You just put in to words what I've been feeling for the last 3 years that I have spent hours of therapy trying to find a way to verbalize for myself.
The only phrase I had that came close was referring to my current situation as wearing golden hand-cuffs. I feel constrained and unhappy a lot of the times, but boy are those hand-cuffs pretty to look at.
This has been the largest personal growth I've experienced in my lifetime and it has been a direct result of living a city that is walkable.
Before moving to San Francisco I hated talking to strangers and I would rarely engage in more than a few words with anyone on the street or in stores. Now I find myself cherishing small moments of conversation that occur in Ubers, on the MUNI, at communal tables in restaurants and in random interactions on the street, even with the homeless who I try my best to not ignore and treat like real people.
I can't believe the difference it has made in my mood, my feelings about this city and my general mood. Like so many things in life it's hard to know what exactly caused the shift in my behavior but it's brought me an incredible amount of happiness and deepened my appreciation of where I live.
I would add that it is important to practice acceptance and self love. A lot of times lists like this give the sense or feeling that you can't slip or mess up. It's important to remember that you're human, you will make a mistake or slip up, and that it's ok. Practicing accepting those moments, being kind to yourself, getting back on track and continuing to make progress.
Remind yourself that you're not alone in this struggle and that any setback is just temporary and sometimes necessary so you can keep pushing.
The only phrase I had that came close was referring to my current situation as wearing golden hand-cuffs. I feel constrained and unhappy a lot of the times, but boy are those hand-cuffs pretty to look at.