Has moving to a warm climate made you happy? (snowy, hot, days)

[breakaway]

People always want to move somewhere warmer, but has it helped?

[Brian in St. Pete Beach]

Originally Posted by breakaway

People always want to move somewhere warmer, but has it helped?

It is not a be all end all, but the lifestyle helps. Even before we came to Florida; we went from Long Island to Hartford Area (damp and cold winters to snowy and bitter cold winters) and from Hartford to Virginia Beach, which enhanced our lifestyle, greatly! The move from the northeast to Virginia Beach gave us spring, 6-weeks earlier, and summer lingered well into Fall; fall lingers well into winter. We love the beach and I love golf, so it was great. The only downside of Virginia Beach-at that time--were the gyms/health clubs in the area were horrible. I understand they have much better health clubs, today.

The move to Florida was also a good decision--but, if you're not into the outside activities and you loathe hot sticky weather, then Florida, or anywhere in the south may not be for you.

I would never go back to a cold climate; on occasion my business trips take me to New York or Indianapolis in the winter--I could never live there. I hate being inside!!

[GilaMonster]

Absolutely. I lived in northern Europe and moved to Arizona, USA (with some years on the US East Coast in between). That means I moved from summer highs in the 70s (20s Celsius) and more or less daily rain and winter lows of 20s (minus 10 Celsius) to summers with 120 (40s Celsius) and winters with a low of 60s (15 Celsius) and almost daily sunshine (360 days a year).

I spend so much more time outside, doing sports, hiking, or just enjoying the weather. I own a pool I can use every day in the year. I have no heating costs to worry about, actually I don't even own a traditional heating in my house. Summer airconditioning cost comes to about 15% of your typical European winter heating bill.

Any day in the year there will be outdoor events to go to in the evenings, you don't need to bundle up, you spend new year's eve in shorts and t-shirt.

Yes, with all other factors in life being the same, I am much much happier here.

[crewbank]

I am a 5th generation Arizona (USA...very hot!) native, and I hate the heat and sunshine. We love to travel to place like Seattle, Colorado, and anywhere where the sun DONT shine. I think it all comes down to the grass being uh...different on the other side.

Interestingly, there may be something more global in our case. In "The Geography of Bliss," Scott Wiener writes that the "happiest" places on earth are invariably frigid places (Switzerland, Iceland, Netherlands, Bhutan...). The sun is overrated and fairly destructive in large quantities.

[tada]

Unfortunately, I can't answer this poll yet, but I can't see why it wouldn't. Seattle weather is just terrible. Not that cold, but dark as Satan's *******.

[LilyLaLa]

Crewbank, perhaps we could trade houses?


Every few years, summer skips us over entirely, and we go from a long wet spring into a long dreary autumn...then a bitter wet and snowless winter back into another 9-month rainy spring. UGH. It's years like that--last year was one--that make me want to pack everything and head off to Anywhere.

I think I'd pay good money for a nice sunburn, all dangers aside.


Lil

[Tony from Europe]

I live in Croatia,in Mediterranean climate,but I want moved to California because of warmer and sunnier climate!

[fjtee]

I've written in this forum that you can (or should earnestly try) to find happiness no matter where you are, that it's inside you and not in a place. But, still, there are places that are nicer than others and all other things being equal, a nice climate will boost your morale. So that's the case with me. I just moved out of the dreary northwest and into California, and it's the weather that's doing it for me. Probably because I have two small children and the ability to get them outside a lot really, really helps. There are parts of the northwest that I miss, but it's not the rain. When I miss the green, I try to remind myself of what the cost of that green is. When I really, really miss it, I call my friends and taunt them with the nice weather I have (just joking).

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by crewbank

I am a 5th generation Arizona (USA...very hot!) native, and I hate the heat and sunshine. We love to travel to place like Seattle, Colorado, and anywhere where the sun DONT shine. I think it all comes down to the grass being uh...different on the other side.

Interestingly, there may be something more global in our case. In "The Geography of Bliss," Scott Wiener writes that the "happiest" places on earth are invariably frigid places (Switzerland, Iceland, Netherlands, Bhutan...). The sun is overrated and fairly destructive in large quantities.

Frigid, and not very big, either.
Hmm. I'm from Colorado, and the sun shines plenty there--but the wind blows and the snow falls, as well.
According to a study of the happiest nations, "Denmark’s key to happiness is modest expectations." (http://blog.careerintervention.com/2008/02/23/how-to-be-happy/ - broken link) Which is fine. There is more than one way to govern a country, and maybe we could take a lesson or two from Denmark.

Originally Posted by fjtee

I've written in this forum that you can (or should earnestly try) to find happiness no matter where you are, that it's inside you and not in a place. But, still, there are places that are nicer than others and all other things being equal, a nice climate will boost your morale.

Yes.
Contentment comes from within; it is in our own hands and we must make it happen.
But for me, it has been a lot easier to bloom where I'm planted now.
I still have a change of seasons here in north Florida, but I'm no longer land-locked, and no longer have to look over my shoulder for snowstorms in May or September.

[pigeonhole]

"Modest expectations" might be a clue to happiness, but I can tell you that, living in Paris, parts of these modest expectations are my 3-weeks vacations under sunnier climes in winter! (I would give anything for it -save my home!)