I Loved Living In A Big, Famous City For 10 Years, But I'm Much Happier Now That I Moved To A Seaside Town Outside Of It

• I loved surviving and moving successful Belfast and took advantage of each nan metropolis had to connection for years.
• Eventually, I grew tired of nan fast-paced, cramped consciousness of metropolis living.
• I left nan city to move to nan quiet, coastal municipality of Bangor. I person much space, and I'm happier.

I moved to Belfast, 1 of Ireland's astir bustling and celebrated cities, successful 2010.

I was moving my dream occupation pinch immoderate of nan top group successful nan manufacture connected 1 of nan biggest shows successful nan world, "Game of Thrones." Life was bully and engaged for years.

But aft astir a decade, nan city's buzz started to fade, and I yearned for a slower gait of life.

Eventually, I recovered sanctuary by nan oversea successful a quaint coastal town conscionable 25 minutes from nan outskirts of Belfast.

I loved metropolis surviving for years until I sewage sick of nan changeless buzz

Belfast has everything you'd expect an Irish city to person — tons to do, tons of bars and restaurants, and super-friendly people.

I shopped successful bespoke boutiques, ate astatine costly restaurants, and drank successful fancy cocktail bars while besides attending parties and events.

Between my agelong days astatine activity and societal engagements, I seldom spent immoderate clip successful my ain home. Life was full-speed ahead, and I had small clip for myself, family, aliases friends.

Although I was busy, I felt for illustration I was surviving nan dream and taking advantage of each Belfast had to offer. But aft a fewer years, I felt for illustration I'd maxed retired connected metropolis living.

What had attracted maine to Belfast started to push maine away. Tired of nan changeless buzz of people, lights, and traffic, I began yearning for a slower gait of life.

In 2020, nan coronavirus pandemic gave maine nan last push I needed to leave. For months, I recovered myself cooped up successful my mini metropolis flat pinch nary outdoor space. Leaving my location wasn't overmuch comfortableness since Belfast still felt arsenic engaged arsenic ever to me.

As I walked past queues of group waiting 45 minutes conscionable to bargain groceries and section parks teeming pinch people, I felt my soul sound say, "If not now, when?"

I recovered sanctuary successful an Irish seaside town

In 2021, I took nan leap and abandoned metropolis surviving to move to Bangor successful County Down.

I had friends and family successful nan serene seaside town, positive I'd grown up adjacent to a formation successful Ireland — a portion of maine had ever longed to return to nan sanctuary of nan sea.

When I drove up to my caller location successful Bangor, I felt a activity of tranquility lavation complete me. I didn't deed immoderate postulation connected nan drive, thing I seldom knowledgeable successful Belfast.

Going from a tiny apartment connected a engaged metropolis thoroughfare to a freely location pinch luscious greenish trees, a garage, and a garden, felt for illustration a dream travel true.

Immediately, I embraced a slower gait of life. I installed a basking tub successful my plot and started increasing my ain vegetables.

I aftermath up each greeting to nan sound of nan Irish water lapping astatine nan statement and sojourn nan formation for regular walks truthful I tin bask successful nan oversea air.

I'm still grateful for my clip successful nan city, but I consciousness overmuch happier surviving successful a municipality wherever my neighbors often extremity to opportunity hullo and I don't person to struggle to find a parking space.

Plus, a 25-minute thrust tin still get maine to Belfast if I ever crave a sensation of nan city.

I deliberation anyone contemplating leaving a engaged city for a quieter municipality adjacent should springiness it a try, too. After each ... if not now, when?