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Living an East Coast Life with a West Coast Vibe | Reducing Stress

May 21, 2017 by Nick Joly Leave a Comment

Where to Stay in San Diego - Marriott Marquis Waterfront

Have you ever watched Grace and Frankie, the Netflix Original show?

I have, and while I am well aware of how loosely millennials use the word obsessed, I cannot deny that I am pretty much OBSESSED with the show!

Well, I would say that I am less obsessed with the show than I am with one of the characters; Frankie. I like to think of her as my spirit animal!

I mean, minus her extremist left-wing views, seismophobic behaviours and liberal drug usage. But all that is her green living, earthing, organic, free-spirited nature… I am totally feeling it.

Frankie singularly and holistically embodies all that is the left brained, west coast, liberal, creative. And I l-o-v-e it!

I think we have all got a pretty good grasp on east vs west coast living in terms of lifestyle, right?

East coast = high strung, 9-5, fast walking. Head straight to work, do not make eye contact, do not collect, do not pass Go

East Coast – think Toronto, New York, Boston, Chicago

West coast = laid back, mindful, calm, zen, work at your own pace kinds of vibes.

West Coast – think Vancouver, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco

As a marketing professional who happens to work on the East Coast, I so easily fall victim to living and breathing the lifestyle every day. Though, more and more, as the hustle and bustle of the city rises, so can our stress levels.

I also happen to travel a fair bit for work, to both coasts of North America. And whenever I hit the West Coast, I can spot the difference in stress levels and lifestyles instantly. To be honest, I did consider moving to San Francisco for quite a while. A friend of mine found some rooms for rent in san francisco and invited me to join him. Who knows, I might still take up his offer one day.

Why are East Coasters so much more stressed?!

I mean, the stress of East Coast living is NOT worth it. And do not get me wrong, I am not saying that we are the only ones who are stressed. But why is the difference in lifestyle between coasts so apparent?!

Things to do in Chicago inspired by nick

I think that as humans, we adapt.

Be it to our surroundings, our circumstances, or even our work environments. We all learn to survive and thrive in whatever environment we are in. Just think of the city structure of Toronto or New York, and the sheer volume of people within the square footage. Luckily, these cities are able to accommodate all of the people who live and decide to move here. Housing options such as these apartments for rent are a popular choice amongst the people who want to start a new life in states such as New York, as the rent can be more affordable than other places, as well as being able to live close to the city centre. Some people may not find the number of people and square footage ideal though.

There are more cooks in the kitchen on the east coast, plain and simple. Ergo, less room to breathe, more people to manage, and higher stress levels.

Approaching an East Coast life with a West Coast Vibe.

I have spoken a lot about stress, more specifically coping with stress through meditation and mindfulness. And while adapting to our environments may be human nature, falling victim to stress does not have to be.

Think of the open roads, the nature, the ocean breeze and the forestation that the west coast brings. Sure, all of those things have been argued (re: proven) to help reduce stress, so have activities such as earthing, meditation, and yoga.

For more on earthing, see this article I <3 by goop: Earthing: How Walking Barefoot Could Cure Your Insomnia & More

There are numerous ways of coping with and reducing stress. Something I find myself doing constantly to not get caught up with the east coast life is removing myself, and slowing down. When it comes to relieving stress, whether someone decides to write things down, speak to friends/family or even try alternative methods such as marijuana (as this is said to have calming properties) which can be bought online through sites like https://buymyweedonline.com/mjn-express/, these are just some ways that people can help live a stress-free life, as this is not something we have to go through daily. Marijuana is a particularly popular method to relieve stress. If you’re considering cannabis, you can learn more at sites like Fat Buddha Glass.

Granted, this is a lot easier in the warmer months when you easily retreat on a bike ride out of the city to the Toronto Islands or High Park to surround yourself with nature. But activities like yoga and meditation do not require any displacement at all.

There is this maxim I live by; Think. Slow Down. Think.

Ultimately, no matter how many cooks there may be in the kitchen, or people crowding the streets and subways on your way to work, if you take a step back, think, slow down, think, you will afford yourself clarity of mind. And ultimately be adopting a more west coast approach to dealing with whatever may be on your east coast plate.

Talking about stress should not be taboo! I want to know what techniques you have or what you do to cope with stress.

The more we talk openly about it, the more people can learn to live more balanced lives. Inspired by Nick is an open forum, so share your thoughts with me in the comment box below!

East Coast Toronto Downtown Living


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Filed Under: Food For Thought, Life.Inspired, Travel.Inspired Tagged With: East Coast, Food for Thought, Inspired By Nick, Meditation, Mindfulness, Reducing Stress, West Coast

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serving you post-workout sweat and redness realnes serving you post-workout sweat and redness realness rn 💪🏼🥵💦 and I just got these super convenient deodorant wipes from @forwardwithdesign for when I have to jump from lunchtime workouts to a zoom call during the week 🤫 now you know my secret! 😂 AD #forwardwithdesign #inspiredbynick
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I always start in produce (naturally) and then jump straight to organic aisles for my fav snacks. Using the green labels in-store, I can identify (at a quick glance) which products are plant-based, vegan, or gluten-free. The My Health, My Choices program also allows me to scan product barcodes using the MyMetro app and search for exactly what I need, taking the whole experience to the next level 🙌🏼 ➡️ Swipe to see my shopping experience and what items I picked up at my local Metro. #Sponsored #MyMetro #Inspiredbynick
we’ve moved into our home 🏡 and we’re still we’ve moved into our home 🏡 and we’re still taking time to settle in. there are some projects we wanna get done asap but can’t due to lockdown, so we’re just gonna go with the flow and enjoy the ride together 👬🏻 ps, that photo is from 9 years ago on one of our first dates
When you’re craving a burger but you also want a When you’re craving a burger but you also want a #meatless option 🙌🏼🍔 Organic Black Bean Fiesta Burgers made by yours truly 🍔💁🏻‍♂️when I was vegan I really had to get creative with a lot of my recipes, otherwise I’d be eating the same old bean salad every day… and bean salad doesn’t really taste like a burger when you’re craving a burger! Even though I’m not fully vegan anymore, I do still like to swap out meat as much as possible with other #plantbased options because that’s what works for me! 
With @metroontario's new program, MyHealth, MyChoices finding products that suit your dietary needs and lifestyles couldn't be easier. With almost 9,000 products labelled with nearly 50 different attributes like plant-based, fat-free, non-GMO, etc., you can easily find what works for you. So for this recipe, I looked for the green labels in-store, found the perfect Irresistibles organic black beans and extra virgin olive oil and whipped up a batch of patties that my heartmate and I devoured! (Tip: they also freeze well)! The recipe for them is on my blog (link in bio) and on Metro’s Instagram page and website! Hope you enjoy these if you decide to make them! #inspiredbynick  #MyHealthMyChoices #mymetro #sponsored
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At-home yoga for the winnn! 🧘🏻‍♂️🌿✨ because even though supporting my local yoga studio looks different now than in the past (classes are all online or through their app), I can still feel good about being a paying member and doing a small part to #supportlocal. 
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I am not THE poster child for supporting local, that’s just the truth, but I do what I can, where I can. Honestly, I do miss being in the hot studio where after a class I would be drenched and feeling so accomplished, ironically though, I’m surprisingly still drenched after a 90 min class at home, more so than I thought I would be! So I still feel good about getting my workout in, even if it’s different than being there in person. 
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Anyone who does yoga regularly like me knows a wet bag is essential after a good flow. The team at @forwardwithdesign have this awesome bag (I link to it in my stories) that I love--it’s super practical and I love the cute print! While I’m not getting as much use out of it as I’d like right now, it will definitely be coming with me to the studio when some of our restrictions lift and small businesses open up again!! AD #ForwardWithDesign #ThatsFWDThinking  #InspiredbyNick
I really miss having people over for charcuterie b I really miss having people over for charcuterie boards and drinks 🕺🏻🍸🥑🧀🥕🫒 and am LONGING for the days when I can host a dinner party again! Tagged a few of the brands of foods on this board, including @miyokoscreamery’s #vegancheese which was to die forrrrr! 🙌🏼✨ happy Friday Junior. y’all! 
On the board: 
Dark chocolate 
Organic berries 
Mixed olives 
Mixed nuts - cashews, pecans, almonds 
Breadsticks 
Crackers 
Rainbow carrots
Vegan party platter hors d’oeuvres
Figs (obvi) 
And a spicy chutney!
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