What a tough decision to make. I remember as I finished my last year of university I was excited to move away and start a new life in a new city with a new job, etc. But as graduation drew near I felt less ambitious to leave Saskatoon and all that it had to offer. I luckily was able to find a great job here in Saskatoon and everything worked out well.
Fast forward 3 years and I'm in the same spot again. With Shiela and I both unemployed at the end of September I keep telling everyone "The world's our oyster." We don't have jobs or a house and could move anywhere on a whim basically. But the more I think about it the more I wonder if I really want to leave all that we have in Saskatoon. We'd be leaving all our friends that we've made over the last 7 or so years of being in and around Saskatoon, both our families, soccer teams, coaching mentors, a beautiful city, etc. On the other hand, how do we know what is out there somewhere else isn't just as good. While talking to a friend of mine from Cover-All last week, she told me that "sometimes you have to leave the good for the great."
So do I stay in my comfort zone with friends, family, soccer teams, etc and keep on with the good. Or do I risk all that to go to a new province with a new job to try and make new friends and find a new church, etc. and anticipate that God has more in store for me there and it will be great. This is definately an ongoing debate in my mind right now.
Have any of you ever pondered this or experienced it? I'd love to hear your thoughts and stories in the comments section!
8 comments:
I highly recommend going. I have never felt more able to be myself as I have after moving away from everything I know.
Brent and I have felt this way here in Moose Jaw--do we stay here or do we try a new place? It's a tough decision, we still don't know what we'll do...I know we'd really miss you guys if you moved away (unless of course you come to Moose Jaw!)
Moving away doesn't mean you can't move back (never to Moose Jaw).
Keep in touch with those you have built close relationships because there isn't anywhere worth going if you know you don't have the love
of people to come back to.
Try it guys, this is your chance. God has opened a window. You will do amazing things.
it really bugs me what people say about Moose Jaw...have you ever even been here anonymous??
Sheldon,
Hey it's me, Sharla's husband Geof, up here in Whitehorse, Yukon. I just started reading some of your posts and thought I should comment on this one in particular because it's also what I've gone through.
As you may/may not remember, we left Abbotsford, BC to move back to the Yukon. While my job is great, the Yukon is beautiful, and it's awesome being so close to wilderness/outdoor activities, we really do miss our old circle of friends. It's not enough to make us want to leave the Yukon, but it does factor into our general happiness sometimes.
Sure, we've made new friends since moving back 3 years ago, but as you get older you'll find that making close ones gets harder and harder. Toss in a few babies (!), and your social circle grows even smaller. I think that's a really important consideration for you at this point.
I was unemployed once - about 7 months - before I took my job at ADI up here. I certainly didn't rush into the decision, but I think if I was to do it all again, I'd take more time in weighing all of my options. Don't jump at the first offer that's for sure! For instance, I explored several opportunities (5, I think) before settling on my current position.
When you're unemployed, the world can feel like it's closing in on you. Instead, focus on taking this time to evaluate what's most important and where you want to go as a professional. You may never have this sort of free time again :)
Honestly, making this kind of decision truly comes down to your personal values and life goals. If you feel a need to explore and be challenged, then perhaps moving away from Saskatoon is a good route to take. But don't discount all of the amenities outside of worklife. Sounds like you've already got this covered though...
Be aware that you can't expect your new hometown to be greater than what you already have - if you build up hype, then you'll probably be bummed out when you get there. Every location has its advantages/disadvantages, and I feel it's best to go in with a fresh attitude rather than preconceptions of how fantastic it will be. This makes the transition all that much smoother and you'll adapt better to the new surroundings and circumstances.
If in the end you want to move to the Yukon - have you considered that? - I've got some leads on marketing/advertising jobs that may be of interest to you. Contact me at geof[at]adiyukon.com for more info.
Janice - we've been to Moose Jaw and love it. Such a cool town. I've never really wandered off the main streets, but still we've always left impressed.
Take care
geof
Hi Sheldon,
Your uncle Roy and I made the big change to the Yukon in 1976 which was a very major change for our family. We made the change very suddenly and somewhat unexpectedly and have not regretted it.
We loved the Yukon and all it had to offer and God helped us to grow in many ways with all the changes.
We are praying that God will guide you and heal you.
Thanks everyone for the comments on this. I've really appreciated the different views. Shiela and I think we've made up our mind on what to do now, but I'll be posting about it shortly. So check back then!
You don't know me, but I was just checking out the list on Janelle's blog. I used to babysit her and she is a dear friend and I used to go to the same church as her (my brother in law is the youth pastor there and is married to my sister).
Anyways, I understand where you're coming from. We made the big move from Saskatoon, where I had lived all my life (minus the one year we lived in Caronport). We moved to Terrace BC. I had never been here before, nor even heard of it before I found a job add for my husband out here. At first he didn't get the job, but after a couple of months, I had said that I wondered what would have happened had we moved out here. Well the very next day, the place where he had his first interview out here contacted him and offered him his now current position.
It was a huge move, away from family friends and everything we knew. It was especially tough taking our kids away from their grandparents. It has been an amazing journey and has opened up many doors for us. Yes we miss Stoon and all it has to offer, but out here, there's just totally different things to see and do. We don't regret it at all, because we know that it was God's doing and this is where He wanted us to go.
Good luck with your decision, its hard, but you'll know what to do if you just trust in God and His guidance. Take care.
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