Quality of Life

 

 

 

With the price of oil dropping drastically, the sustainability of work in the boom/bust industrial places like Fort McMurray and across Alberta is coming into question. Quality of life and opportunity are topics of great discussion... Here is my take on the matter.
A huge portion of the youth here on the East Coast get the feeling of adventure at some point in their lives, they want to step out and see what the world has to offer away from our sheltered, safe Annapolis Valley. I took a summer job in Denver CO when I was young that turned into a decade long adventure all over North America and even to England! Unfortunately many of these youth are staying away, lured in by promise of higher paying jobs and a faster paced lifestyle. For me it was opportunity, the ability to train with the best coaches in the world and compete at prestigious venues amongst Olympians and World Champions. In the end what brought me back was the quality of life here.
Funny, some may say we are in a permanent recession and the Maritimes are a "have not" area. I disagree, as it all depends on what is ultimately important to you. If you are looking for blaring nightlife, neon lights and a go, go, go extreme pace... this area is not suited. I will offer an appeal though, to the ever growing popularity of sustainable lifestyles and stopping the "glorification  of busy". These are people who want to know the farmer who raised their food, connect with their neighbors and the people in their community, the people who agree that quality of life is not directly correlated with income and net worth.
If this kind of life is what you are looking for, then I would argue that Nova Scotia is precisely where you should be. I have found that there is a sense of camaraderie, friendliness and caring that is hard to match, and impossible to quantify. We are polite and giving to excess (I often joke that an Annapolis Valley traffic jam is 4 cars at an intersection all waving each other through first.) 
Perhaps we need to re evaluate what it means to be successful, what is truly important to our well being and happiness. I suppose it's a totally individual thing, but societal pressures may lead us to ideas that are not necessarily sustainable for ourselves as individuals and for our fragile ecosystem.
Ask yourself next time you are thinking of moving..
What does quality of life mean to ME?
How can I be truly happy, and where can I make that my reality?
What kind of people do I want to be surrounded by?
If your answers point towards a more relaxed, people oriented place maybe you should consider a move to the Annapolis Valley.

If you do decide that living here is worth a leap of faith and perhaps some creative ideas about entrepreneurship, call me. Let's talk about the opportunities available here and start looking at what your dollar is worth in the local housing market. I made the move back and I could not be happier or more satisfied!
Let's discuss the possibilities!