This year marked a unique moment for me. As a child, teen and college aged individual I moved around a good bit. I wasn’t raised in a military family but the average move time would be very similar to that lifestyle growing up. So now as an adult I have finally lived in one place for longer than five years. And more than that, I have lived in the state at Georgia longer than my childhood state! I don’t believe that it qualifies me as a native but it for sure creates some roots.
Growing up I lived longer in rural America than in larger cities but as an adult I have had the opposite experience. There are pros and con’s to both and this is not by any means an exhaustive list but I wanted to give my readers the top things that I have learned from living in a larger city. (Maybe I’lll write a blog about the top things I’ve learned from living in rural America as well.)
Living in the out skirts of Atlanta for this long doesn’t give me the status of a local or a life-timer but it does give me a sense of belonging to a place that I haven’t felt ever before in my life. Which is defiantly saying something.
Here is what I have learned living in a Big City area:
# 1. ) Traffic is normal.
This is pretty obvious but I really had to learn to not be white knuckled in the city. Driving on country roads has its own kind of scary. Never stop in uninhabited area for any reason. At night don’t stop at gas stations that don’t have multiple cars there. You never ever go anywhere without 60 miles of gas in your tank and of course there are wooden crosses peppered at every bendy turn to remind you of the dangers of rural roads. The city is different. It is Giant and busy at all times. Night driving is pretty and not so scary. Many people are out and so that eliminates the lonely feeling. There are no sad crosses on the highways to remind you of the dangers. You do however still never drive on low gas because you may get stuck in bumper to bumper. You also always plan extra time for any and all meetings. This can be a good thing. As you may end up late if you do not give yourself time, I have never missed a flight and earlier to meetings is never a bad thing.
# 2. ) Advocating for myself is not rude.
I read this in someone else’s post on another big city and I have to agree. People in cities tend to stand up for themselves in a more direct manner. Not in a mean way or a disrespecting way but in a way that shows stepping in-front of or disregarding someone is not ok. It is not kind and it is never allowed in a bigger city because people don’t put up with it. To tell someone where a line starts, “No, that doesn’t work for my schedule or No that isn’t kind and I’m not ok with it is perfectly allowed and encouraged. As a southern Christian woman I have deep personal experience, like others before me, to be a pleaser and an overachiever in giving and sacrifice. The city has shown me it is o.k. too kindly expect others to hold space for me with dignity. This has been a beautiful learning curve to have when dealing with expectations and disregard even with family, friends, and work.
#3. ) Bigger can be better but also it means busier.
The other thing living in a larger city has taught me is that bigger can be better but it is also busier than the small town life. The city offers such diversity with culture, food, arts, sports, and activities! No more cow tipping, or afternoons with friends figuring out how to occupy ourselves out of boredom. Instead you have so many options it can be overwhelming to the point of extreme exhaustion and a lack of focused energy. The city can be such a place for growth and open minded learning but if you are not careful it can fill you up to too much. Too much food, too many options, too much striving, too much politics. With this great opportunity you must make sure you are intentional in your pursuits so that the hustle doesn’t take over to an overwhelming level. If choices can be over whelming consider a slower pace and less options with a this or that mentality.
Wherever you find yourself this holiday season I pray it finds you well balanced, and enjoying the lessons and place you are in. May 2024 be Brighter and more Brilliant than your last.
Creating Exceptional 