I recently took an impromptu trip to one of my favorite places, the Big Apple. There’s so much to do and see within New York City—too much, in fact. How would I ever be able to fit in all my favorites on such short notice? I needed to begin strategizing my itinerary ASAP. As I began planning to account for every moment of the trip, I was reminded of an exercise that was once introduced to me. This exercise helps identify and analyze the distribution of time to determine if it aligns with one's life goals and supports overall trajectory. We all have the same 24 hours each day, and this exercise can be a powerful tool if you’re not happy with where your time is going. Plotting out every hour, including sleep, can reveal the truth—numbers don’t lie.
The streets of New York City can be harsh and unforgiving, much like working in corporate settings, where you’re often left figuring out how to survive. Networking has always helped me feel more connected. Naturally, one of the activities on my list was an AWS Women in Leadership presentation I attended with my daughter in the Garment District.
The presenter at the women’s tech meeting spoke about repaying a debt to her government and beginning her career out of necessity to purchase her financial freedom. This resonated with me, as I, too, began my career out of necessity. I remember not being exactly sure what I wanted to do, but I had to take a leap of faith. If you’ve been thinking about your next project or that thing you never got around to doing, don’t wait. Don’t delay. Just go ahead and do it. Life is short, and those 24 hours are not guaranteed!
When I first started in tech, I wasn’t sure what I needed to do or what I needed to have in my toolkit or backpack. Back then, my toolkit included things like a black box pocket glossary and a cable crimper. Today, my toolkit looks quite different, filled with digital resources and modern tools.
I know many of you who may be reading this may also be struggling with this idea or question because I receive multiple messages asking for resources and advice and while I’m happy to oblige, I’m not as swift with responses due to my bandwidth these days so I would like to say that AWS has Ramp-up guides for all of their certifications and that is where I would start for AWS specific certifications, but if you were looking to take another vendors certifications with the vendor objective lists or additional resources that will start you off in the right direction.
One of the most symbolic moments of my trip was taking a photo with the AWS Cloud Institute backpack at the Vanderbilt One building. This image captures the journey of building a solid foundation, much like constructing a city like New York, brick by brick. I often use this analogy in my classes: we start with building blocks to create a solid foundation, and the skills we acquire are like items we place in our backpack, carrying them with us on our journey. Seeing these monumental buildings—feats of human architecture—reminds me that I, too, can achieve my goals by following my own advice. Rather than focusing on the macro level of the skyline, I can steadily focus on the micro level. By focusing on what I can control and what is within my boundaries, and by laying each brick, I too can enjoy the view with patience.
✅ Be very intentional with your 24 hours every day. Confidently say no to what doesn’t serve your ultimate values and goals.
✅ Find moments in life that bring you happiness, whether through nature, human connection, community service, or random acts of kindness.
✅ Embrace your journey with hope and confidence, knowing that you, too, can build something magnificent, brick by brick.
As we continue our journeys, I invite you to share what you have found useful to keep in your backpack—whether it be a physical item or a proverbial tool.
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