You hear it all the time: stop and smell the roses. But how often do you really do just that? Well, I did it this past weekend when I went to New York City to be honored as a PR News 2019 Top Women in PR.
Being recognized at the luncheon was special because I made a point to be present and soaked in every word spoken. As each woman went up on the stage to accept her award, she also had a few moments to speak and share her inspirational thoughts with all of the women in the room. I concentrated on what each said and took all of it to heart.
How many times have you caught yourself racing ahead in your mind to the next phone call, the next meeting, the next client or the next deal, and then realize you haven’t heard a word the person in front of you was saying? We all get caught up in the speed of life, but how often are you fully aware of what’s going on around you at any given moment? How often are you really stopping to smell the roses?
As much as my weekend in New York City was a whirlwind, I took a lot of mental pictures: listening to the women’s speeches, seeing my name on the big screen, looking over my shoulder at my friends sitting nearby, walking through the World Trade Center Memorial early in the morning, watching the city pass me by on the sidewalk and more. It was a weekend chock full of memories.
I urge you to stop and do the same. Be present in the moment because you will never get that moment back. Listen to what the person across the table is saying to you without thinking of your response at the same time. And, if you are lucky enough to find any roses around this time of year, take a moment and smell them.
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