Slow Living in the City - Finding Calm and Beauty in City Life

Slow Living in the City - Finding Calm and Beauty in City Life

Hey there beautiful! I recently visited NYC to see my friends and family before heading on to California for a visit. New York City is a place I “grew up in” from ages 18-22 and it was this city that made me the person I am now. I have a lot of love, admiration and respect for New York and the experiences I had there…despite me never being able to live there again. I felt compelled to make this video after enjoying the magic and beauty of city life for a few days. In it, I share my honest opinions about city living.

Also, friendships are so important to me, and getting the chance to go back for a few days to see them after so long apart made my heart incredibly happy. 🥰 At the end of the video, I share some behind-the-scenes footage of how I filmed the video and Candice, my best friend from college, vlogged with me. I hope you enjoy it! :)

I’m sending you a big hug and lots of butterflies!
Love,
Helena!

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♥ PO BOX
Helena Woods
Poste Restante
Avenue du Baron Mariani
20250 Corte, France

Thank you so much for watching my video! :) I post a new video on slow living, simple living and noticing the simple joys every week but if you're curious to see more of my content, check out my blog! As a writer, I have a full archive of posts written on the Simply Joys blog about how to find more joy in your life as well as slow and simple living, mindfulness, and living in France. I hope it brings you as much joy as it did me making it! :) Have a magical day, lovely! ☀️
#slowliving #simplejoys

[helenawoods]

I hope you are having a lovely Sunday, kindred spirit ✨🤗 I'm currently in San Diego visiting my mom (Alex and his parents just came out to visit and it's been so fun!) I'm sending you a big hug ❤️

[taylert]

“Courage is putting yourself through discomfort to come out of it sparkling.”
Thank you for being a positive light in the world. Also, for teaching the importance of gratitude and living in the now.

[michellef]

Those moments where you meet up with an old friend and you're able to laugh and be silly about things are priceless and heartwarming! Makes me miss my old friends!

[trtsckh]

I personally feel so alive and energized in cities--so many things of beauty to look at and admire. The comradery of all of the people. It's comforting to me. I also love traveling up north to the North Shore, or anywhere there is a body of water. It's true, you can love both and appreciate and enjoy everywhere. Ironically enough, big, open spaces or extremely rural places where there isn't another person in sight, or some sort of modern element like a store can leave me feeling panicked haha!

[MOONBATHING]

Oh man, this is such a pace and side of nyc I’ve never seen on video. Beautifully done

[margaretalangbackawalker]

Peace and contentment comes from within, not from a place. Having said that, I love travel and experiencing new places. I spent the majority of my adulthood in the UK where I raised two children, I have lived and studied in Corsica, worked in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Cameroon, Nigeria and Ethiopia. Now retired in Sweden. I miss my family in the UK and travel further afield due to Covid, but times will come when I can travel again, and in the meantime I enjoy and cherish what's around me here in Sweden.

[bapanana]

"Attaining inner peace and calm in any environment is a true sign of mastery, and I am nowhere near that yet, but the least I can do is try." - so beautifully expressed! It's really hard to go back to places that hold a lot of internal chaos and trauma. I hope returning and creating this video was healing for you.

I absolutely LOVE your wise words. I particularly appreciated your section in this visual essay on what "courage" is ...

"feeling fear and pushing through it anyway" ... "putting yourself through discomfort to come out sparkling" ... "getting it done and putting it out there instead of demanding for it to be perfect" ... "shooting for B minus work when you are thirsty for A's" ... I admit to rewinding over and over to write that part down, all word for word. I have quoted you today in my journal. Thank you for encouraging me to walk through the discomfort I'm in right now, and to trust it means I can "come out sparkling" eventually. :)

You have a beautiful channel. Thank you for sharing your gift. Please continue!

[travel_nature_and_life]

dear Helena, usually I have trouble appreciating cities, big cities. For the Europeans, I find that NYC is a bit cliché, the place to visit and it’s a bit of a classic s race.
For the very first time, I see NYC through your eyes and it completely changes my mind. Your choices to show off your NYC are surprising, deep, completely intimate and therefore valuable. It
shows that it is the soul of life, it is the hope that men have put in
it, their way of establishing a quality of life, sincerity and freedom.
For me, you would be a guide to visit, exceptional. Because you put the very essence of life in the foreground. Congratulations for this video that I find absolutely touching. You really have a gift for showing the best in life, in the human being. I am delighted to be able to change my mind about this mythical big city.

[snjez]

A lovely insight into growing in a city through positive and negative experiences. There has been a lot of negative media on NY now with the pandemic, but you have shown that not everyone has to run away.

[kathryn]

You are such a beautiful story teller with your words & visual art ! 💘 Thanks for allowing us to be a part of it !!

[donnamarsh]

Wow. It's so good to see you finding joy and beauty in NYC, USA. You, as such a youngish person, are such a great example to us to slow down, enjoy nature and LIFE! I've been intentionally doing this daily since I found your channel. THANK YOU for sharing such beauty!💓💓💓

[crappaeplema]

Finding the small things that bring you joy truly is the key to a happier life and as you so wonderfully said: you can find beauty everywhere. That was a good reminder for me to start noticing the details of my daily life again. Your words are so beautifully put and express what I - and probably many others - feel, too. Thank you for sharing your story and your thoughts!

[deniseH]

Thank you for sharing your time, your filming, your editing, your simple, joyful magic. I loved seeing NYC through your eyes. So lovely to see you really do take ‘yourself’ with you wherever you go😊 I learned a long time ago, we take ourselves with us wherever we go, bringing love and joy into every day makes each day filled with love and joy.😄 Happy travels from Australia.💖

[karareynolds]

This is such a lovely video. You seem so happy. There is definitely joy to be found wherever you live. I especially love old bookshops and record shops - real treasure troves. Much love and continued happiness to you ❤❤

[abeach]

Beauutifully shared/edited. Lovely time with your friend of so many years.

[AntonMaroun]

Very Authentic!! I love what you send about people spending money because they don’t think they are worth it! This whole video is a Very powerful message. Thank you Helena!

[sofiacosta]

You have a huge talent for storytelling. Great video dear Helena!

[AlaraHoop]

Thank you for taking us on your journey! As someone who lives just outside a huge city it can be a struggle to slow down and find peace in the hustle and bustle but there are so many wonderful things about city life that I never want to give up.

[LibbyWithnall]

Never thought I'd find a video about New York to be calm and relaxing but I guess if anyone can do it, it would be you :-). Your words and imagines are magic. NY is a place I'm not sure about visiting. With health issues (fibromyalgia) I'm not sure how I would handle the noise, busyness and getting around. Maybe one day.... While I definitely don't want to live a big city, I can certainly see the appeal and love to visit them for vacations. What a fun trip down memory lane with your friend.

[OmarAvilesCreative]

Great video Helena! I have lived in New York ALL MY LIFE! I have never travelled out of the country - but have visited nearby states. However, I agree with you about the divide. But to find joy in both is the magic! Thank you for capturing New York from your perspective.