u/Fantastic_Energy5890

For reference, I'm 27 and have lived about 800 km away from my family for the last 8 years. I'd originally moved here at 18 for college and ultimately was offered a job in that same city upon graduation. For the first time in those 8 years I've been hit with a wave of emotion making me question if moving back to my hometown would be a decision that is best for me. My best friend is there, my parents, my brother and his family. All of my friends here moved away after college (the closest one lives about an hour away and I see her a couple times per year) and I've had a really hard time pushing myself out of my comfort zone to meet people since then. I work, I workout, I occasionally go do other things around the city, but I don't feel like I'm growing here all that much anymore even though I'm really comfortable and do not mind being on my own. I had a family member pass recently and I know the older I get, the more I am going to have to deal with that and it has made me question whether I really want to be so far away from family for the rest of my life. I'm especially close with my dad. The weather in my hometown is also a major drawback for me, I cannot stand living in cold for almost 6 months out of the year and it getting dark at 4pm during the winter. Work is another consideration too, but I think my job is pretty flexible so I'm not overly concerned about that aspect of my life. I've also thought about moving further away because I'd love to explore other areas of the country, but I don't want to make a decision I'd regret. I have about a year before I have to make any decisions so I'm just curious what other people have done and how it has shaken out.