taking care in Copenhagen
15 little life lessons from travel well spent
I’m not going to say I went to Copenhagen and returned a changed person. Because that would be dramatic and ridiculous, right? I was only gone for two weeks.
But I’m also not not saying that…
The older I get, the more I realize each trip (a weekend away or an extended leave) lends to opportunities for learning. And this trip, likely given its length and ability to truly disconnect from work, lent to a lot of learnings.
Today I’m sharing a few tidbits about things that I furiously wrote down in my notepad during my airplane ride home as I was reflecting on the trip.
(if there’s one benefit of flying a budget airline and having no access to movies or Wifi or even complimentary water, it’s that you can really get lost in your own stream of consciousness).
((or maybe I was just dehydrated to the point of hallucination))
Here are some things I’ve been mulling over since my return.
America is “health” obsessed and yet immensely unhealthy
Perhaps this is all projection, but the way health is discussed in America is all consuming. If someone spends time preparing meals, eating vegetables, and going to the gym, not only do you definitely know about it, but it seems to be a core personality trait.
I’ve thought about this a lot, and first wondered if this is just a bias based on what I see at work. I am most often talking about health and posting on the internet about health or health adjacent things, so the conversations I have at work and on the internet seem entirely centered around health.
But I think there is at least somewhat of a core difference in Europe given health in some cities is just so much more accessible.
In Copenhagen, the concept of fast food is much different, and the quality of food is much different. It embodies the slow food movement, each item thoughtfully homemade, cared for, and tended to.
Furthermore, the entire city is designed for biking and walking, and less so for driving. There is so much more green space to visit and relax. The idea of ‘rest’ isn’t a luxury; it’s a cohesive part of life.
I also found the commonplace nature of sauna and cold plunge really interesting. In America, this is reserved for the elite. It’s super expensive and not always available on a regular basis. In Copenhagen, this is part of every day life.
This is likely coming from a top down approach given there’s social welfare and accessibility for these things on a systems based level. Whereas in America, it’s an ‘every person for themselves’, fiercely individualistic infrastructure.
So even though there is an obsession with health in America, it’s incredibly difficult to maintain and sustain health status.
One of the most defeating parts about my job is that when having discussions around health, it feels like 80% of health status is predetermined based on zip code. And this didn’t feel as true in Europe.
Again acknowledging the skewed perception given I was only there for 2 weeks and I’ve been America-based for ~32 years. But health in Copenhagen seemed less of an in your face ‘look what I’m doing’ thing. It’s a more easeful state of being because of the above (food, movement, green space, welfare state), though there also seems less stress and trauma of the work day to unpack on a daily basis.
Down with the to-do list
What an absolute gift is an unscheduled day. When in Copenhagen, we had a few general bullet points of where we wanted to go and eat, but otherwise there was such freedom and flexibility of the day. Now I absolutely know that this isn't possible or realistic for the vast majority of life. But it did invite a visceral realization that even on weekends, even during free time, if I’m not doing something, I’m thinking about doing something or thinking about what I’m not doing.
This makes absolute sense given the majority of my work day is filled with things to do, and feelings of guilt that I’m not able to get to everything.
And in my free time, this transcends and translates to the same pressured and frenetic energy even during time ‘off.’
I firmly believe so many of us live our lives forgetting how to relax given the immense pressure of the day to day. This is compounded even further for parenthood.
Just a few days ago, I was with one of the physicians I work with and they said, “even if I’m fully present doing one thing, I know I’m dropping the ball or missing something in another sphere of life.” (or something like that)
I am swollen with sadness at this sentiment because it just feels so real and so true.
Having an active self-compassion practice, paired with days that feel free and windy and unscheduled, is my current goal to unravel and relinquish the grip of that feeling. To leave room for spontaneity rather than have each day be so bloated with tasks. Especially during this phase of life where I have agency over my free time because I don’t have kids.
This will likely be a challenge given I’m someone who thrives with a plan (see meme below - hello, me). But I felt so much more ‘chill’ when traveling this time, and hope to keep at least some of that with me.
Dressing up
The standard uniform in Boston is leggings or other variety of athleisure, sneakers, and a jean jacket.
The standard uniform in Copenhagen is equally monochromatic, though there’s really no athleisure worn other than during dedicated exercise.
The style here is superb. Sitting outside, sipping a glass of wine, reading a book and observing the effortlessly chic population of Copenhagen was just a dream.
A lot of baggy jeans, oversized button ups, cardigans, clogs, and linens. Though paired with something funky - shoes, a necklace, hat, etc.
And so many vintage inspired ensembles! There’s a ton of vintage shopping in Copenhagen, which is likely the foundation for the style. See this post for shopping recommendations.
Now saying that, did I wear scrubs and leggings nearly ever day since being home? Absolutely!! But the sentiment is there and I’m back to building out a more robust capsule wardrobe.
13 more observations below!!