A Day in The Life of Nelly

Morning:

“Good morning—welcome to earth. It’s a fresh new day—a new canvas is expecting you” — That was the sun hitting my face this morning.

Welcome to a day in the life of Nelly: although no two days are the same this will provide you with a sample of how I structure my day as a professional working in a creative field. I am writing this due to popular demand.

My favorite way to start the morning is with a workout. This is the easiest way to get the day started, plus it gets me in a good mood and relieves stress or anxiety from whatever emotions I am feeling.

When I am in Houston I run at Memorial Park and when in New York City around Central Park. The views are refreshing and beautiful. A nice reminder to live a little.

After my workout, its time for black coffee and a light breakfast. My preferred breakfast does not change much and usually is made up of a combination of the following foods; fried ripe plantains, Greek yogurt, egg, kale and cheese.

A routine allows me to focus on the bigger tasks of the day. As much as I like creating and consider myself a creative being – I thrive when I have a set routine for the essentials such as working out and meals.

Creativity comes easier when I am relaxed so taking care of my physical and mental health is a priority. Setting a routine facilitates this for me.

Later Morning/Lunch Time:

My day starts to speed up—I am more awake and I feel more productive. I spend a lot of time by myself these days, so I try to get at least a little bit of sun before the end of lunchtime. By this time, you’ll also find me at the studio making jewelry or designing. I hardly ever sit down for lunch. A coffee and a light snack will do.

Time to talk to clients or order any materials to ensure prompt delivery.

Mid-afternoon:

Then comes a reminder there are not enough hours in the day to do everything as I see the sun quickly crossing the sky. Around this time, I take care of writing stories or brainstorming new ideas. I can do this anywhere—while out on a walk or by myself at my apartment.

Time for even more coffee—I’ll occasionally take photos of my most recent jewelry, plan out social posts for the business social accounts and handle any other business matters.

Afternoon:

This is when I catch up with friends and family. I call my mom in Houston most afternoons—she is one of my biggest supporters, hearing her voice is a reminder to keep going. My days are long and tiresome. Some days it feels like I am going nowhere and some days like I am living on the moon so I check in with people I love to keep me grounded.

I am very independent but this does not mean I do not value relationships—so I always make it a priority to be available for those who I respect and love.

Dinner time:

Depending on the day, I catch up with friends and meet for dinner somewhere in town or at my apartment or work through dinner.

I also use the evening to read books or articles – it does not always have to be about work. Reading keeps me young and helps me learn about topics I would otherwise not be exposed to. Currently, I am reading a few books related to Buddhism, business and design.

Night:

This is when things get interesting—I am a night owl by nature. Creativity thrives at night for me and my brain is running at maximum capacity.

At times, I am unable to sleep because I am too busy thinking about projects and things to do. This is when I’ll do a lot of my sketching and note-taking. I always keep a medium sized pink Leuchturm notebook close.

The world is sleeping, and the distractions are less—especially helpful when you have a hyperactive mind like mine. There is no set time as to when inspiration strikes.

It is currently 12 am and I did not feel time passing by today.

Designing, taking notes and sketching down ideas whenever they come. It is part of my DNA. Not every day is as productive or goes as I wish but that is okay. Some days are recovery days.

Re-reading this reminds me of how different every day is and I appreciate having a role that allows me to use my best assets in a way I am proud of. Every day is a little chaotic but it is my chaotic.

Finally — sleep and rest. Creating is exhausting and in many more ways than just the physical. Rest is underrated.

Night

Sunset at Central Park in Midtown Manhattan

Photo c/o Nelly

Summer 2021