We all get a choice for the location that we call home. At the end of the day a combination of priorities lead us to make that decision for one reason or another.
I made the conscious choice of making the neighborhood of Pacific Beach in San Diego my home as it suited the lifestyle I want to live. I highly value the always perfect temperature, walkability to goods and services, proximity to the Pacific Ocean, and especially the culture of everyone out here having an active lifestyle. I’ve been a resident here for over 7 years now and it never gets old.
Prior to moving here, I lived in the sleepy and “family/educational friendly” neighborhood of Poway, CA - this is where my day job is also located. Although my daily commute was only 9 minutes each way through the city streets and the people were friendly, something just didn’t feel right. Growing up it seemed like it was the norm for everyone to eventually live in the suburbs and buy a “house” with a million bedrooms, large backyard, and multiple vehicles. None of these items were ever important to me and I was going down that path because that’s what society deemed normal.
I used to struggle with the concept of what I “should” do versus what actually made me happy. In 2013 I finally made the conscious choice of leaving the societal “safe choice” behind and pursue that active lifestyle I always wanted. I ended up financially paying more for “less” but I definitely got what I wanted and am extremely happy to live out here. Who needs a backyard when the ocean is right there? Who needs a million rooms when i’m hardly at my home? Who needs multiple cars when I can just walk everywhere? Why drive to the gym when the journey down the street is part of the exercise?
Now I want you (the reader of this) to think about where you currently live and what compelled you to make that decision to do so. Is the location the lifestyle you want to live? If it isn’t, what’s stopping you from making a plan or taking action? Food for thought.
Bonus photo that I took during my run today of Pacific Beach from the pier:
Photo of Pacific Beach from the Pier 2/21/20 1:06 PM
