Monthly Medley

Earlier this month I was complaining about December not coming fast enough (although always enjoying the fall), I was dying for the bipolar autumn weather to be replaced by layers of snow, and I was dreaming about millions of fairy lights that would come and adorn the city. But today, as I was strolling around the beautifully decorated streets of New York, I realised there was no reason for me to complain at all. December has finally come––almost, anyway––with all its joy and its lights.

Although this upcoming week will probably be the longest week of the year to me––due to both finals and excitement for my friends/family coming to NY for the holidays––I'm very excited about what's to come in this last month of the year. I've been working in some projects that I hope will get finalised during december, and will home to life with the new year. I've also been dreaming of finally having some free time to explore all the hidden places of New York that I haven't seen yet.

But I shouldn't jump into the future yet––and this lesson I learned this month! Sometimes I get too excited with my new plans and tend to forget what I've achieved; I forget to look back and be thankful. And if there's a month to be thankful in the year, it's got to be November––yes, because it's American Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to celebrate a real Thanksgiving yet, but I did have time to get started on some Christmas shopping––and to realise there are some shopping patterns I repeat year after year. I also spent a wonderful night at the museum (and visited other museums and art exhibitions as well)––which wasn't scary at all, although very fun!––and went for dinner out after what seemed to be ages.

What I did have the time to do––which turned out to be a strategic decision because it allowed me to get a well-deserved break––was to escape to Mexico for a weekend. I didn't do many exciting things––except for eating a lot and finding old pictures in my computer––but I could rest and get renewed before finals. It also allowed me to finally start feeling festive upon my return to New York!

I am now absolutely ready to embrace the cold of the winter, to hug my family upon their arrival in the city, and to have an absolutely great Christmas. Happy December!

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– Zanita on how to make your blog super popular

So if we pretend for a moment that bloggers were popstars/musicians - then Aimee would be maybe Beyonce and Chiara would be Rihanna and Nicole would be Taylor Swift (or something like that, don't think too much into this)…

– Breaking down walls while travelling

– Arianna Huffington talks about rethinking work and wellbeing

Well-being is no longer some new-agey concept we hear about only from lifestyle outlets. It's now a daily presence both in sports pages and in business magazines. Well-being has migrated from marginal to mainstream, finally coming to be seen for what it is: the best way, indeed the only way, to maximize not just happiness and fulfillment but productivity, creativity and, yes, profit. It's the only sustainable way forward, not just for individuals but for companies, communities and the planet.

– 10 weird but wonderful book recommendations from the super successful

– Mr. Mod's need to walk

All walkers should strive for delight, all worthy walks designed intentionally or unintentionally to elicit delight. Delight in the unexpected and in things often overlooked or under considered.

– Finally cracked the way into making myself appear in Paris whenever I feel like it!––ok no, but these films are a pretty good escape in replacement of actually traveling to the city of lights

– Beginner tips for getting started with sketch-notes

the act of writing stuff down helps you to remember. This is a basic study technique. The sound bites you capture from a talk will jog your memory when you flip through the notes later. By drawing something to create connections, you will increase your ability to remember. Notes that combine words with sketches are more useful than text alone. Chances are you don’t even hang onto boring old regular notes anyway.

– Gala Darling opens up about consent

– The essentials for your creative space

– Some lovely (although more intellectual) words about my home country

A quarter-century ago, a safe and prosperous Colombia seemed impossible. Yet it is now within reach. At a time of intensifying political conflict and painfully few success stories, Colombians are giving the world reason for hope.

Love,

Photography: Laura Beltran-Rubio