Stop Being Shy! Go Out and Get to Know Your Neighborhood

I feel that one of the cheapest and easiest ways to achieve sweat equity is to simply explore your neighborhood. You are not only getting out and exercising your body, but you are also expanding your social network and investing back into your community–both things that give you life equity in my book.

Whether you rent or own, it never hurts to get to know your neighbors and discover activities and adventures that are right outside your front door. Over the years, I have found this to not only be the cheapest way to discover new things to do and put in those steps, but it is also immensely gratifying. Talking to other community members, familiarizing yourself with neighborhood, and developing pride for where you live brings a sense of belonging and security–one of the biggest values you can secure for yourself even if you only live in an area of a couple of years.

When I lived in Montrose, CA, I used to love walking to my local library. And when it was a particularly nice day, it was always a treat to take a quick trip to Descanso Gardens or visit the local shops on Honolulu Blvd.

In Massachusetts, I had a little cemetery within walking distance from my apartment that had headstones dating back to before the formal foundation of the United States. I also had quick access to Mt. Sugarloaf State Reservation and the Quabbin Reservoir which was always a treat for hiking and just getting out into nature.

In Maryland, I remember catching the train into downtown Baltimore and exploring The Walters Art Museum–a free museum with plenty of rotating exhibits and events to keep a passionate museum-goer happy. The Inner Harbor was also a cool place, and I would be remiss not to mention Geppi’s Entertainment Museum where I could satisfy my interest for comics and pop culture history.

Back in Altadena, CA, I rekindled my love for hiking with regular trips to Eaton Canyon and developed a new love for California Craftsman-style architecture as seen at The Gamble House. With its beautiful gardens and rotating exhibits, it was always a treat to visit The Huntington Library, as well.

Now you might be saying, “well all of these places must have been treks to get to, or you must have needed to make plans well in advance to enjoy,” but that’s not the case at all.

What I loved–and still love–about all of these places is that they were all within walking distance or a short drive from my homes. I could literally one Saturday or Sunday (and sometimes even after work), just decide, “Hey! You know I’d love to take a walk in the Arroyo Seco right now.” Moreover, a lot of these places were either free to visit or had a nominal entrance fee–a fee well worth what you got out of the visit.

One of the first things I try to do when I move into a new neighborhood is get out and explore. Whether it is exploring the local shops and paseos, or hiking spots and museums, it is a great way to get to know your new town as well as meet your new neighbors. I have found over the years that if you invest in getting to know where you live, you not only find great new places to escape, but you get to meet new and like-minded people making you feel more a home, safe, and secure. The sweat equity may not translate to physical money, but there is a lot to be said for loving where you live and getting the most out of your community.

With that in mind, I want to take a quick minute to share some tips and tricks for what I do to get to know my new city!

Your local library or community center is a great place to start when you are looking to find out what your town has to offer. When you get the chance, drop by these locations and see if they have a community bulletin board or brochures about local attractions. My new home is already proving to be a cool place to live because they actually produce a seasonal magazine that is distributed to residents. I just got my copy and let me tell you, whether it be a list of classes I can take at the community center, information about the local hiking trails, or even advertisements for local businesses, I already feel more welcomed.

If your community doesn’t do something similar, that’s totally okay. I found that just inquiring around about things to do in community spaces can bring bring about similar rewards. If you’re shy, no worries, start small. I very much enjoy hiking, so when I went to Eaton Canyon the first time, I made sure to visit the Nature Center to talk to the local docents about great hiking trails to explore as well as pick up their monthly newsletter, which talked about all of the activities they have going on at the park itself.

Again, though, if getting out and talking to people isn’t quite your thing (yet), that’s totally okay. Just taking the proactive steps to engage with the neighborhood is a great first step towards building communal sweat equity.

When I’m bored often the first thing I’ll do is search for something on Google. Below are examples of some of my frequent searches. Obviously, they are tailored to my own interests so feel free to adjust as necessary!

• Historic sites near me
• Events near me
• Hiking trails near me
• Museums near me

The list goes on and on, but with just a few quick searches all of a sudden I have a huge list of all the things my neighborhood offers and an easy way to pinpoint exactly what I can get out and explore.

You should never be shy to talk to your neighbors, but when in doubt do not hesitate to use an incredibly powerful tool that will help you discover new things and get out and explore.

**Pro Tip: When I travel to new cities, I will often employ this very tactic to explore those neighborhoods as well. Even if I’m in town for only a couple of days, it never hurts to see what other cities are offering locally!

Due to the fact that I work from home, I never get a lot of radio time. That said, when I am in the car, I try to listen to the local news stations as much as possible–and boy have I discovered new things going on in my area that I would have been terribly sad to miss.

Whether it is a play being put on my a local theater, a movie coming only your neighborhood, festivals, conferences, whatever, if you don’t take the steps to let the news about these events come to you passively, you could be missing out on some great things.

For example, I never would have know that KPCC–my local station–was hosting an event with Caltech to discus with engineers and scientists the final days of the Cassini spacecrafts mission to explore the planet Saturn. Just listing to the radio one day on the way to the grocery store–a quick five minute drive–I heard about the event Destined to crash: Cassini’s grand finale and within minutes I purchased (free) tickets and a few short days later I was in a room hundreds of like-minded people anxious to learn more about this magnificent mission.

Now my preference is local news stations, but that might not be everyone’s shtick, and that’s cool, too. If music is your jam, put it on a local music station–you could learn about a music festival coming your way. I know that we are constantly being pushed towards a commercial-free environment, but honestly, there is a lot to be said for listening in on what is going on locally in your neighborhood.

I don’t mean to belabor the point, but the best way I have found new and exciting things to do and meet like-minded people is by simply engaging with those who, too, are finding enjoyment in the same activities I’m participating in. It never hurts to put in a “Good morning” on the trail or “How did you hear about this event?” while waiting for the show to start. Who knows, you could make new friends! At the very least, though, you could discover new avenues to explore and help you on your quest to getting out and enjoying your neighborhood.

I hope that you found these tips helpful! If so, feel free to let me know. Also, if you have any other suggestions for ways to find out about things going on in your neighborhood (on the cheap), let everyone know.

Thanks for joining me on my quest towards doing better today!

• Reboot at Eaton Canyon Falls
• Quieting the Mind Through Witnessing Art and Nature

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