Has moving to a warm climate made you happy? (house, live)

[Tama]

Crewbank--What's this about the happiest people being in cold climes? Where did you get that? The suicide rate, I understand, is very high in Sweden and the long sunless periods are blamed.
Oh, where is that special place with cool breezy summers, mild sunny winters with a slight onion snow and coat weather maybe twice a season, crisp colorful falls and pleasantly warm springtime???

[Mar0]

I think it is easier to be happy in warmer places. When I lived in PA and it was freezing, you would not want to leave your home, and I would experience many blah days. Here in Hawaii, I still have a few blah days, but at least I can go outside and maybe go to the beach. How can you not be happy and relaxed lying on the beach, with the sun warming you up? It is impossible.

[Yorkie Bar]

I live in the north of England - what is this sun you speak of?

[crewbank]

Originally Posted by Tama

Crewbank--What's this about the happiest people being in cold climes? Where did you get that? The suicide rate, I understand, is very high in Sweden and the long sunless periods are blamed.
Oh, where is that special place with cool breezy summers, mild sunny winters with a slight onion snow and coat weather maybe twice a season, crisp colorful falls and pleasantly warm springtime???

I live in Phoenix, so I'm not speaking from experience!!! I read it in "The Geography of Bliss," by Eric Wiener. It's a fun read, even if you disagree with his often frigid choices of happiest places. BTW, the unhappiest place in the world...Moldova. There's your fun fact for today.

[LilyLaLa]

Originally Posted by Yorkie Bar

I live in the north of England - what is this sun you speak of?

ROFL!!

I was wondering the same...

I don't think it's a matter of 'warm' so much, but sunshine: I've lived here in Ireland, and in the American South (sunny and hot) and the Alps (sunny and sometimes frozen). I was much more cheerful and relaxed in the sunny places, whether warm or cold.

The suicide rate in Ireland is disgracefully high...and no wonder. Cold isn't as depressing as months of gloom.

[Prelor]

Originally Posted by LilyLaLa

ROFL!!

The suicide rate in Ireland is disgracefully high...and no wonder. .

Read today that it's higher than the deaths from road accidents.

Originally Posted by LilyLaLa

Cold isn't as depressing as months of gloom.

Which is the reason why I left and walking around now in sandals and shorts.

[sweetclimber]

I personally think it makes no difference. For me I grew up in Rochester NY and was never bored or unhappy there. There are tons of things to do in the winter and summer outdoors. I then moved to San Diego and did not like it and was less happy. I then went to Houston and was just as happy in Houston as Rochester. It is all about ones ability to sort out the images that the media portrays to us about what makes us happy. For example we have all seen images of people on the beach having a great time and enjoying life and we have also seen pictures of people in cold climates sneezing or angrily scaping a windshield. These types of images shape peoples minds (especially the weak minded ones) so they may actually believe they are happier in warmer climates. But if you do a deep self inventory of your self, many would probably find out they were wrong.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Age, and stage of life might have something to do with it, too.

When I was a kid, I *loved* the snow.
When I was a young adult, the novelty of cold weather waned, and I hated driving in it, but I was resilient.
When I had my own kids, I was both busy with them as well as enjoying winter activities with them. I could get into the excitement of Snow Days.
As the kids (and I) got older, winter really began to drag me down, and the last three years that I lived in a cold climate, I dealt with eczema every winter.

Not anymore.

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

I know from talking to some people they prefer the change of season, they like heat but only for the normal 2-3 months of the summer.

I am not like that. I live in Florida and its made a HUGE change in how I feel. I love the sun, I love being able to do things like going to the beach and pool for MUCH longer in the year. I LOVE never seeing snow and never having to wear alot of cold weather clothes.

Everyone is different though, what works for me, may not for everyone.

Some people WANT to see snow for Christmas, I don't suffer from that at all. I would spend the day in a bathing suit out by the pool with the turkey on the barbeque if I could.

[Mooseketeer]

I hate hot weather and am always much happier and a lot more active in colder climes.
I actually like the rain, snow, sleet etc.. and my idea of pure hell would be somewhere which is hot and sunny all year round.

I love changeable , variable weather with defined seasons , I think it adds a sense of "occasion" and makes life a lot more interesting.

Obviously I don't want it to pour down every single day but I think grey, rainy weather has a lot of charms too.
I lived in Scotland for 4 years and it never ceased to amaze me how stunningly beautiful the Highlands were in ALL weather whether sunny and glorious or moody, dark and damp.
The rain actually added an extra layer of complexity to the rugged scenery and it never bothered me.
I love the sound of rain on roofs, the smell of the countryside after a good cleansing downpour and the cosy feeling induced by snow-bound days where all is hushed and blanketed.

The heat and humidity is something which makes me feel sluggish and lazy, I hate it. I never feel like doing anything and every year I dread summer.

Autumn is my favourite season, lots of sunny sharp days with colder evenings, some rain, and a sense that winter is upon us .