Time for a life evaluation?
Here in the Scotland we’re in Phase one of the Scottish Government’s route map out of lock down. This means that the advice is to stay home as much as possible but we can now meet one other household in an outdoor space. We can go a walk with family or friends from one other household or enjoy a picnic in the garden with one other household. This small slice of freedom has been so welcome and has allowed us to feel the connections we’ve been missing since the 23rd March.
It’s important to take stock every now and then and evaluate what’s important to us, how things are going and where we might like to go next. This is true not only in the current climate but always. It perhaps just feels more prominent now as we have so little control over what’s coming next from a national health point of view. If you’ve found yourself dreaming of a personal change over the last 12 weeks, now is the time to explore it. Take the opportunity of the forced slower pace of life to truly research what could be the happiest decision you’ll ever make. If a relocation to the North Highlands of Scotland is something you’ve even briefly considered, revisit the idea and explore if that choice could be best for you and your family. If lock down has shown us anything it’s that the age old saying is so true. Life really is too short. Of course, get in touch with us too – we’ll gladly offer impartial advice as best we can and can answer questions with local knowledge.
Last weekend, the sun shone in the North Highlands and for the first time since March, I explored my town on foot. I live 2 miles from Thurso and until then I had been enjoying doorstep walks and cycles. I parked at Thurso Harbour and really had no idea where I was going, I was simply going to stroll around in the sunshine having some much needed time out. Usually, a walk is a form of exercise. I’ll have a duration or distance in mind and off I go. Last Sunday I purposely did none of that and the only regret I have is not wearing proper walking trainers as the blisters on my feet were huge as I got carried away enjoying my home town and it’s beauty which I often overlook. For years, Thurso beach has been my go to for clearing the mind. The calming sound of the waves as I sit on Caithness Stone benches built by volunteers at their annual festival reminds me of my love for home. There really is no place I’d rather be.
As I walked, I saw people enjoying the sunshine, I said hello to strangers and although it felt strange to walk onto the road or cross over to give people their two meter space allowance, people seemed friendlier than ever. Perhaps the blatant avoiding of people automatically makes us smile more. ‘It’s not you, I’m just following the rules, I promise!’ In our small town, we blether to strangers, even a comment about the weather in passing. That’s something that doesn’t quite happen in larger areas, something I definitely notice when I visit cities. (I’m a chatterbox!)
Over the last few weeks, our team have been working on our sister website, Invest Caithness. We’ve revamped it to offer clear and concise information on Living, Working, Investing, Studying, and Visiting in Caithness and North Sutherland. Our website is specifically designed for people interested in a relocation to the North highlands of Scotland and the practicalities of doing so. Finding homes, discovering the education opportunities for family members and what social options are here waiting for you. Invest Caithness offers more in depth details on business development, business expansion and relocating a business to the North Highlands of Scotland.
Some quick snaps I took on my travels around Thurso:
