How To Trick Yourself Into Thinking You Are European

 

Adapting a European-inspired lifestyle can be done anywhere.

There is a certain romance about life in Europe. I’ve always dreamed about living there and I’ve fantasized about a glamorous looking lifestyle like the ones I’ve seen in movies.

But adapting a more European-inspired lifestyle can be done anywhere. It centers around two things: Simplicity and Appreciation. There are some simple and easy ways that I adapted to my lifestyle — and you can use them no matter where you live.

One of the easiest ways that I’ve adopted a more European-inspired life is to walk more. In European cities, towns and small villages, people walk to get to where they are going. I’ve gotten into the habit of walking to the store, the post office and opting for public transportation and getting off the bus or metro a stop or two before my destination. Even making small changes like taking the stairs instead of the elevator is a great way to move my body like I would do if I lived in Europe.

Consumerism is not as big in Europe as it is in the U.S.. Apartments are a lot smaller. Closet spaces are minimally built. Even the cars are a lot smaller in Europe. Because of the space limitations, a lot of people adapt to capsule wardrobes. I’ve been practicing intentional living and have adopted a more minimalist lifestyle. I live simply in small ways like shopping at the farmer’s market with reusable bags and getting food without plastic. These are just ways that the Europeans live simply, minimally and environmentally healthy as well.

Seasonal cooking is very popular in Europe. I often walk or take the metro to my closest outdoor market to pick up the produce that is currently in season. There is a strong sense of community in farmer’s markets. I tend to see a lot of the same people each time I go. It’s a great way to form community.

I’ve also been pampering myself — giving some extra love to myself through self-care practices. The Europeans love pleasure, and not just the pleasure of eating well and drinking good wine. Just in the simple act of wearing my favorite perfume every day to re-connect myself with my senses and smell something pleasant. The desire to want to pamper myself and make myself feel beautiful is not a narcissistic or vain thing to do. In fact, when I treat my body with love, care and respect and I adorn it with things that make me feel good and bring me joy — that’s a way to show myself self-love.

I am learning to excel at the art of doing nothing. I’m allowing myself to sit still, listen to some music and sip a glass of wine while preparing a meal.

I now prioritize mealtimes. Like the Europeans, I treat my meals as sacred and treasure my time spent at the table — whether with family or friends or alone. I always eat at the table — never on the couch. I don’t snack often. I eat 2–3 meals a day — a small breakfast, a nice lunch with hot food and sometimes even dessert and I eat dinner around 8pm or later.

I wear my nice clothes often. I make sure they fit me well and make me feel good in them — make me feel confident. I’m becoming more aware of fabrics and which ones make me feel luxurious. I’ve noticed that just stepping out into the day wearing clothes and jewelry that flatter me makes me feel more confident and pulled together. It makes me feel more inspired. I can truly say these things have enhanced and elevated my life on an everyday level.

I live slowly. In the U.S., a lot of people feel like if they slow down, they’re going to miss out. I strongly feel that if we intentionally slow down our lives and say “no” to things that don’t coincide with our core essence, we can live a simpler, more satisfying life.

These are things that I can do anywhere I live. I don’t have to live in Europe to live a more European lifestyle.