It was May 2015, and from the outside, my life looked incredible.
I was producing a Broadway play in Rome, immersing myself in Italian culture and enjoying extravagant success.
But when I returned to my 350-square-foot studio on Manhattans Upper West Side, something was missing.
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Despite the accolades, my heart felt empty.
Back home, I felt lonely, disconnected and insecure.
I asked myself: What was it about Italy that made me feel so alive?
It wasnt the play or the accolades.
It was something much simpler.
I realized:This is it.
This is what I need to bring back to New York.
So, I started small: I made a pot of pasta sauce.
At 7:47 PM, I threw the pasta in the pot.
But I did something different: I delegated.
Strangers came together, working as a team to create a meal.
And when we finally sat down for dinner, the atmosphere was electric.
What struck me was how transformative these dinners were for me and for the people around the table.
Theyd leave with new perspectives and do extraordinary things: start companies, change careers, pursue passions.
And I realized that when we slow down, simplify and connect, our hearts heal.
We start to seewhats possibleinstead ofwhats wrong.
It transforms multitasking into mindful mono-tasking, shifting you from reactivity to intentionality.
Pausing quiets fears, reduces stress and fosters empathy, enabling meaningful engagement and shared understanding.
By pausing before responding and letting conversations breathe, you create space for others to feel seen and heard.
To achieve this depth, approach conversations with intentionality and balance high challenge paired with high support.
or Whats one insight from this challenge that surprised you?
Great questions remind us that curiosity is the gateway to empathy and innovation.
The Rolling Stone Culture Councilis an invitation-only community for Influencers, Innovators and Creatives.Do I qualify?
It involves cultivating a mindset of growth and possibility seeing whats possible rather than whats wrong.
By choosing to shift our perspective, we unlock doors to deeper connections, personal growth and sustainable impact.
Its about being open, flexible and willing to evolve in the pursuit of greater connection and fulfillment.
