Speed Up ... or Slow Down?

Earlier this month I took a solo trip to Paris and enjoyed the luxury of three days and four nights to explore my favorite city (other than my hometown of NYC), to bask in its beauty, and to listen to the lessons it wished to teach me. 

I share some photos below. The trip reminded me of the power of dreaming, and also reminded me to slow down. I have a tendency to work very hard (my husband's nickname for me is "the beast" because I'm always working on something), and being "off the grid" for days just soaking in a city whose heritage is dedicated to the pursuit of love and beauty was good for my soul. I wasn't taking care of my family, or my job, or my mom ... just myself and doing what I wanted to do, when I wished to do it. 

Which made me think a little how I want to approach the remainder of this year ... which is an inquiry you might also want to make ... do you want to speed up or slow down? Are there pieces you really are driven to finish, stat (speed up!) or are you able to slowly unpeel from the adrenaline that normally keeps us powering forward? 

I haven't figured that out yet - there are pieces I so long to finish, yet I also desire to slow down and savor this, my favorite of seasons. So I'm trying to strike a balance. 

My favorite picture taken in Paris was on my last full day there. That day, I spent a few hours just wandering about the Tuileries. Sitting by the fountains. People watching. Studying the beautiful sculptures. Listening to music by street musicians. Hiding under an umbrella for the brief rain shower that started but not moving from my fountain seat. 

And then I looked up - and there was a breathtaking rainbow stretching across the city. I'm so happy to share it with you. Which made me think a little ... what is at the end of our rainbows? What is the treasure we'd like to find there? 

I love thinking about things like this. And as I type this on a Sunday morning, I am trying to strike the balance. I did some law firm work this weekend, I took my family on a "spooky walk" around our lovely neighborhood with homemade hot chocolate, and tonight we'll curl up in front of a fireplace and will watch "Agatha Always" and enjoy the spooky vibes and I'll make one of my 13-year-old's favorite meals. But I'll also play with a teleprompter (working on the video program which now will launch in 2025), and will try to refocus on that program's beautiful workbook that I can't wait to unveil to you all n the new year. 

Have a beautiful week!