After slacking off a bit during the holidays, I was catching up on what people were saying in the ski town blogs and forums these days, started scrolling through about a hundred unread posts and decided to stop and read a discussion going on about whether or not this young professional male who had lived in the same area for most of his life should move to Durango, Colorado.
Feedback was generally not to move there if he was a single professional, warning him that it would get old fast! I was somewhat horrified because here is this guy who said that he applied for a job there because he had a great experience every time he went to visit his friends in Durango and loved the outdoors. He could very well love living in the mountains. Well, if he truly prefers city living, it will get old faster than fast and then I thought, wow, how many people do I know that would be beyond overjoyed if they were offered a great full-time job in the mountains right now. He is only getting a perspective from a couple of people who are encouraging him to stay put.
This is basically what I had to say about this.
It is definitely worthwhile to hear what others have to say, but I don’t really think you can base such a personal lifestyle decision on someone else’s experiences and opinions. A large majority of locals I know, not millionaires, would never leave the mountains unless they were practically forced to leave. Not that all of his points are not valid because they are, that is how he feels. I would have to agree that companies who recruit people in who have never considered mountain living, love city life but are intrigued by the beauty and the “cabin in the woods” idea are often quickly disappointed and out of there fast. I would truly look at what your lifestyle interests and priorities are. If city culture outweighs skiing, mountain biking and small town for example, it will get old faster than you can possibly imagine. I just had to comment because I was fearful when I moved to a ski town about to hit 30 and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. Just another perspective.
Something like that. I didn’t want him to just see one side of the coin. What if his indecision was based more on fear and was not so much about what he really wanted to do.
Stay true to your own path.