Does your location determine your level of happiness?
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for me, yes.
I'm happier living here than I think I ever have been.
My family and many of my friends are pretty far away, but I don't mind it.
Proof of the location theory, at least for me, is today I did a nice nose dive while walking back home with a full grocery cart while walking down broadway. Now my cart won't even close.. it's all bent up. Before I lived here I would have cursed up a storm... this time I just laughed. (plus, the only things that broke were 5 eggs and a jar of jelly. not bad.) Little things don't bother me as much as when I lived in Tennessee, probably because that's all there was for me to do was let little things bother me.
Oh and as far as the weather goes, i'm odd but i love the cold and wind. Seriously.
Happiness is different things to different people. Some people move to a place for the weather. Not me. I have lived on the east and west coast, and am from the midwest. I miss the change of seasons, the atmosphere, the people. To me, midwest people are the friendliest-some people won't agree with me, I know. I was not able to find the same morals and values in the east or in the west as I do in the midwest. I can deal with the snow, I did for most of my life. I am definitely happier in some places than in others.
Traci
yeah its one of the few cities in north america which i can live the lifestyle I want to...I do like the beach and stuff... and warm climate... but whats use living there, if I can't enjoy it? lol... not much to do in most of the places I would like for the weather and actually save money... if i didn't have to work, sure, but I do...
I recently moved to Denver after living in Chicago (and the burbs) for all 27 years of my life. I left so I could snowboard and be active all year. So far I've not regretted my decision in leaving, because I am enjoying every day here, and the weather is wonderful (but erratic at times!) Of course I miss Chicago too. There's no other place on earth like it and it will always be "home".
From my own experience, it has alot to do with it. Chicago was very depressing to me in the winter. Cold and dark. It gets dark there so damn early that it is already night when you walk out of work at 5PM. At least here in the south, it is light for another hour. The only thing that cheered me was walking down Michigan Ave and seeing all the holiday decorations. Here it was warm enough to be outside without a jacket today. I like it warm. But I like Chicago too. If I could, I would live in Chicago and come here from Thanksgiving to March.
I wouldnt say i love winter, but I dont hate it. The city takes on a different atmosphere, which I do like. For example, I was walking down Lincoln Ave last night, the street was quiet and empty, and a slight drizzle was falling. passed an empty lot between 2 houses that was turned into a christmas tree operation..was lit only by the ambient light of the christmas bulbs strung between the trees. the guy was working out of a tiny antique trailer. a young couple was alone picking out their tree, and getting ready to carry it back to their apartment. felt like a cross between a normal rockwell painting and a scene from a david lynch film. Thats what I love...sort of the menacing beauty even the little things take on.
I don't think location can make people much happier, depending. It mostly depends if there are overt negatives in your location making you less happy - like if you're away from friends/family, if you don't feel safe, if it's polluted, stuff like that. But things like location and income in the long run hardly do much at all for happiness, according to scientific studies. By far the easiest way to guess how happy you will be in the future, is to just ask yourself how happy you are *right now*. According to scientists, this is actually the most accurate way to predict how happy you will be in the future.
Another thing is even if a location does influence it for you... people tend to vastly over estimate how happy or unhappy something will make them feel. Even with very significant life changing events. In the end they actually don't really influence happiness that much (yes even things like, becoming physically handicapped, or winning the lottery, don't really do anything to influence long term happiness, believe it or not).
But one thing that can make a person unhappy is too much comparative thinking. Thinking things like "if only I lived *there* instead, I'd be happier" or "if only I had a bigger house" or whatever. Comparative thinking tends to be really biased and mostly makes a person less happy - unless the type of comparative thinking is of the grateful kind ("it could have been worse")
Happiness is different things to different people. Some people move to a place for the weather. Not me. I have lived on the east and west coast, and am from the midwest. I miss the change of seasons, the atmosphere, the people. To me, midwest people are the friendliest-some people won't agree with me, I know. I was not able to find the same morals and values in the east or in the west as I do in the midwest. I can deal with the snow, I did for most of my life. I am definitely happier in some places than in others.
Traci
I lived in Chicago for years, and am now in Florida. First, I'm commenting on the above...I'm from the midwest (raised in Cleveland)..you are right on in your post.
Regarding happiness...I believe that it is a portion of what makes you overall a happy person. True happiness goes much deeper than outward laughing, and appearances. Happiness is really an inner peace. I think where you live has much to do with that. I've lived all over the US with my job...and I have to say, that while I LOVED and enjoyed some of the places I lived, I don't ever long for them, or miss them, or have truly fond memories. That is happiness. Chicago I miss, Los Angeles I don't. Ohio I miss. Where I am now..HATE IT! I've lived in two cities in FL, Tampa and Jax. I'm now in Jacksonville, and while there is nothing wrong with it, I don't connect. Jacksonville isn't Florida to me. It's like going out for a nice steak dinner and getting chicken. I miss Tampa. I was happy there...I'm not a different person, but I connected with the people, I connected with the lifestyle, so while I make more money here, have more friends here, and live in a WAY better house here.....I was happier there!!! Connecting to a place doesn't have to be tangible. You just know inside.....you're at peace and happy.
Last edited by LewLew; 12-03-2007 at 07:45 PM..
Reason: typos
I am from michigan as well! I have been thinking about phoenix for the same reasons as you posted! However, I have read alot of negative posts about phoenix, so I am not sure what I am going to do! My alternative choices are chicago or grand rapids,mi! Any advice?
Thanks,
PJ
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lovegun
No, your friends and family do.
Sorry but good weather isn't everything.
I moved to Phoenix from Michigan for sun, warmth, jobs.
Meet some great people, getting good job experience, enjoying winter here.
But I haven't found anything long lasting..great people turned out be flaky.
But its just not like home. I can't wait to move out back to the mid west.
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