After many years of commuting and traveling, a sort of philosophy started to develop organically. This philosophy is simple: to have a better, easier, and safer commute you have to remain light, be comfortable, blend in with your environment, and remain aware.
Remain light: In order to be fluid in a city, and have a better commute, you have to be light, unencumbered by the things you carry. Being nimble allows you to move easily and fast. This, in turn, translates to less stress and the ability to adapt to the different situations that present themselves during a daily commute or while traveling.
Be comfortable: A key point to making the commute easier, or just being able to adapt, is being comfortable with what you are wearing. Different jobs and different activities call for different wardrobes. But, no matter what the reason for traveling is, there is always a way to make what you wear, and how to carry the things you need, comfortable. Comfort removes a lot of the stress from the commute. Being warm when it’s cold, being dry when it rains, or being comfortable standing when the trains are crowded, for example, will lessen some of the hassles of everyday life.
Blend in: In an urban environment, you would want to go unnoticed. Blending in adds to the previous point, by allowing you to also move easily and fast. Having the right clothing, the right gear, and more importantly, the right attitude and demeanor, will allow you to move unnoticed, providing safety, and giving you the chance to better observe the environment.
Remain aware: Being in a state of relaxed awareness is one of the most important things for a safer commute or travel. Understanding what’s happening around you, noticing the people, the sounds, the smells, and taking in the whole picture will allow your senses to let you know when something is not right. Situational awareness is paramount in an urban environment.
Always remember that if we don't see anything bad happening, it's not because things are OK, but rather it's just that nobody has decided to do them yet. Remain aware.