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I was wondering if anybody else has ever walked away from their life and took a leap of faith to try moving to a different state. Specifically I mean moving away from somewhere where you had a good job, your family was there, you spent your entire life there without ever living anywhere else.
What was your experience? Do you regret it? Did you end up moving back home? Would you do it again and why? Where did you move from and to?
I sure have! Twice with no regrets! I lived in South Dakota till I was married...moved to Nebraska and made great friends I am still in touch with...moved to Colorado for 17 years where we raised our family for the most part. After marrying off my oldest 2, we kidnapped our youngest and moved up here to Washington! Still not looking back!
It's a big step to do, but my husband and I had bigger expectations for where we wanted to "retire" and none of the previous places we lived had what we were looking for.
The only draw back to our move up here is that our daughter is still in Colorado, but she comes up to visit and we go back now and then to see her...other than that I believe each move we made at those certain times in our lives were for the best for my husband and I. I, personally, would not move back to the midwest. Too cold in the winter...too hot in the summer.
Thanks for asking! This was a good thread!
I've lived in WI all my life, interviewing now for a position in Montana...
VERY big leap, I'm a single mom, two kids under 5 and an 18-year-old.
I'm not sure what is going to happen of course with the job. My mind has been flailing in all sorts of directions...go...stay...go...stay...and back. I've decided, of course, to have the 2nd interview, see what the facility and management are like, check out the equipment, etc and go from there. Also have decided that I "can't" take less than a certain amount per hour for the job.
One of the GIGANTUOUS reasons is there is a possibility that my young'un's dad will not agree to them coming with me. If that happens, I will have to look extremely closely at the hourly wage, benefits, etc and to the best of my ability, think the whole thing through all over again. If the $$ is enuf for me to support myself and pay child support, that is one thing. If the $$ is less, but I can take the kids with me, that is another. I already know the benefits as far as insurance will cost me less, but I will get 10 days less of vacation a year as well. I've been told a low and mid range for the job and looks like what I "could" be paid may very well be more than I make now.
I also truly adore Montana (have been there before, too, of course) and look at this as a golden opportunity. I also realize if I decide to come back if things don't work out, my cushy, great job I already have, will most likely not be there AND I won't have the kids living with me as I'm sure their dad would have them with him...as that is the way the court system would work I'm sure.
I'm very stressed out as I also own my own home too and that would have to be sold, preferably, and I have never even considered anything like this in the past. It has been nice to read everyone's posts as I can relate. 1/2 of my family thinks I'm nuts, and others say to go for it, that life is too short.
I lived in Waveland MS for 22 years, had a great job as a speech therapist in a school. I had lived in the Northeast years ago when I was 17, well katrina hit, lost everything and made a jump into the adirondacks of upstate NY, have been here3 years, did not have a job, took me about 12 weeks to get my NY state license to work and found a job, which was great, kids adjusted well, winters were cold like I remembered. My husband had never been out of Mississippi, he went back and forth attempting to get our house complete. Will be moving back to MS in about one week. So, it can be done. Of course as a child I moved probably 3-4 times so, for me this was not completely new, but, it can be stressful and fun at the same time.
I think it depends why you are moving. If you want new experiences and an adventure, that's good. If you are trying to escape problems, they will most likely be the same in a new place, only you won't have the support of friends and family.
On the whole, change is healthy. I think many people remain stagnant out of fear of change.
I am a Yankee hoping to move south this year to a place that is totally foreign to me, but some of our kids are down there, and lots of our friends are already spread all over the country anyway.
Hmmm. I see this thread has been going for about a year, and I just discovered it today. Must be karma, as it seems to fit my situation. I am single, having been widowed a little over a year. I am retired. Have lived in Kansas City, MO most of my life. Left twice--both times on my own. Once when I was 24 and a single mom, my company transferred me to Atlanta, Ga. So off I went with my then 8-year-old daughter. That was back when the economy was great, had a nearly unlimited expense account, movers packed everything, car rental, the whole works. Looking back, I didn't know how good I had it. Stayed seven years, then job changed, Atlanta had begun to outgrow itself, and moved back to KC. Years later, again alone, I moved to Summit County, CO--just me and my Doberman. I was 40 years old then. Discovered that there is no middle class in a ski resort town, and I didn't ski. Stayed six months and again, back to KC. It isn't that I like KC so much, I just kept gravitating back because it has always been a security blanket of sorts. But, at the age I am now, that is no longer true. No family here, nothing to keep me here, and I am soooooo tired of hot, HUMID summers, and cold, icy, snowy winters. I've been looking around (looking around as in looking on the C-D forums) for another place I might like to live. Have not decided on anything yet, but I think there might be enough life and sense of adventure left in this old girl to take the chance, with very little money, an aging miniature dachshund, and a not-too-young PT Cruiser. One thing I know for sure: No Florida, No Arizona, No California, No Las Vegas. Don't wanna be with the other old retirees playing bingo and checking out the schedule at the activities center. Thinking maybe New Mexico, but need to do more research. Anyone else out there in a similar situation and of like mind who would like to join me? I like the idea of forming a community of retirees who are somewhat different from the ways most people stereotype us seniors. Might be fun. Thanks to whoever started this thread. It's been really interesting!
Wow, it's pretty amazing that you've been able to start over a few times already. I've also been researching constantly, checking out where I'm going next, have a few places I'm absolutely not interested in, & a few I can't wait to get to. I've also been widowed, for 10 years now, & now at 40 I've realized I need to get away from not only the reminders of this area, but also the people I run into constantly that always bring up memories I don't want to reflect on anymore. Good luck w/ wherever you wind up
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Montana Ho...
