How to decide if it's time for you to move away

Thank you for asking this question, Whitney! This issue can be more simple for some than others because there can be many elements involved. Some people may have to worry about those elements; others may not.

I'm happy to write this Hub because this is something that I'm dealing with currently. I have the option to remain in the city I'm living in now, and possibly go to grad school... or go to Kansas and start a career. For some, Kansas might seem like a living Hell, but for me, it actually sounds exciting!

Here are some of the things to consider when thinking about moving out of town, out of state, or even out of the country:

• Relationships - Is this something that your friends and family would be okay with? While you may feel pretty independent, it might not be the best idea if your parents have a hard time with the idea of you leaving... and by that, I mean a REALLY hard time. I guess it depends on how close you are with everyone, but I would say it's probably not a good idea to leave with freshly severed ties and unfinished business.
• Jobs and Finances - Do you want to move to find new or better work? Make sure that there are jobs in the line of work that you are involved or interested in. Maybe some states or cities are big in an industry, and smaller in another. For me, I was hired for a cool job that was several states away; that's reason enough for me personally to pack up and move.
  Also, do you have the money to move? Will you be making more money? How are you going to live?
• Politics and Government - What's the climate that you like? Is there something about where you live that you don't like? Are the taxes too high? Do the roads suck? What about where you might want to go? Maybe the governor is a jackass. You might REALLY not like how things are where you might want to move. Do some research and see if where you're thinking about going is right for you, in the governmental sense.
• Stage in Your Life - Think about your life goals, and whether a move is the most prudent in moving toward those goals. If you have just graduated from high school or college and you want to try something new, that's a great time to get out there are sort of start over. A lot of my friends went out of the state for college when we graduated from high school. Maybe leaving everyone and everything that you know isn't the best option if you're in the middle of something. If the dating scene isn't working out in one place, why not try another? Try taking a look at the big picture.
• Readiness - For me, I just felt ready to leave. I've been living in the same state, the same city, the same house basically my entire life, minus when I was in college. I felt ready to leave home then, and now I just feel tired of California. There is no place here that excites me and makes me feel interested in visiting... But for some people, excitement isn't what they want. They may want a place to feel at home and to settle down. I'm not looking to settle down right now; I feel like I have a lot of places to see before I start thinking about that!