Why I Moved to Miami: Channeling that Sunshine State of Mind

Miami Life: Good vibes and Sunshine

So I’ve been a little quiet on here lately, because I’ve been gearing up for a major move to Miami! It all happened very quickly and with everything going on I had to put my blog on pause. But wow what a month it has been!

I was at a point in my life were I needed a change, and things just fell into place so seamlessly, and here I am, living in South Beach. So far, I’m loving every second of it.

The sun shines bright, the people are warm and welcoming, and I’m feeling motivated.

Why I Decided to Pick Up and Move to Miami

The real reason I moved? #wintermademedoit. Truly, this past winter was incredibly long and difficult for me up in the tri-state. I decided I’d just had enough. I was fortunate to come down for a little girls weekend in early March, and it was cold, snowy, and windy on either end of my trip. Literally as soon as I landed, as I waited next to the baggage claim, I thought to myself, “What on earth am I doing!?”

That very night, I started researching the logistics of a move to Miami. Miami is still very much the adult playground we all know it to be. But when I came down in March, I got a more balanced taste of the city. The wellness scene down here is big – and it’s growing.

My Initial Glimpses of the Miami Wellness Scene

Sure many people are into healthy eating and fitness because they want to look good in their bikinis. But it definitely goes beyond that. I’ve been exploring the yoga studios and wellness offerings in my local area and I’m definitely impressed. I can find organic and vegan cafés and restaurants, lots of fresh juice places, and all the matcha and smoothies I could ever want a hop skip and a jump from my place in almost any direction.

Not to mention, I really hit the jackpot with my apartment – I’m four blocks away from Whole Foods! There’s a park half a block away, and I can walk to the beach in just ten minutes. For real I think I landed in my own version of paradise.

But there’s so much more to Miami than all of that. It’s a diverse and interesting city, big on art and chock full of culture. Fashion and design permeate the city.

Embracing the New and Going with the Flow

I was ready for a change. I arrived down in Miami on Sunday May 6, after a four day solo road trip with stops in DC, Wake Forest, Charleston, Savannah, and Reddick, Florida – stunning horse country. The road trip was an exhausting adventure in itself, but it was absolutely amazing.

My aim was to get down here by Sunday, because arriving on a Sunday seemed like a good idea. I’d have time to settle in and get down to sorting out logistics of fun things like parking permits that week. It also turned out that it was exactly two years to the day since I started treatment. Arriving to my new life in Miami exactly two years later seemed even more appropriate.

I arrived and immediately felt at home. My new roommate helped me unpack, and neighbors and friends were in and out all week. I had just landed in a new city and had already met a whole group of new friends. I wasn’t just busy settling into a new apartment, I was busy socializing and building a new social network.

Best of all, my new roommates and their whole group of friends are really into healthy eating and fitness. The weather is warm, and so are the people.

Possibility Mindset and Openness

But I think everything has been falling into place so well because of the mindset I adopted when I decided to move down here – I’m open to possibility. I’m embracing new opportunities, saying yes to (almost) everything that comes my way, and so far it’s all been wonderful.

I moved to Miami not just because I needed to escape the Winter. I am definitely extra sensitive to the cold, and I definitely need more warm weather in my life. But really I moved to Miami because I needed a fresh start. I moved to Miami because I wanted more – more of the healthy lifestyle that I’d begun to create for myself.

And that’s exactly what I’ve found: beach, sunshine, yoga, plenty of green juice, blue skies, and a clear mind. Count me as a very happy girl right now.