in my opinion...

San Diego Skyline 2

in my opinion, this prompt is very much like the chicken and the egg conundrum. where you live can determine what you do for a living. for example, to be a successful commercial fisherman, you would need to live near the ocean. and vice versa...if you lived near the ocean, you could be a successful commercial fisherman.

in my experience, i have chosen one instance over the other at times.

when i lived in san diego...i could make a living doing custom picture framing for museums and galleries. san diego, is a large city, with many museums and galleries, so, i could do the job that i loved to do. i couldn't, however, do other things for a living, such as: be a ski instructor, be a forest ranger, or be a crop duster. i was able to make a very good living in san diego, and could afford to do and have a lot of things. wages were definitely higher in the southwest.

when i moved to vancouver...i could no longer make a living doing custom picture framing for museums and galleries. vancouver, is a small city, with few museums or galleries. so, instead of doing what i loved to do, i had to do something else to acclimate to my different living situation. in order to live where i loved it...i had to go back to school to get a degree in a whole different field, digital technology and culture. i was not able to secure a good wage...and have had a hard time just getting by. wages are definitely lower in the northwest.

i am certainly not saying that you can't have it both ways...living in a place that you love...doing the job that you love. i am just saying that it can work either or neither way. it is up to the individual.

in my opinion, i would probably choose to do a job that made me happy over where i lived. in the long and short of it...to me...being happy and secure and confident on the job...are way more important than where i choose to live...because happiness is contagious...and can color everything around.