At 16, I left home for higher studies. Over next 13 years I switched “places to live” for atleast 6-7 times.
I can confirm your mental health has a lot to do with the kind of place you live in. It made me create an unexpected list of stuff to look for in a “place to live”
If you are looking for a place to live right now, this might help,
- A decent density of trees that attract birds and bees
- Local mom-pop stores at walking distance
- Sound of kids shouting and playing in the evening
- Sound of dogs barking and other pets. I like the mooing of cows too.
- Old people assembling at intersections to have a chat
- View of the horizon from any one of the frequently used window or doors
- Big windows and lots of natural light.
- A place closer to the ground so that you can hear the sound of hustle and bustle of the streets, the smell of the soil during the first rain & birds chirping on trees.
- Smell of food being made by your neighbors
We take so much of this for granted when we have it.
All of these signals tell your sub-conscious mind that you are safe.
Remember how half of these signals were non-existent during the lockdowns? How did you feel then?
It is possible that these signals trigger some kind of biological function or sub-conscious mechanism. I’m not sure. Andrew Huberman is the best person to know this.
For me, this is totally anecdotal and has helped look for places to live that make me feel connected.
