Devildog

Don't worry, this isnt another soul searching sympathy seeking personal expose lol (no offence Michael, I'm not directing that at anyone in particular )

I'm curious, has anyone contemplated a complete change for whatever reason?

You know, change jobs, leave the wife/husband/partner, new location. Basically a complete fresh start, but obviously with the benefit of all that experience built up to date?

Not in a mid life crisis or "break" fashion, or a "coming out" lol, but as a fundimental shift in direction?

Funkii Munkii

Yeah, emigrated

Wife felt terrible guilt taking the kids away from everyone, it never went away so we came home, **** ending to a great experience.

Best 2 years of my life, even my wife commented she had never seen me so happy as in those 2 years, now I just put up with the UK, which is quite sad.

Very expensive experience but wouldn't change a thing, no regrets.

Edited to answer your initial question, left for a better life and it was, just too far from home for some

Coffin Dodger

Change jobs / new location - yes often Not contemplating leaving the wife just yet though

I would love to go and live/work in New Zealand, ultimate would be to some how get enough money (lottery) to get a nice place out there and never have to work again

CREWJ

I moved 150 miles away from home for a decent job. It was my ultimate plan so not sure if it was a change as such. Best thing I've ever done.

davyboy

No. I genuinly think life has never been better.

Not saying it's perfect, but my work life balance seem to be aligned, and I have no burning desire to make any drastic changes.

Even if I had a hundred million more, I'd not actually do anything different from what I do today. I'd just spend more doing it!

Clarebabes

That's what living with me does for you

SJ_Skyline

Absolutely and it was a case of beware of what you wish for, you may just get it.

The 6am video-confs with our Sydney office were not as hard as I expected and after being offered the role; negotiating the salary and relocation package I found I was unable to accept the job due to other commitments here in Blighty.

So the change in direction didnt work out for me that time but I learned and moved on.

ronjeramy

iTrader: (1)

I sold a business and moved 150 miles away from my family and friends to start a fresh with my girlfriend who has since become my wife. I have no regrets.

deanb1980

me and the wife considered it when we were on our way back to newark(new york) airport but couldnt face leaving everyone we know we are still awaiting that lotto win so we can move everyone over there lol

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

ronjeramy....................... you didn't mention it was wakefield LOL

Shaun

bootsy

when i was younger i use to change job,car and bin the girl friend in January every other year just for a change.i done that for 12 years.i'm now in the process in moving to canada with my family

tony de wonderful

You ask yourself why and is it for the right reasons? Don't do it for negative reasons or because you think a fresh start will solve problems that you will likely create/make again.

As someone who has moved about a bit, perhaps not for the right reason - I can say sometimes what you need is right in front of you.

shooter007

Yep fancy being a fire engine

DYK

I got a mate who left the UK in 2007 and is living in Canada,just sent me some pics the other day of the land he bought to build his new house on.Said it was one of the hardest things he has ever done moving away,but he would not come back to the UK.I might be going myself as he has asked me about moving over,seriously thinking about it....

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I keep thinking about it....hopes and dreams etc.

Its probably been ten years since I first thought about doing it (Canada or Oz), and I'm still procrastinating about it now....I need to find the right person to give me that last final 'shove'.

Tried Spain, but no jobs and my grasp of the lingo is somewhat pathetic (better than most of the ex-pats living out there though )

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Done it - walked out of a six-figure job with a wife that was three months pregnant with no plan, just a dream of doing something better.

Six years later my only regret is that my clients want even more time than I really want to give them - but we now have two kids, and have been very lucky to have much more ownership of our lives.

kbsub

Moved to Canada 4 years ago , Best and hardest thing we have ever done , Now wake up to see the Rocky Mountains from my bedroom window

Not been back to blighty since the move although my wife and daughter have and couldn't wait to "come home"after 3 days. Reading this and other forums plus the news sites I ain't missing much

It ain't perfect here , but our standard of living as gone up dramatically and now planning a summer trip to California and another Sturgeon fishing trip to Chilliwack later on. Life's good out here but you have to work hard with fewer holidays and harsh winters to boot , But I wont be catching a plane back to the UK anytime soon.

Lee247

Yes, doing it now.
Selling a hoooge house that has been a mill stone, getting a divorce and moving on. Happy times ahead
Oh and a new Client, like Trout, don't think I have the time for, but I am sure I can make some

markr1963

Did it 6½ years ago. Moved to OZ with my Aussie g/f. Earning at least twice as much and a generally better standard of living. Downside? Anything approaching decent beer in a pub and it's $9-$10 a pint - about sick squid, give or take

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

**** off then...will that do

Being serious, if you want to take a leap, you need to just do it, nobody can do it for you or persuade you.

As it stands, you want to do it, but to me something is holding you back. Find out what and deal with it otherwise you will always wonder 'what if' one way or another.

lordharding

iTrader: (1)

Not going to university I never got myself a gap year and worked none stop in only 3 jobs over 29 Years
Biggest regret when I got my redundancy years ago was not going on my travels then but straight into a another job although I quite like it and not the hassle and mega stress that I used to have
I've set plans in place ,we built a house a few years ago in Cebu where the better half came from and go out there every year but I yearn to go out there for a couple of years and experience the simple life
Every year I do more ,find remote villages and meet people with no money but lots of friendliness and love their simple live today ,don't care about tomorrow culture with wages of £14 a week and some on a tenner life is different but millions do it.
I would go out tomorrow but just need the boy settled in his carreer first then I'm off in the magic 4and a half years but if I got redundancy tomorrow I would not go back to another job but get my plane ticket and pack my bags
If I. Came back I still have my house and would get some sort of job
But would have great memories

JTaylor

I've done it. Sold a small business, went walkabout for six months and then moved to Wales after a random job offer. That led to me working for months at a time in East Scotland, West Scotland, The Midlands, London and South Wales and led the missus to starting a new career with PwC in Cardiff. Upsides: It's been exciting, I've met loads of new people and have seen a fair few places; earned a couple of quid; tested myself and come through; accrued experiences that wouldn't have otherwise come about had I stayed in the Westcountry and, as ghey as it sounds, I think I've finally worked out who I am. Downsides: really miss my family, particularly my mum; I miss my real friends; I miss Plymouth's Barbican and Cornwall and Dartmoor; I miss good pasties and I miss watching Plymouth Argyle lose - in other words, I get homesick.

Nonetheless, we're about to do it again. The missus has some professional exams to take in June and after that it'll be all change. I've stepped down into a more relaxed role at work (which is bliss and gives me the space to plot my exit from retail) and a new adventure beckons.

ETA: As long as it doesn't cripple you financially, it doesn't matter if it goes pear-shaped. I was taking a considered gamble and it paid off but, I really wouldn't have cared if it hadn't, I would have simply put it down to experience. I think the important thing is to have a safety net, but to go forward as if it's not there.

Lydia72

I moved from Liverpool to Lincolnshire years ago (very different pace of life). I'm very happy here but if someone asks me where I'm from I never know what to say. I'll never move back but I really, really miss not having that closeness with my extended family. I don't know any of my cousin's kids and when there has been serious illness/ death it feels like I live a million miles away.

You could always do what my friend's brother-in-law did. Faked his own death

DYK

My mate is Truck driving in Canada,drives down into the states then back up.He came back to UK about a year ago and couldn't wait to get back to Canada,Also got a cousin who lives in Windsor.Its something i am certainly considering about doing....

Markus

I was asked if I wanted to relocate to our new office in Canada in 2003. It seemed too good an opportunity to turn down and so I accepted the offer. About 2 weeks later I was in Toronto, and I have been here since

It was a change and took about a year to really adapt but I am very happy where I am. I met my wife here and have a lovely new son. There are things which do annoy me here, but they are fairly minor

I have popped back to England now and then, and friends and family have visited, plus there is the wonder of skype which means seeing and hearing friends and family is easier than ever

If anyone is interested in he pros and cons of coming to Canada then I am happy to give chapter and verse on that

zip106

I only wish I/we could go.

Wife works for a very large French Canadian company with headquarters in Montreal (but she's based in Europe) and could quite easily relocate there.

Only problem is that she won't leave her Mum by herself and her Mum wouldn't want to come with us.

I'd go at the drop of a hat - if only to give the kids a better start and different outlook.
There's not much left in this country anymore and I know the grass isn't always greener, but it's one of my only regrets in life that I didn't do something when I was younger.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Life is difficult , no matter where you are, i'm currently" living the dream"in croatia, came for a holiday drank too much wine and bought a house.

Life was very different back then 7years ago, it was only me and the wife, now we have a four year old son, and for financial reasons they are still in uk and i'm here trying to rebuild an old farm house on my own.

The hardest part is leaving friends and family, then it's ajusting to cultural differences and the language barrier as croatian is nothing like english and there are more dialects than you can shake a stick at in the space of 20km so you need to learn four words for every one, which is not easy.

Hopefully the future is brighter than it has been of late and the life here is definatly worth the sacrafice if i can get the wife and boy out here in the next couple of years as planned.

Like many i really do struggle to see a future in england and hav'nt liked the direction the country has been heading for some time.

Sometimes in life you need to take your ***** in your hand close your eyes and jump, as the one thing i do know is it's way too short not to.

mattsan

Moved to OZ 3.5 years ago, love it here and may go back to the UK next year for a visit but would never live in the UK again. It's autum now, 30degrees I'm going to have a beer and get in my pool!

kbsub

Yup thats how I got out here , although never did the states just stayed in Western Canada and driving a 63 tonne 83 ft long fuel tanker over the Rockies is a challenge