Trying not to be so hard on myself, taking big steps and finding a community.
Last Friday, I moved to Palma de Mallorca, a place I get to call home for the next 6 months (¡qué suerte!). That means I have now been in Palma for 1 whole week! It has been a week of slowly making my flat feel more homely (still a work in progress), starting my new role with work, and trying to find friends.
Being open and honest, I have felt pretty lonely at times this week. I love my alone time and find it necessary, but I am an extroverted person, and this week I definitely hit my quota of it. Going from London, where I have built up a big friendship group and lived with three other girls. To a new city, living on my own and having to find friends, isn’t easy. I am loving life here so far, but still adjusting, and this week has come with its lonely moments. Moments where, if I weren’t me, I’d say maybe I can’t do this. However, I know I can, and sometimes all it takes is someone with an outside perspective to remind you of that. As well as reminding myself that I don’t need to do or achieve everything all at once (poco a poco).
So, on Thursday night, after a day of realising, okay, wow, you need to get yourself out and meet more people (my realisation came after I was far too excited about the size of an apple, yep, I know, very lame). I headed to an art event called Mar y Tierra by Maria Adlersson at Rialto Living, a store here in Palma owned by a Swedish couple. The perfect store for some nice pieces to make your home feel cosier. Whilst admiring the art, I chatted to the owner, the store manager and the owner’s sister, and I started to feel a little more like myself again.
I then headed out into the streets surrounding the store, which are filled with galleries, and stumbled into one called Gerhardt Braun Gallery – a German gallery where Porsche was hosting an event. There I started speaking to a British man, who, as we chatted and I explained why I was in Mallorca, very kindly told me that he really admired what I was doing and that it showed independence, confidence and a lot of bravery. Those kind words made me step back and realise what I am doing is pretty impressive, and I am being hard on myself by thinking I need to have everything sorted all at once – my job, the friend group, the flat and whatever else.
After those interactions, I felt as though I got my mojo back (not that I lost it). I just needed a friendly reminder, and I have gone into this weekend with the intention to take things step by step and just be myself.
One thing that I am really utilising at the moment as a way to get myself out and about, to events, to explore and meet people is The Calendar Mallorca. My new boss recommended it to me, and it is a one-stop website filled with everything to do across Mallorca. It is where I found out about the gallery opening at Rialto Living and where I discovered Art Cologne – an art fair I enjoyed on Friday evening.
I am also trying to build my routine, and a huge part of that is running and exercise.
Ola Run Collective
Before arriving in Palma, I made the decision to start building a run club called Ola Run Collective. After learning so much in London through pacing and helping with different run clubs, I was inspired to create a space to bring people together. Using running as the reason, but with the aim of it becoming so much more. Something for locals, expats and travellers to enjoy. This is Ola Run Collective; it is all about Connection in Motion.
On Wednesday of this week, we had our first run, and I was over the moon to have 3 runners join us. It was a big moment for me when 3 strangers entrusted their time and energy to me. The prospect that no one might have turned up and it would have just been me, was scary and real. However, that didn’t happen, and this week was a great start! I want and hope to build momentum from here. If you are in Palma and want to join a group centred around connection, come join the wave!
Mio Clubs
As a runner, I also need to ensure I am strength training. After the London Marathon, I intend to refocus on social runs, the gym, and trying different classes. So, finding a good and welcoming gym in Palma was important to me. That is where Mio comes in – a gym I have joined that really feels community-focused. It is a smaller gym that brings together locals and expats, and it is growing, with another location in Palma set to open very soon. Naomi and Allan, the owners, have been so welcoming to me and even let me come along to a new series of events that they launched with Melia and Rafal Nadel’s wellbeing hotel brand called Zel Hotels. The event was incredible, and I met some lovely people.
There are other pillars of my routine and life here in Palma starting to take shape. Like my local coffee shop, BACÁN, who were so kind to let me host the first Ola run with them. As well as figuring out simple things like where to do my weekly shop or where I’d like to buy fresh bread (UCO Bakery is my current go-to).
More of these local favourites and habits will come, and I know that I need to be patient with things and myself. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and all that jazz. Neither will my life here be built as fast as I want it to be, and that’s okay. Enjoying the process is part of the adventure, and yes, I need to be reminded of that sometimes.
Lots of love,
Laura-Jane x
Laura-Jane Adventures 
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