I do to her writing. There was a long line of people standing in line to meet her and I debated waiting as well. Once we saw there was free wine, we decided we could at least enjoy that while we waited. I watched as one after another, women (because it was mostly women except for Pascal :) approached her and shared life stories, to the point of tears while they hugged and bonded with her. She never cut them off and would spend an endless amount of time with each person. We soon realized it was going to take too long and we were not going to get the chance to meet her. And that was okay. What I enjoyed most from this event was the inspiration of seeing how one person could inspire and connect with so many people through her writing and the validation on her face that she had that influence.
Pascal and I enjoying my favorite blogger's art show!
Takeaways: I enjoy watching people do something they love and reach and help people in doing so. I believe that is the magic sauce of life.
Walking through Manhattan from top to bottom
Three of us walked from 210th Street to Battery Park. We made a game out of it, how many sirens we heard, how many parks we saw, how many high fashion people, and how many steps it would take to finish and we took bets at the beginning. We passed through many different neighborhoods and saw a different NYC than usual, passing through Inwood, Washington Heights, Upper West Side, Midtown, and Downtown. My favorite parts were when lively people were interacting in a way that was different from touristy Times Square (which was probably my least favorite). I enjoyed seeing the cultural differences and people out enjoying themselves in their home neighborhoods, whether that was families or young people playing around in a park. I have a specific image in my mind of my favorite part of the walk, in Washington Square Park, where there was a group of people sitting around an arena-type structure and people skateboarding around in the middle while people either watched or chatted amongst each other. It was so lively. My legs were sore at the end of this 13-mile walk, but it was so worth it, and I recommend it to anyone spending a significant amount of time in NYC, to see it uniquely.
Takeaways: The bliss of a city is watching people who live there enjoy each other's company in a public place in that city, whether it be a park, cafe, or strolling the streets. Each city has its charm and the enjoyment of it is watching that charm in action.
These are some of the things I explored in March and that has led me to be inspired to explore more in April. Stay tuned for what’s to come!
