4 Ways To Make Your City Better

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There have been so many times I have been guilty of being unhappy in the city that I live in. After living in a city for so long, I feel like I become complacent and never venture ‘off the beaten path’. It got me thinking that I never really enjoyed living in our city before we moved. I believe that was simply because I had lived there my entire and I thought there was NEVER anything to do. The more I think about it, the more I think there are ways to make your city better and more enjoyable.

4 Ways To Make Your City Better and More Enjoyable

The longer you live in a city, the more familiar and jaded everything can seem. You get so busy with the day to day activities that you forget to explore. Life gets busy and you end up too rushed to do the alternative to anything. I have come up 4 ways that I think will make your city better and more enjoyable.

#1 See Your City Through The Eyes of a Tourist

When you’re on vacation in a new city, chances are you’re going to try to do everything you can and see as much as possible. Well, have you ever explored and looked at your city that same way, through the eyes of a tourist? By this, I mean actually going and doing the things your city has to offer.

Instead of thinking you have an unlimited amount of time to do those things, you should make an effort to actually go and do those things. I find that I didn’t do this as often as I should have, leaving me guilty of not being the ‘best resident’ of some of the cities that I lived in. If I’m living in a place for so long, then I don’t ever feel the need to explore, try new restaurants, or branch out because I know they will always be there.

When you’re a tourist, you aren’t spending your days laying around and binging on Netflix. You’re out seeing the city, seeing the sights, and taking in new experiences. Have you been to all the things your city offers? Do you even know what all your city offers?

We often bring up a couple of places that we like to go and are always surprised when we find out that people that have lived here all their lives haven’t been. Sometimes they don’t know about it. Other times they know about it but aren’t prioritizing adventures and new experiences, and are too complacent.

#2 Attend Local Events

When we lived in St. Louis, we knew we were going to be living there for only 6 months. Because of our limited time in that vast, new, and exciting city, we tried to do all of the things that the city had to offer. Coming from small town Alabama, we thought there was an abundance of events and things to do all the time. Almost every weekend, we were going to one free event or concert, or utilizing the amazing bike-ability of the city.

When we would talk to locals in St. Louis who had lived there their entire life, they would tell us there was nothing to do in the city. If you had asked me what there was to do in my hometown, I probably would have told you the same thing. However, that’s not usually the case. I would skip on events and think there’s always the next one because we have an unlimited amount of time to do these things. As a result, I would get lazy and complacent and never venture out and take advantage of what makes my city beautiful and unique.

Take advantage of the events page on Facebook, your cities local website, and Reddit to find events in your area, bonus if they’re free events. Talk to your friends or neighbors and see if they know of any good events going on. Hell, you could even hang out with your neighbors. In Cyprus, we are friends with our neighbors. Almost every week, we walk together to free events around the city.

#3 Fall in love with your city again

It can be really easy to overlook the things that make your city unique. Alternatively, you can become so familiar with your city’s distinct features that you forget to appreciate it. It would understandable because it’s always there and available. Do a little bit of research and write down a list of your city’s unique qualities.

Next time you venture outside your house, look at those qualities through a new and different perspective. Once you change your outlook on something, your opinion for those things changes. You will gain a better understanding and have more of an appreciation for your city.

One way that you can fall in love with your city again and make where you live more enjoyable would be to host an AirBnb Experience. By showcasing your city to new people, it’ll help you put into perspective the new experiences and exciting things your area has to offer. It also forces you to do some research on the history of your city to provide the best possible experience for your guests. The icing on the cake is making money while doing this.

Another way to help you fall in love with your city again is to travel. Getting a fresh new perspective on other cities has always made us see our city in a different light. Nothing gives you more of an appreciation for what you have than seeing how other people live. Traveling and experiencing another city could be the boost you need to be more proactive in and around your city.

#4 Alternative Means of Transportation

Taking alternative means of transportation will not only take you on a different route than you normally take, but it will give you a chance to see different parts of your city. The same could be said for taking alternative routes on your daily commute. When different routes are taken, you can organically be kept up-to-date on what is new in your area. If you’re not in hurry, I encourage you to take a different route home and pay attention to your surroundings.

If your city is bike friendly, another excellent way to explore more of your city is to bike to work. Biking to work ensures that you start your work day off with plenty of exercise. It also saves you money on gas and insurance when you’re not driving as much. To top it off, it gives you more time to take in your surroundings. If it’s good enough for the Terminator, it should be good enough for you.

When we were in St. Louis, we were lucky enough to be able to bike to work. The ride was about an hour, but it gave me plenty of time to think about life and de-stress from work. Sometimes I was able to time my rides into work to catch the perfect sunrises. I also noticed things that I typically drove right by without really seeing.

Take Aways

I tend to fall in love with every city that we visit. I enjoy all the ways that a city unique and always try to venture off the beaten path to find how locals live. After writing these ways to make my city better, I find myself thinking about my hometown in a new light. I definitely didn’t appreciate very much about my city.

You know the saying “never stop learning”? Well I think the same goes for exploring and discovering new things around you. Even if you have lived in the same town all your life, you should look at your city through a different lens. Some of the things you discover might surprise you.