[1] No one’s coming to hand it to you. You learn quickly: if you want a seat at the table, you pull out the chair yourself. Confidence isn’t optional here, it’s survival. [2] Being seen and being known are not the same. You can be surrounded by millions and still feel invisible. That’s why you learn to validate yourself. Internally. Quietly. Powerfully. [3] Waiting to feel ready is a luxury. There’s no soft launch here. You do it scared, unsure, messy — and the city meets you where you move. Not where you pause. [4] Stillness is a skill. Between the subway rush and skyline dreams, you learn to carve out slowness. That oat milk latte? That bookstore bench? That moment where no one needs you? That’s sacred. [5] You become who you hang around. This city will change you. Make sure it’s in the direction you choose. Surround yourself with people who remind you who you came here to be. This city cracked me open and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. #newyorkcitylife #nycinspo #growingupinnyc #movingtonewyork #nycadvice #romanticizeyourlife #nycinyour20s