I have a friend who lives in an apartment overlooking the ocean in Manly. Occasionally she posts photos of the spectacular sunrises she witnesses, or storms rolling in over the ocean. Those pictures used to have me moping about the house for days – I wanted to live where she lived. One day, when talking to this friend about wanting to move, she pointed out that she sees the sunrise because she is racing out the door at an ungodly hour to get the bus, then the ferry, then the train, just to get to work on time. And when those storms roll in it often means that commute is even worse.

Still, I envied her.

But a few days later, while running round Lake Ginninderra I got to thinking. This morning, I would wake up early, drive five minutes in no traffic to a gorgeous lake where I could run to my heart’s content. And then, I would have time to drive home, get ready, eat my breakfast, read some of the paper and then walk the 25 minutes into work – and still be there at a reasonable time.

Sure, this sort of ‘leisurely’ morning isn’t possible for everyone (I don’t have kids, for starters). And I do get up very early to make it all fit. But it did make me realise what a great city we live in for maintaining a healthy and balanced life. Realising that made me a little less morose about not being in Manly. At least for now.

I got to thinking and reading quite extensively about what constitutes a healthy city and what makes a city liveable. While I think Canberra could make some steps to improving on both these fronts (another post for another day), I stopped taking for granted what we do have on offer here. So this is my love letter, of sorts, to Canberra. I am making up for all those times I cursed you (Canberra) by acknowledging all the ways you make my life a healthier and happier one.

Your lakeside tracks and roadside pathways

I can run…I can run wherever I like. And I can do so surrounded by water, trees and nature. I can do so in safety. I can do so in the stillness of morning and not pass another soul. I can do so at a more decent hour and smile knowingly at those I pass – we know we are onto a good deal. I can run far, I can run local. Or days where I don’t want to run at all, I can walk through the suburbs – and all the above applies. I am sure if I was a mountain biker I would say the same of the tracks here in Canberra too. But I admit I am too much of a wuss for that scene.

Your ease of commute

For me, commuting involves walking to work. I am lucky. But it hasn’t always been like this. I have had the ‘horrid’ Canberra commutes, and I often got quite worked up doing them. But, at the end of the day, I would always be home in time to actually enjoy some time there and it didn’t feel like my day was an endless cycle of getting to and from work. I could live life, not work through it.

Your (generally) flexible workplace conditions

This is not true for everyone. In fact, it may not even be true for the majority. But, Canberra does probably provide more opportunity than most cities to set up work arrangements that allow us to balance our commitments. Like the point above, I really appreciate a way of living which doesn’t seem like an endless cycle of work, rinse and repeat. (Not that I don’t enjoy my job, I just enjoy other things too!)

Your clean air

I spent a few days in Beijing earlier this year. I didn’t see the sun all day, because of an unfathomably thick pollution haze. The air felt dirty, I felt dirty. I couldn’t imagine living like that day in day out. We are so lucky to have the air quality we do in Canberra. I sincerely hope this is something we strive to maintain as our city grows.

Your nature reserves

Not enough can be said about the ability to travel just minutes and be wholly in nature. It refreshes the soul. As a child, it invigorates the imagination. The reserves provide amazing backdrops for picnics, barbeques, bushwalks, swims and running kids ragged. Most weekends in my childhood, my parents would take me for a walk or an explore in one of Canberra’s nature parks. While I now realise it was an ingenious ploy to wear me out, these are some of the fondest memories I have.

Your sense of community

There are so many opportunities to create a community here. Thankfully Canberra hasn’t lost that element of its ‘small town’ heritage. No matter what you are into, there is a community of like-minded people at your doorstep. Of course, communities can also lead to cliques, but at least at a basic level – having a community around you is a wonderful way to bolster your feeling of wellbeing.

Your abundance of fresh food

I love food. A lot. I believe nutritious food is a huge part of our overall wellbeing. And while we may not have the best the world can offer, we have some pretty amazing options to source fresh, and often locally grown, produce. To me, nothing enlivens me more than wandering through a market full of fruit and vegetables and knowing what wonderful things these products can do for my health. Also, I won’t lie, I love any market that offers free samples. That part is purely emotional wellbeing.

So there it is, these are the things about this fair city I will no longer take for granted. These are the things that make me healthy and happy. And these are the things that keep me here. For now.

How do you think living here contributes to your overall health and wellbeing?