Please, put your addiction away...

Seriously, just for an hour, put your addiction back in your pocket.

Sometimes the most beautiful things—and people—in life are staring us right in the face, yet more often than not, we fail to notice or recognize them.

I’ll admit that I often walk around staring down at my iPhone, completely glued to it, while others do the same and life passes us by.

It’s quite sad, really. I can 100 percent admit that I’m addicted to it.

As I grow older, I’ve come to realize that your life is in no one’s hands but your own. You control tomorrow by learning from yesterday.

The days aren’t getting any longer, and you certainly aren’t getting any younger.

So, go explore.

Follow your passions and dreams.

Reconnect with a long-lost childhood friend.

Just do something.

No more excuses. No more reasons why you can’t.

From here on out, live today like Nike’s slogan:

Just do it.

The other day, my friend Sarah asked if I wanted to venture into the city to explore and take pictures—which, by now, she should know better than to ask.

My gear was already charged, packed, and loaded into the car.

That’s really just a silly question for me!

Our adventure began at the Sculpture Garden, followed by lunch at Hell’s Kitchen. Then we walked who knows where, crossed three different bridges multiple times, and became the blind leading the blind.

But we didn’t care.

It was a great time!

We were on a mission to capture the day, freeze moments in time, and take a break from the overbooked reality of life—which seems to be the norm for nearly everyone these days.

The adventure left me wanting more.

We explored streets and places I had never visited, navigated through the night in search of light, and repeatedly adjusted our camera settings in an attempt to capture that perfect shot.

Below are just a handful of photographs from that day. I hope you enjoy them.

I can tell you with certainty that I’ll return to these places and discover more.

I’ll force myself to put my addiction away, look up, and notice the beautiful world surrounding us.