Its Time To Relocate When

Writen by Jeffrey Hauser

…you spend most of your time daydreaming about anywhere other than where you're living now. I know I did. In my case, it was a case of cold feet. No, really. My feet were freezing. I should explain.

I was living in central New Jersey and it was a typical February day. The temperature was near 20 and I was getting ready to go to work. I noticed that the kitchen garbage bin was full and decided to take it out. I went to the back porch, next to where we kept the large metal trash can. I got onto the small landing and took a single step down. That's when I did my best imitation of a winter Olympic athlete doing a one and half forward roll with a two and a half twist. I landed on my right hip in a pile at the bottom of the short flight of concrete steps, in a slight daze. My still slipper-covered feet were frozen (I told you so!) and I slowly got up to examine the scene of the crime. It appeared that the steps were coated with a thin, invisible layer of, as we Easterners loving called it, 'black ice.' Obviously, I never saw it coming and, therefore, never had a chance.

I dragged my ailing body back inside and told my wife I just had a near-death experience simply trying to take out the trash. She saw how serious this was and we both decided to discuss it after work, for which I was now running late.

That evening, we made the fateful decision to find a new home where we could stay warm and ice-free, year round. We popped open a nationwide map and picked a few sun-belt areas to consider. A month later, we were flying to Phoenix, Arizona for the beginning of a weeklong exploration. We started there, went on to San Diego and finally, Los Angeles. After a few more visits, we settled on Scottsdale, Arizona. That was thirty years ago. The most exciting event occurred when we sold our house in New Jersey and I left my snow shovel in the garage, knowing I would never need it again.

Moving away wasn't as easy as it sounds. We had to give up jobs, family, friends, and familiar surroundings. But we gained a whole new life filled with sunny days, mountains, palm trees, open spaces, and a modern, thriving desert city. It was the best move we ever made. Now, we're considering another move to the San Diego area, somewhere along the beach. Because we work out of the house running a web-based business, "The Nurse's Choice,"a health information site, we could live anywhere. The point is, you control your own destiny and where you live. If you really want a new lifestyle, you should do everything in your power to make it happen. Consider your individual circumstances, like we did. Are you actually happy where you are living? Then see if you can relate to these reasons for moving.

It's Time to Relocate When…

(1) You spend most of the year planning that one vacation to that perfect place.

(2) You are jealous of that relative living in (fill the blank, i.e., Florida, Hawaii).

(3) You hate the winters.

(4) You hate the summers.

(5) You hate the place year-round.

(6) You hate the traffic, pollution, population density or any other condition.

(7) You hate the high cost of living.

(8) You hate the small-town atmosphere.

(9) You hate the large city that's, at times, overwhelming.

(10) You yearn for more peace and serenity.

(11) You need to escape your relatives, permanently.

(12) You need to escape from your ex-spouse, permanently.

Or make up you own reason, because I'm sure it's a good one. So, if I've convinced you to consider a move, what's next? You take a vacation, of course. Choose a few candidates and survey the potential locations. Check out the housing, employment opportunities, shopping, schools, lifestyle, roadways, churches, or whatever is your primary concern. Then decide on a timeline for making the move all together. It's time to get serious about finding your new home. Perhaps you're nearing retirement or just fed up. Either way, you must agree it's a worthwhile investment in your future. So stop dreaming and just do it!

Jeffrey Hauser was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master's Degree from Monmouth University. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. He has authored 6 books and a novel, "Pursuit of the Phoenix," available at amazon.com. His latest book is, "Inside the Yellow Pages." Currently, he is the Marketing Director for thenurseschoice.com, a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.