Have you ever caught yourself in a routine that is not healthy either physically, emotionally or mentally and asked yourself “WHY, AM I DOING THIS?”? I was away last weekend in NYC and it is funny how some of the habits come back the instant I am there. Luckily this past weekend I DID catch myself and spent my time more wisely than I have done in the past. By becoming conscious there are more and more moments where YOU get to choose ultimately HOW you want to act instead of being on automatic pilot and wow is it ALWAYS SO WORTH IT!
I was born in Brooklyn and at age 6 moved to Manhattan where I lived (except for college) until I was 28 years old. I am in upstate, NY now and have slowed my pace down considerably although some friends might disagree, saying that I still walk fast like a New Yorker. 😉 This past weekend, I was in the city for the International Women’s Writing Guild Conference. On Friday night I was headed across town from the Upper East Side (where I was raised) to the Upper West Side to meet up with a friend. As I walked to the bus stop I was my usual fast-walking self… just taking in the city smells and sites… I love that you see so many different nationalities of people and food and my head is always moving and smiling when we visit.
I arrived at the bus stop and saw many people doing “the bus stop dance” that I often have participated in. Step one – lean out on the curb to see if the bus is coming… (you must know the second it is – why? I don’t know really – it just makes people feel better knowing when to line up and get ready to board). 😉 Step two – look down at the pavement as you find your spot near the curb (Eye contact is PROHIBITED in NYC). Step Three – check your cell phone and email. Step Four – look around but do NOT make eye contact. REPEAT ALL beginning with checking for the bus again. I’ve done this dance many times saying in my head “hey, where’s the bus?”, checking my email and seeing the latest of what’s going on via Facebook on my IPhone. NOT THIS TIME. This time when I saw people doing the bus stop dance it suddenly looked very silly to me. WHY would I do that? Is the bus going to come faster if I look for it every minute? Nope, it will in fact seem like it is taking even LONGER and get me stressed out in the process! I had finalized plans for the night via my phone and didn’t have any emails that could not wait – so now I was faced with, “Hmmm what CAN I do to make use of this time?”
I decided to have some fun and enjoy the different people and sensations in the city. I looked, really looked at the people passing by. (Yep – I’m a wild child avoiding the NO EYE CONTACT RULE). 😉 I tuned into people and used my intuition to feel what they were feeling and wow was that fun. We can be so in tune with each other and yet we constantly strive to shut each other out by headphones, phones and other noise. I watched the mom with the laughing baby in the stroller and felt the love between them. I observed a couple beginning a disagreement as the tones got louder and the woman took his hand to calm him and saw him relax as she did. I watched the teenager texting with one hand, headphones on, anxiously awaiting the light to turn FEELING that she was late. I watched the older couple slowly walking, deciding to wait for the light holding hands instead of trying to run across it and felt their comfort with each other and in that moment. I watched, I felt and I smiled. I took an inventory of my own body. I felt relaxed in this city of sensory overload, I felt happy, I felt centered. The bus came too quickly if you ask me and I continued my little experiment on the bus. I stayed conscious as to what was going on around me and the emotions and people involved. I also stayed tuned in to how I was feeling and the present moment. I smiled at the people brave enough to make eye contact with me and I even got some smiles back. I enjoyed every second of that trip across town and arrived with a huge smile as I continued my journey to meet up with my friend.
How many moments have you experienced a choice in what you will do RIGHT NOW? If the grocery line is held up are you impatient or enjoying the time to reflect? If there is traffic – do you grumble and get aggressive thinking of what that extra 10 minutes will mean or do you enjoy THIS ten minutes that you have to yourself? We all have choices of how we will use our time and where our mind will be but we don’t often recognize those choices. I am getting better and was very pleased I actually recognized this bus stop dance and put a stop to it. We always have the present moment to be in and there is always good awaiting us there IF we choose to connect to our soul instead of reverting to automatic pilot and missing the experience of NOW. I would love to hear how you have experienced moments of habits and decided to do something else. What do you do when you find yourself stressed out and recognize it? It is healing to become aware of these moments and change your reactions to them.
Hey Wild Child,
Reading this…I’m excited for my upcoming trip to NYC in just over a week!! Woohoo!! And, Jenny (I know…it’s not “Wild Child”…), what a fun way to experience the world around you – fully letting the moment unfold in front of you. And look – look at the fun that this was! I love it!!
And – I am so excited and happy for you – with the wonderful experience you had at the conference. Know that I believe very deeply in all that you are doing….
Love and hugs,
Lance
.-= Lance´s last blog ..Laughter In The Jungle =-.
Hi Jenny. I know the bus stop dance very well, in Scotland the bus stop dance extends to full blown raving as you get a lot of people who go into the middle of the road so they can see farther down the road for the bus.
I’ve been to NY a few times and loved the energy of it; the pace is definitely 100 miles per hour.
Congratulations on being able to speak to a few agents as well about your book, I wish you all the success in the world.
.-= Steven Aitchison´s last blog ..What is Your Perfect Day? =-.
Hi Lance,
I soo wish I could be in NY when you are there with Katie! I know you’ll have a wonderful time and will be sending love and good thoughts your way. 🙂
It is tons of fun to “just be” and interesting to me how we are not taught that. “Keeping busy” seems to be the mantra of our society but there is such beauty in those conscious NOW moments where all that exists is your connection to the world around you. 🙂
The conference was healing, inspiring and FUN in so many ways. I connected with many wonderful women and my writing has been amped up just in time for me to finish my book and proposal! 🙂
Thank you so much for your continued support Lance. Your friendship has brought me MUCH joy and your writing has brought me much contemplation – both HUGE gifts to me!
Love and hugs right back at you!,
The Wild Child 😉 aka Jenny
Hi Steven,
Ah the bus stop dance… a world wide sensation.. doesn’t surprise me but I hope in our lifetimes we get to see that slow a bit! 😉 Imagine if people actually looked and spoke to each other!
NYC has GREAT energy… intense for sure. I always forget just how loud it is but this time I tuned down that noise in my head and decided to concentrate on what my other senses were experiencing. It was a wonderful experience.
Thanks so much for your congrats. This contest is working out so well for me in teaching me the steps right before I need to do them. Synchronicities for me always mean I am “in the flow” which is a GOOD thing. 🙂 I am REALLY enjoying writing my book now and feel in the flow and I had been “stuck” for quite a while. The contest and conference opened that up for me and I am hugely grateful for both. It was interesting presenting to agents and definitely made me think more about what I WANT from an AGENT as well. It’s a very close relationship that forms and I feel it is so important it is someone you do resonate with… you are handing them something so dear to you. 🙂
Thanks again Steven. I really appreciate your support and kind words. I love your writing, meditations and now your videos as well. Thanks for all you do.
Love,
Jenny
Hey Jenny & Lance!
Lance, when are you and Katie in NYC? I will be there on April 29 – May 1st! Perhaps we could have lunch or something? Jenny – I was thinking of asking you how close you were to the city… doesn’t seem like you are very close but I will be “in the area”. Lol…just not sure how big that area is!
Oh, and this is a great article! I am so excited to be going back to NYC for a second time. The first time was a few years ago and I totally loved it and got totally overloaded with the energy! I was so wiped out that I spent about six hours wandering around and then went back to the hotel and just crashed! I couldn’t take it! This time I am going in spurts. I actually have a work thing to do on Friday (which is paying for most of the trip – yeah!) but Thursday and Saturday are my own so I plan to be a big girl in a big city, just taking it all in and having fun! I will try and remember to stay in your great space while standing at the bus stop!
Hi Amy,
Ohh how I wish I could be in NYC that weekend -an opportunity to meet up with you, Lance and Katie would be awesome! I was just there last weekend and will be there May 14 weekend so have to stay focused at home now and finish my book! 🙂 I am 3 1/2 hours away from NYC.
I am glad you enjoyed the article and am happy to hear you will have some time to explore this time – it is WONDERFUL!
Lotsa Love Amy, I know we will meet someday in person! Good luck with your work On Friday! xo
Jenny
Hi Jenny,
In want a tardus so I can come and join in the fun in NYC
I love the bus stop dance- something I remember doing when I lived in London and regularly used buses- how funny it seems now.
It is wonderful to revisit place you once lived, I did find NYC the last time I was there, people were more open. It is not just a city thing- we are surprised here when walking on the beach each morning and people usually say hello, often people who looked stressed- probably have just arrived from the city 🙂 walk with head down.
Thanks for sharing and bringing back memories
Love and hugs
Suzie
Now habits-
.-= Suzie Cheel´s last blog ..Help Me Win The Next Top Spiritual Author Contest =-.
HI Suzie,
Someday we will all meet up! I can’t wait! I want to get to Australia too — so many lovely people I have met from there!
I am happy to hear you are finding more smiles. I am too – I think it requires your own head being up and being willing to smile yourself – something I did NOT do years ago.
Much love and good luck in the contest — of course I voted for you… let me know how I can help.
Lotsa hugs, xo
Jenny