Tag: anxiety

  • Miguel’s Chaos Tour

    Miguel’s Chaos Tour

    Before Miguel sang “Simple Things,” he paused and spoke about why he writes.

    He talked about wanting to be seen. Wanting to be heard. Wanting the simple things something he’s wanted since he was a little boy.

    And standing there at Radio City Music Hall, I realized that’s why I write too.

    But let me rewind.

    The first time I saw Miguel was during his Wildheart Tour on August 2, 2015. I went with my forever friend Brittany, and we turned it into a whole staycation moment. We stayed at my uncle’s apartment, rode bikes across the Brooklyn Bridge, and explored New York in a way that definitely cost less than it does now.

    Then on March 24, 2018, I went to his War & Leisure Tour with my cousins. We stayed at the apartment again and had another chill, fun New York weekend. Both nights at Terminal 5 became core memories for me. It was just a short walk from my uncle’s place at the time, which made it feel even more magical.

    Fast forward to February 24, 2026 Miguel’s Chaos Tour at Radio City Music Hall.

    Different venue. Same feeling.

    He performed a mix of old and new music. I’ve noticed lately that at concerts, many people don’t really know the newer songs. My forever friend who I went with this time too put it in perspective for me: some people just want the nostalgia. The hits. The familiar.

    But me? I love singing the new songs just as loudly. I want the artist to feel that the evolution matters. That the growth is being received. That the hard work didn’t go unnoticed.

    Miguel sang songs like “The Thrill,” “RIP,” “Sure Thing,” and more. And he can sing sing. The mic stays on. The playback drops. It’s him and the band. No hiding. Just artistry.

    But it was that speech before “Simple Things” that really got me.

    On the internet, everything can start to sound the same polished, filtered, almost copy-and-paste. Sometimes it feels like originality gets drowned out by performance.

    His words didn’t feel like performance.

    They felt human.

    And I realized that’s my “why” too. I blog to be seen. I write to be heard. Not to be perfect. Not to be viral. Just to be real.

    That night wasn’t just about the music. It was about remembering why expression matters in the first place.

    Miguel has carved out his own lane in R&B one that blends vulnerability, sensuality, and soul in a way that feels timeless.

    He’s still on tour. And if you ever get the chance to see him live, go.

    Not just for the hits.

    Not just for the nostalgia.

    But for the reminder that the simple things being seen, being heard are sometimes the most powerful of all.

    This city keeps holding my memories in the most unexpected ways.

  • Breakdown to a Breakthrough

    Breakdown to a Breakthrough

    On February 17, 2017, I had a bad anxiety episode you know, the kind where you can’t eat, can’t sleep, and feel completely trapped in your own head. I needed to get out of the apartment.

    At the time, my uncle Carlos was my escape. We used to make time to see each other sometimes Wednesday into Thursday and head into the city. He was my go to. Funny, grounded, a great listener. Our time together always centered me.

    That night, after work, I headed to New York City to see him. We talked in his apartment before walking over to Playa Betty’s to meet up with his best friend Dom. The three of us sat over chips, dip, and pitchers of sangria, just talking about everything life, love, work, the usual chaos. The energy was good. The laughter was loud. And in the middle of it all, I got some advice that stuck.

    Eventually, my uncle had to head home, and I was left alone in his apartment. That’s when it started the spiral. The overthinking crept in. The apartment was dark, and I couldn’t stop tossing and turning. My mind wouldn’t shut off.

    Panic mode hit. I tried calming myself by running water in the bathroom and holding my hands under it that usually helps. Not this time. I started texting friends and family, but only the ones I felt safe reaching out to. Then, full panic took over and I did what panic does I called Mount Sinai Hospital thinking maybe they could talk me through it. (Spoiler: they couldn’t. It doesn’t work like that.)

    Eventually, I passed out from exhaustion.

    When morning came, I left his apartment and made my way to Central Park. I didn’t care that it was freezing. I had Wildheart by Miguel playing from start to finish in my headphones. There’s this hidden spot in the park where you can see two tall buildings across the water. I found it. I took it in. Of course, I took a picture if you know me, you know I never let a view like that go undocumented. It felt rare. Sacred. Especially in the dead of winter.

    Then I started walking from Central Park to 42nd Street with music still in one ear (because obviously, one headphone stays out. Gotta be aware). Songs like What’s Normal Anyway, Leaves, Face the Sun ft. Lenny Kravitz, Destinado a Morir, and Damned carried me forward.

    And somewhere along that walk, I had an epiphany. I was coming home to myself.

    Not all at once, but slowly. Gently. In my own time.

    Years later, I can say this: I don’t just feel like I’m surviving anymore. I feel alive. I take in the little moments. I stay present. I’m forever grateful for the people in my life who held space for me and for the version of me who kept going even when she didn’t know how.

    As a fellow overthinker, and someone who used to try to control everything… guess what? You can’t.

    But the best feeling is when you finally stop trying to escape yourself… and you come home.

    Your breakdown will lead to your breakthrough.

    And that, my love, is where the beauty begins