Here’s the NYC reality check: the skyline sells romance, but the streets demand resilience. Toughness here isn’t swagger—it’s improvisation, patience, and grace under overcrowding. You’ll juggle delays, high costs, and neighborly noise while chasing the best slice of your life. If the list below pokes at you, good—that’s the callus forming. Read on, lace up, and see if your heart keeps pace with your feet.
25. You mistake cynicism for armor
Cynicism feels cool, but it closes doors that optimism quietly opens. Real New Yorkers pair clear eyes with a hopeful core. They’ll help a stranger with a stroller and still negotiate the rent. Toughness is staying kind without being naive.
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