This popped up in my feed- maybe the algorithm knew that I'm also a North American living in London (7 years this month!). London does always feel like such an expensive place- and tricky to build a sense of community in. I found a lot of solace in finding a solo-but-can-be-friendly physical hobby to be really helpful. I started running, starting with couch to 5k to eventually a half marthon, and seeing my fitness improve from a week to week basis was really helpful and helped me shift focus from only 'do job and pay money to enjoy life' to another way I could feel successful. Now I do lots of parkruns, run clubs, etc- I'm still a *very* slow runner, but it's a really nice way to build connections in the long run. I still love going on long runs as a way to explore London and see lots of nooks and crannies you miss using public transport. My partner found a similar scene at local bouldering gyms, and I'm now lifting at a very friendly local gym (the more independent and 'ratty' the better). At the end of the day, it's not really just about 'getting fit', but finding another source of dopamine and sense of personal progress. Hope that's a helpful tip or suggestion- London can be so wonderful, but also a bit of a struggle!
It's so funny you should mention running, because I was thinking just a few days ago how I should get back into it! I also did couch to 5k a couple of years ago but then let the practice slip, but running is such a good way to explore, feel more connected to a place and find friends in a very low-pressure way. Thanks so much for the suggestion, and this might just be the push I need to get those running shoes out again 🙂
This popped up in my feed- maybe the algorithm knew that I'm also a North American living in London (7 years this month!). London does always feel like such an expensive place- and tricky to build a sense of community in. I found a lot of solace in finding a solo-but-can-be-friendly physical hobby to be really helpful.
I started running, starting with couch to 5k to eventually a half marthon, and seeing my fitness improve from a week to week basis was really helpful and helped me shift focus from only 'do job and pay money to enjoy life' to another way I could feel successful. Now I do lots of parkruns, run clubs, etc- I'm still a *very* slow runner, but it's a really nice way to build connections in the long run. I still love going on long runs as a way to explore London and see lots of nooks and crannies you miss using public transport. My partner found a similar scene at local bouldering gyms, and I'm now lifting at a very friendly local gym (the more independent and 'ratty' the better).
At the end of the day, it's not really just about 'getting fit', but finding another source of dopamine and sense of personal progress. Hope that's a helpful tip or suggestion- London can be so wonderful, but also a bit of a struggle!
It's so funny you should mention running, because I was thinking just a few days ago how I should get back into it! I also did couch to 5k a couple of years ago but then let the practice slip, but running is such a good way to explore, feel more connected to a place and find friends in a very low-pressure way. Thanks so much for the suggestion, and this might just be the push I need to get those running shoes out again 🙂