Okay ya’ll, to get real, I have felt that feeling of insecurity and dread as I showed up to an event or on a trip alone where I didn’t know anybody! The unfamiliar feeling of everything and everyone around you! It sometimes doesn’t matter how friendly and outgoing you are, it is still nice to feel “Okay, I got this!”. And if you’ve ever moved away from home to a new city, that feeling is so amazing!
I grew up in a small town in the South, where one street pretty much could carry you to any place in the whole city! I can’t lie, it was amazing because my phone battery never drained due to GPS’ing everywhere I went haha! Roughly a year later from moving 1500 miles away from home, I was finally able to put together this list! I’m hoping some of these things can put your mind at ease if you’re either freshly moved, thinking about moving, or even if you’ve been in your city for years! Check out this moving checklist if you are thinking about moving and need a checklist of things to do before you leave!
GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY
If you live in a big city, you probably know just how daunting this task can be. Getting to know your city might feel like it could take YEARS!!!! And believe me, coming from a girl living in LA, it will! But what I really mean by this is to try and find the “norm” places!
You can start by finding out where to go for a last minute grocery run! Or your favorite salon to get a quick trim or a mani-pedi before events! Finding the best place to go get brunch and coffee on a Sunday morning, and finally, the bets place to go for a scenic walk or hike. This can help the city feel more familiar to you! It will also make it easier to take friends and family to these paces when they come and visit you. Even though LA has 30,000,000 people, you better believe I can get to a grocery store in about 2 minutes! It’s definitely worth it to get to know your city!
PLAN OUT THE LOOK OF YOUR PERSONAL SPACE
I have one word for you….PINTEREST!!!!!!
Start getting on Pinterest if you have, or haven’t moved yet, and start planning out your humble abode. My two favorite places in my house are my kitchen (LOVE to cook) and my work area. I made sure I had kitchen decor I loved, and also spruced up my desk with cute decor. Whatever area in your home that will make you feel safe and good, you should focus on planning out how you want that room to look. Adding touches of “you” around the home will normally bring good memories of your family, friends, and even your childhood! You will definitely feel more at home!
ATTEND EVENTS IN YOUR CITY
This is one of the fastest ways you can meet new people in your city. Most cities have an online event calendar that lets you know what is upcoming that week or month! Take a look at one of those, see if there is anything that interests you and make it a plan! It can seem weird at first, maybe if you’re a little more reserved, but trust me, you always end up having a great time and meeting fun people! Once you gain friendships you’ll feel, in a way, that you have a sense of community there in the city, and will definitely help make it feel more like home!
JOIN A GYM OR SOMETHING TO KEEP YOU ACTIVE
You all know me by now and know that I advocate for just feeling good about your body!!! One thing that will always help up do that is exercise and just staying active! We recently joined Gold’s Gym here in LA, and I’ve got to say, I’m actually really excited for workouts! I’ve gotten to know the facilities, the instructors are nice, and I have a built in workout buddy 🙂 Even if I didn’t have Nelson, theres many people who go at the same time I do that I could ask to help!! The gym brings feelings of confidence and self esteem to you, and when you’re happier with yourself first, mentally, physically, and emotionally, you’ll automatically feel more like home!
DON’T GET TOO BUSY FOR FAMILY
One difficult thing about making sure of this, is usually there’s a time change difference between you now! There is a two hour time change between me and my husband and the rest of our family back home. That can cause conflict with schedules bigger than you could imagine. Nonetheless, I ALWAYS feel better after I’ve gotten off a FaceTime video chat or call with my sister, mom and family members! You get to just have a little piece of home with you for a little while! My days may not always go as planned, and trust me ya girl can get distracted, but I say connecting with family always makes it feel more like home!
I’d love to hear some of your tips, struggles, or comments on what it was like for you moving to a new city!! Feel free to share!!
Xo,
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