New York is one of the most magical places on earth. It’s a place where anything is possible, people are always making things happen and the opportunities are boundless. But living in a crowded city does come with a high price. Like most major cities all over the globe – it’s highly populated, so the cost of living is very high & everyone is programmed to always be on the move, always grinding, leaving little time for self care & more often than not – this makes the energy in any city pretty harsh. There’s tons of noise and air pollution, cramped or small living spaces with little sunlight, unkempt public transportation, and sometimes people can be a little bit grumpy! For any highly sensitive person, this could be a lot to take on and if you don’t make time for self-care, this could have lasting effects on your health and your wellbeing. So how do you find wellness and peace in a crowded city?
Find Your Nearest Park
Nature is the ultimate medicine for literally everything. If you’re feeling stressed, ungrounded, or blocked, find the nearest park closest to your work or home and visit often. A nice fifteen minute walk in the park can truly do your soul good. There’s something to be said about surrounding yourself with fresh air, trees, and nature that truly can help melt away the stress of the day. People watch, sit on a bench, look up in the sky, take a load off.
Meditate or Create Time for Silence
With a bustling city buzzing all around you, it’s important to slow down. Find time to focus on your breath during meditation or just find a place to listen to the silence without the distraction of trains, taxis and sirens. Whatever you like to do, create the space for you to be present for you and only you.
Treat Your Body to Good Nutrients
You’ll be amazed at how the things you eat can effect your mood. Staying away from processed, fried and fatty foods and eating whole foods is a great way for you to have tons of energy and combat low immunity.
Get Your Body Moving
Regular exercise is a mood booster, if you are working out consistently, you are usually more happy, more focused and sleep better. Your body will love you for it and your mind will thank you for it’s sharpness. It doesn’t matter if you like to swim, walk, jog, kickbox or lift weights, just get your body moving.
Lay Off the Coffee, Amp Up the Water
Big cities breed the need for caffeine. I get it, we’re busy – we need fuel! Switching your morning routine off with a warm glass of water and lemon vs. a 24 oz cup of joe, will reset your body, improve digestion and make you want more water. Getting our 8 glasses of water throughout our day, keeps our skin and minds clear. Not to mention, drinking water is much better than the attachment that’s created with drinking coffee – that make us more anxious and irritable. We get enough of that from our city environment, we don’t need it in our cups, too.
Unplug
A lot of big cities across the globe never really shut off or turn down. Things are still open, people are still out and about, but that doesn’t mean that you have to always be on. Honor when you want to shut off your cell phone or treat yourself to a weekend away, even if it’s a day trip.
Don’t get me wrong, I love New York and I love living in a metropolitan area. Quite honestly, even though I have daydreams of living in a rural or tropical place, I don’t think I could ever really do it. I’d get bored, I’m a city girl through and through. Nonetheless, I do think it’s important for us to be good to our physical, mental and spiritual well-being even if our environments don’t allow for it. So what are some things that you do to find peace in a crowded city?