Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I was speaking with this young girl who was not finished with college as of yet, I think she stated she had a few more classes to go. She told me she was moving to Florida and she was tired of being in her current city, which I totally understood. I told her about how I have been trying to relocate for a while, but the employment opportunities have been slim.
She then said something that irked me- 'what I have learned (and I am talking about myself, too) is many times we make excuses for why we haven't done certain things with our lives.'
I didn't say anything back, I just nodded because I knew that this cliche would reign supreme in her mind. She didn't know that I have other obligations and that I can't just 'up and move' without job offers.
She even mentioned before that cliche, that she has moved before, it didn't work out so she came back to the city she abhors. Then she told me that she has no job prospects in Florida and will be living with a male friend, but everything would work out.
I wished her the best and I hope she receives her desires, but as for me, there's only so far I can go with this mind frame. I used to strongly believe in the stories of 'I quit my 9-5 to follow my dreams and look at me now!' until I realized some of these people are not telling the whole story, ie, they have financial support from family, friends, etc, they were able to save enough from that 9-5 to follow their dreams, nepotism, connections, etc.
I have to be careful and wise with my moves. This economy is not in the condition for me to just call it quits on my employer.
She's not completely without a plan; she has a place to stay, which is huge. It also sounds like she has a safety net in case things don't work out. The time to do stuff like that is when you are young.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,936 posts, read 37,024,941 times
Reputation: 40635
Quote:
Originally Posted by joe from dayton
She's not completely without a plan; she has a place to stay, which is huge. It also sounds like she has a safety net in case things don't work out. The time to do stuff like that is when you are young.
Totally agree. I did it after undergrad without a place to stay (duffle bag and bus ticket!) and made it work. It's the time to take chances like this.
I was speaking with this young girl who was not finished with college as of yet, I think she stated she had a few more classes to go. She told me she was moving to Florida and she was tired of being in her current city, which I totally understood. I told her about how I have been trying to relocate for a while, but the employment opportunities have been slim.
She then said something that irked me- 'what I have learned (and I am talking about myself, too) is many times we make excuses for why we haven't done certain things with our lives.'
I didn't say anything back, I just nodded because I knew that this cliche would reign supreme in her mind. She didn't know that I have other obligations and that I can't just 'up and move' without job offers.
She even mentioned before that cliche, that she has moved before, it didn't work out so she came back to the city she abhors. Then she told me that she has no job prospects in Florida and will be living with a male friend, but everything would work out.
I wished her the best and I hope she receives her desires, but as for me, there's only so far I can go with this mind frame. I used to strongly believe in the stories of 'I quit my 9-5 to follow my dreams and look at me now!' until I realized some of these people are not telling the whole story, ie, they have financial support from family, friends, etc, they were able to save enough from that 9-5 to follow their dreams, nepotism, connections, etc.
I have to be careful and wise with my moves. This economy is not in the condition for me to just call it quits on my employer.
Obviously the world is full of gray....you're both right.
I'm sure you have obligations and you do need to make money to support yourself.
On the other hand, I think we all make excuses.... why we still live here, why we work there, why we don't do what we want to do.... It definitely hits home, if you think about it long and seriously enough.
My cousin graduated college and decided to move halfway across the country to CO to be a snowboard instructor. He lives in a studio with his now wife. works as an instructor and has a 2nd job. I thought he was nuts, what about____ insert normal thing to do here___. It worked for him.
I don't move away from the high cost of living area I grew up in even though I "want to" b/c why? family, wife has family, familiar, NYC, arts and entertainment, snobbery, whatever. all excuses, people move all the time, there is culture throughout the country, I get into the city 5-10 times a year shouldn't be a big factor. Point is, I could make moving work. I'm just full of excuses until I work up the courage to do it.
She may be naĂŻve and oversimplifying, but I'd bet that you are throwing up obstacles too
A lot of it depends on how much you have on the line. I moved to IA and moved back to my home state of TN. In hindsight, I shouldn't have moved how I did or when I did, but the job I had in IA was clearly dead-end, I wasn't making that much more than I made at home after tax, and I was away from friends and family. I didn't have much to lose (at the time) and went back home. My uncle owns a very profitable business, has two ex-wives to keep up, and two children, but wants to move. He has a lot more on his plate and on the line if he moves than I do.
You have to be able to find a balance between a job that is not consistently unpleasant, a decent amount of discretionary income, and an environment that you are at least neutral to. Most of us will never love our job, many won't even like it - but you won't be happy if you are spending eight or more hours a day in a consistently unpleasant environment. A person also needs an amount of savings and spending money. Each person is different on this, but worrying about whether to pay your light bill or buy your medication is going to suck. You also need to live in a location that is tolerable to you.
I wouldn't move across the country in this economy (especially to an area with a known depressed economy) without a job offer in hand unless I was already long-term unemployed and in a survival condition. Things can quickly go from bad to worse flying by the seat of your pants.
It's easier when you don't have committed expenses already ( family, kids, house, up to your ears in debt) and a good chunk of change saved.
I've done the move without a job after quitting a current job numerous times, but i had not liabilities. Each time it worked out, so no biggie. There were a few months i was unemployed but I never stressed.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
