AboutJacky Tustain Expertise If you are feeling lost in some aspect of your current life I can help you work out what you want or need and then give advice as to the next steps you will need to take to get there.
Experience I am a practising Life Coach in the UK and specialise in helping people rediscover themselves and what they are looking for in their lives.
Publications I regularly write articles for various websites including SelfGrowth.com and Naturalmatters.net
Question Dear Jacky,
Firstly thanks for being a volunteer here.
My wife and I (no kids), both live in Australia. We have well-paid jobs. We lived short-term in France, returning for financial reasons, and our Hearts are still in Europe (not necessarily just France). We both have European Passports so no problems legally in living and working in the EU. Unfortunatly, our profession is non-existant to non-native speakers of European languages. We "get-by" in our Language skills, but not fluent enough (very very difficult to attain the fluency that would be required) to do our Jobs there. So we do other jobs.
Here's the dilemma. Our Jobs pay well here, but we loathe living here (in Australia) ! When we lived in France before we earned only a "pittance" so merely existed (no luxuries) but we loved living there (Atmosphere, safety, climate, food, wine, lifestyle in general). So we're Torn, on the one hand we can continue to live where we loathe and earn big money and have luxuries, save for retirement etc or, live where we love and earn little money with no luxuries. So, one is great materially, and bad mentally, the other is bad materially, but good mentally. We are in our early 40's so can't afford to retire.
If it were you (personally), what would you do?
....And why?
Many Thanks and regards...
Julian
Answer Hi Julian,
My first answer is that what is right for me is not necessarily right for you! (I will however tell you my choice at the end of this!)
The way to look at this is to consider your life priorities. Then you need to create a list of pros and cons for Australia and Europe, (bearing in mind your priorities) weight them (i.e. give each one marks out of 10 as to how important it is to you) and add up the score. Look at what wins - the European lifestyle or staying in Australia?
While doing this remember to think of your future plans, for example where resentments may arise as well as the fears that might be holding you back from your decision.
Another point is that you mentioned you returned for financial reasons - is that likely to happen again, making this a hypothetical situation?
Now to me personally; I have 4 children so financial stability is very important to me. However I have given up a well paid job to get a better life balance to be more at home with my children. My business is not as profitable at the moment as my previous employment was, but I am a lot happier. I could find a position in my previous role but I won't as happiness and personal satisfaction are more important to me. So if I was you I'd be working out a plan to go back to Europe and looking for options to ensure a better financial position.
