Starting over in a new city can be scary! Notwithstanding COVID-19 and the trend towards remote work, Americans continue to move around a lot. Young people seeking their first career, individuals seeking new and better career opportunities. On the other hand, older people retiring or moving with a company relocation are among the many transient Americans today.
In many respects, starting over in a new city and a new position go hand in hand.
Some younger writers like Brandon Montgomery provide some encouraging advice for 20-somethings:
- You’ll make new friends while some friends from the past fade away.
- You’ll feel wiser and more confident than ever before.
- Starting over in a new city isn’t exclusively for 20-somethings.
- Free of roommates, you’ll finally see what it means to be independent.
- You’ll experience nostalgia for your 20s.
- You’ll develop a greater appreciation for family.
- Living in a larger community will enhance your desire to explore.
- It’ll still be okay to party and stay out late.
- Finding love will become an adventure.
Winona Demeo-Ediger provides six lessons she learned from her move to a new city:
- Become a regular.
- Be almost comically aggressive in your efforts to make friends.
- Say yes to everything. (Literally everything.)
- Don’t wait for The Perfect Thing.
- Don’t be ashamed to be a tourist.
- Stay curious.
Certainly, we like her approach. It is honest and open. A person who listens to her will not be alone for long.
Starting over in a new city can induce fear, anxiety, and trepidation. There can be a feeling of discomfort and strangeness. Nothing is familiar to you. Maybe you begin to question why you even moved in the first place. Are you ready to turn around and go back?
Curiosity and excitement can be in competition with anxiety and fear. Why is this happening?
Your brain has an organ called the amygdala. To clarify, you have two. One is like the other the way a left-hand glove is like the right. One of your amygdalae reacts to any new thing with fear or anxiety. It likes the familiar. In addition, this may be referred to as explored territory in the psychological sense. This has been determined to be wholly biological and not learned behavior. The other amygdala reacts with curiosity when confronted with unfamiliar or unexplored territory.
Furthermore, how these twin organs reconcile themselves is a truly complex process. However, the existence of anxiety in the face of the unfamiliar, coupled with its antithesis, curiosity, is hardwired.
Starting Over in a New City – Tips For Getting to Know It
To move through a city safely and in life in general, you need two things. It is important to have a healthy dose of both safety and the excitement of exploring new things. These are just a few things to remember as you start over in a new city. Whatever you do, don’t hide out.
Here are some suggestions to safely explore your new environment:
- If you are able, visit and take a tour of the city like an out of town tourist.
- Get a guide. If you can afford it or know someone, find a guide to show you the city, especially the transportation system.
- Study the culture and history of your neighborhood and the city in general. Knowledge of local history can provide a lot of insights about the local culture.
- Study the architecture of the city and its history. The culture and history of a city is often embodied in its architecture. Learning about it provides a greater appreciation of the environment.
- Find out what the local government has to offer such as parks and recreation, libraries and museums. This information is usually available online and is a great way to quickly meet people and have fun.
- Become a regular but plan weekend adventures. Planning weekend adventures can broaden your city experience. Check out places of interest. Make a checklist and figure out how to get around the city. After a while you will begin to feel ownership of your environment.
- Don’t be ashamed to be a tourist.
In conclusion, don’t fear starting over in a new city for a career or life change. The coaches at Ignite Your Potential are here to help. Reach out and take advantage of our complimentary 25-minute phone sessions.
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