Next is a POEM.
To give context, I recently moved house in London and changed jobs in the space of a week (which upfront felt quite daunting), so my journeying shifted to new places (ish) and normal routine went up in flames (dramatic). Anyway, it's been rad, I dealt with the change (well, in my books) and I'm a bloody happy bunny! Here's Wiley to explain his feels...
My mum visited my sister and I up here recently and confirmed my thoughts as of late…
'You look really well. The stress has gone behind your eyes and you have that sparkle.'
This actually made me gleam from the inside out. I’m glad it’s noticeable. All-round, wholesome wellness. Put good schtuff in, do good stuff, get good stuff out etc. Change was...
And Why?
Sanctuary. A house that feels like a home and not a half-way house. Having a social space really fosters conversations and relationships.Connectedness. A strengthened sense of love within the home environment = belonging, security.
Anti-stress. Living with a family member/close friend can relieve some of the pussy footin' you get with strangers. The air of living provides comfort.
Nature. I live near a sh*t loada parks and greenery! I pass through them at least twice a day on mega walks to work. Nature is life's humble hero – it provides calm, reminds you of simple living, it gives off oxygen, it's beautiful and it's NOT DIGITAL...stop and (literally) smell the flower for a few mins; take in its irregularities and listen to the silence.
Movement. I run instead of going to the gym now, out in oxygen rather than absorbing strangers' sweat inside (for the summer, anyway). This different use of my body brings a new sense achievement. I feel progress / map milestones better.
Niceties. I like the safety and aesthetics of the area I live and the same goes for inside my pad! Long gone are the days of squinting at sh*t stains in the loo, sleeping with the boiler, or fearing the pink-eye-inducing fridge odour…
More sleep (from a restful mind). A LOT more of it, from all the above. Mornings are zingy now! Big up early starts and more energy.
So! Takeaways:
Map your human responses to where you are throughout each day. Listen to your human responses.
When you think about where you live / going to live, consider the TIME YOU’LL SPEND in places. How do they make you feel?
(who lives there, what features foster positive social occurrences, what is nearby that will make your life easier, how LIGHT is it, how simple is it to get to and if it’s not, would you mind trekking mid-winter in pitch black at 5pm etc.)
Choose on majority good vibes – it'll be a lifestyle shift.
Consider the effects of effects: What are you willing to give up / wanting to gain to be in a place?
For example, moving further out from where you frequently work or play doesn’t just mean longer commutes and less time in bed, it has an emotional and mental toll. Personally, I love to walk so this is my criterion. If I have to get a stuffy tube a lot or elbow war with Wayne in carriage 8 for 20 minutes, I get PISSY. Alternatively, if there are no supermarkets nearby and you're a PRO-SNACKER you might want to consider the new effort you’ll expend on planning ahead and bulk buying your Mars bars...
Does it suit you?
DON’T BE AFRAID OF CHANGE. Change is good, change = growth.
It’ll teach you new things about yourself and this is FUN. In the lead up your mind unnecessarily amplifies 'the unknown.' BUT humans are agile creatures. We can either A) accept our vivid imaginations (and know that when change occurs, our noggins will light up – we say ‘OH give it a f*ckin rest, will you? Have your hissy fit and let me get back to ordering my new blinds in peace!’) OR B) we change our thoughts to create better ones (a.k.a ‘I’m paying an extra 400quid to live BUT it’s okay, ‘cos I get 23 kitchen cupboards to house all my Freddos in for that emotionally insane week once a month! yAssss’
In reality: events happen, we deal...just like a getting jabs or living through nits.
enjoy life babies x
