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‘There’s more to life than this’: How the recession changed our world

Thursday, October 15th, 2009 | 3:40 am

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Canwest News Service

The recession has made significant numbers of Canadians re-evaluate what’s important to them, and less than one in 10 say making more money and career success are their top priorities, according to a survey released Wednesday.

"People are saying there’s more to life than this," said Jeremy Gutsche, founder of TrendHunter.com and a consultant on the survey, commissioned by American Express.

"It doesn’t mean they’re about to give up their day job. Instead they are making time for themselves in addition to meeting their regular commitments in search of their own personal vision of meaning and fulfilment," Gutsche said.

That may mean doing charity work, embarking on a second career, pursuing a hobby, spending more time with family or travelling, says the survey, conducted in September by Angus Reid and involving 1,003 random respondents.

Nowhere is the trend more pronounced than in Alberta, where 42 per cent said the recession had caused them to rethink what’s important in their lives and 51 per cent said they’d actually changed the focus of their lives.

British Columbians appear to be leading the shift to a more fulfilling life. Sixty-three per cent said they are already living lives that are culturally enriched and stimulating, more than anywhere else in the country.

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