We’re so often sold the idea that happiness exists somewhere else. A different city. A bigger house. A dream life that we’ll finally start once you move or “make it.”

In pursuit of that vision, we pack up and move. We create Pinterest board after Pinterest board. We convince ourselves that so much would be different – we’d finally figure it all out! – if we could just start over somewhere else.

Sure, that may be true sometimes. Sometimes a place just isn’t the right fit.

But that if the only real problem with where you’re at is (*ahem*) you?...

Are you fighting what your environment naturally supports? Or are you trying to live as if you’re somewhere else, making every day a game of pretend play instead of a present moment?

The truth is every place has its own rhythm.

Where you live shapes how you live: your habits, your pace, your priorities, and even what you wear. And the trick is to start noticing the ways your surroundings influence you and then lean into those parts that feel right.

So today I’m sharing five ways you can begin paying attention to how your environment might already be shaping your life (and how to use it to your advantage!).

How you move is one of the biggest ways your city influences your lifestyle

1. Movement & Transportation

Your city’s layout influences how you move – and how you move affects your energy.

If you live in a walkable neighborhood, you might rack up your step count without trying. Your outerwear and shoe choice matters more than your gas tank. And you’re probably bumping into familiar faces – a co-worker at the bus stop or the barista who knows your usual order.

By contrast, in a car-centric suburb, your day probably revolves around your vehicle. You may spend more time in drive-thrus or parking lots. You may get lots of airtime with your favorite playlists, podcasts, or radio station. And a good pair of sunglasses is non-negotiable.

Neither scenario is inherently better. What matters is noticing how each shapes your routine, your priorities, and your day – and then deciding if that aligns with your ideal life.

TRY THIS: If you’d like to move more, maybe you can try walking to one errand a week, or finding time for a “reset” walk after work or over lunch. And if you don’t really mind being car-bound? How can you make it even better by upgrading your car space, queuing up a favorite playlist, or just taking the scenic route home?

Leaning into the flavors of your region is one of the best ways to live intentionally right where you are

2. Food & Gathering

Where you live often has a strong influence on what you eat and how you socialize.

A small town with limited grocery options might inspire you to plant a backyard garden. Coastal communities love their fresh seafood and sunset dinners. I colder climates, firepits in beer gardens bring people together, while diverse cities create culinary mosaics of flavor.

TRY THIS: Let your local flavors shape your table:

Plan a meal around one simple, local ingredient – sweet corn, regional wine, or whatever your area is known for.
One night, swap your same-old dinner plans for an outdoor picnic somewhere locally meaningful: a riverbank, a historic square, or even a neighbor’s backyard.

Intentional living is about noticing what's around you and aligning your life with the parts that feel right — *Notice your surroundings: what about the colors, architecture, and pace of life influence your style?*

3. Style & Aesthetic

Your surroundings influence your style more than you might think.

A silk dress might feel more natural on the streets of Paris than the cornfields of the Midwest. Blundstone boots make perfect sense for the rainy Pacific Northwest, but less so on the sunny, sandy beaches farther south along the west coast.

Climate, pace, architecture, and even the textures and colors outside your window all inform what feels “right” when it comes to your style.

I gravitate towards earthy tones and natural fabrics that nod to my rural roots, but I mix them with sharp tailoring and cool accents influenced by my current City life. This combo mirrors both who I am and where I am.

This same principle applies to both your wardrobe and your home decor. Beachy accents might feel out of place in a northern, four-season climate just like ornate baroque styles may feel too heavy in a small country cottage.

You shouldn’t shy away from whatever you are drawn to and breaking the mold can definitely be a good move sometimes. But, it's worth paying attention to all the style inspiration and cues around you.

ASK YOURSELF: what feels authentic here, and what feels forced?

When, where, and how you socialize is one of the best ways to design a live around where you live.

4. Community & Connection

Some places make connection easy, others require a little more effort or intention. Does your neighborhood thrive on impromptu backyard get-togethers or handwritten dinner invites?

Do you naturally bump into people in your daily routine, or do you need to seek it out through a gym class, café, or local event?

Every place has its own social rhythm. Once you tune in to that, it becomes easier to build community in a way that feels natural to where you live.

Place-based living is about designing a life you love that makes sense for where you're at. — *When you travel, do you ever notice how every place has it’s own pace of life? If you tune in, you’ll figure out where you live has it’s own unique rhythm, too.*

5. Pace & Priorities

Every place has its own unique tempo: big cities hum with urgency and opportunity. Small towns stretch out time. College towns live on semester schedules.

Your own pace of life – whether fast, slow, or somewhere in-between – is probably shaped by that of your surroundings.

When I studied in Costa Rica, “Tico Time” ruled: a slower, more relaxed sense of schedule. Trying to live at Silicon Valley speed there would’ve been a recipe for frustration.

The same is true wherever you live. Fighting your environment’s natural tempo will leave you feeling off-beat, while syncing with it will make life flow smoothly.

TRY THIS: Ask “what makes me feel most like myself here?” Then build one routine around that answer – maybe it’s a slow coffee break, a brisk lunchtime walk, or a late-night art session. You can’t always change your environment, but you can change how you move through it.

When you admire someone else’s lifestyle (or somewhere else’s way of life), it’s tempting to try to copy + paste that template into your own life.

But inspiration isn’t the same as imitation. The key is to recognize where you are and what that place naturally supports.

Every place has something compelling and unique to offer. When you start noticing the details that align with your habits, priorities, home, and style, you can build the life you want — right where you are.

👉 Want to dig deeper?

I wrote a deeper reflection on Substack about living with limits — and why they might just be the thing that makes life richer. It's a quick, but worthwhile read: check it out here.