u/Altruistic-Special84

I’m a music producer based around North OC right now. I’ve been thinking about eventually moving closer to LA for music networking, sessions, and possibly teaching production lessons in person. The thing is, I realized I care a lot about feeling safe and mentally comfortable in the area I live in.
I don’t think I’d do well living in very chaotic or sketchy parts of LA long term. For example, I like areas like West Hollywood, Culver City, Pasadena, Burbank, and some parts of NoHo, etc. I’d probably avoid areas that feel too industrial, unsafe, or stressful at night.
I also think about future students and clients feeling comfortable coming to lessons at night.

Would love to hear from musicians and creatives living in LA:
- Which neighborhoods feel like a good balance between creative access and quality of life?
- Is NoHo actually sustainable long term?
- Are areas like Pasadena/Burbank underrated for music creatives?

Thanks!

I’ve been realizing how much bullying I went through in high school still affects me today.

Back then I was threatened, intimidated, and constantly on edge around certain people. I thought I had moved on, but now I notice I still get anxious in situations where I feel judged or pressured.

For a long time I thought success and proving myself would fix everything, but it just made me more burnt out and anxious.

I also realized that a lot of my motivation came from wanting to prove people wrong or “show them” someday. But living like that started to exhaust me mentally.

Sometimes I still feel stuck in that version of myself who was always scared, defensive, and trying not to look weak.

Now I’m trying to separate my self-worth from other people’s opinions and learn how to live in a healthier way, but it’s hard sometimes.

Has anyone else experienced something similar where old bullying, fear, or humiliation still affects your confidence, relationships, or anxiety years later? How did you start healing from it?