Decisions. From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep there's no getting away from them. Whether it's deciding to have that second piece of buttered toast for breakfast or opting out of the weekly visit to the Mother in Law's, our every move has to be decided upon. As we all, from time to time, get the feeling that something needs to change in our lives, the decisions we take can often be attempts to remodel our world, too, whether the wished for changes are relatively small or challengingly big – like moving house. But there's moving house, and then there's emigrating, and one of the most daunting aspects of deciding to emigrate is that it's really many rather big decisions in one.

By committing yourself to the long-haul effort that emigration often turns out to be, you're not only raising the issue of where you should emigrate to but you're also opting to face almost every other major life decision. New house? Check. New car? Check. New job? Check. New school for the kids? Check. In many ways you'll be starting from scratch, a new beginning that demands the piecing together bit by bit of that new and (hopefully) improved version of your life.

Not that this deluge of decision-making puts people off trying. Far from it, in fact. In 2004, just over two hundred thousand British citizens left the UK with the intention of settling permanently overseas. This was a seven per cent increase over 2003, and the highest number since records of this type were started in 1991.

What are we all so desperate to escape from? In a 2005 survey carried out across all of the Outbound emigration titles (see pages 86 and 106 for further details), two factors of British life stood out above the rest as reasons for us to want to get out and stay out of the country: Loutish behaviour and the soaring cost of living. Similarly, the thousands of would-be emigrants surveyed seem to feel the same about what's missing from modern British life and as a result are mostly looking for five key changes.

At the top of the wish list is a better lifestyle, with 43.3 per cent, followed by a safe upbringing for our children (20.6 per cent), a sunnier climate (15.9 per cent), a better home (14.1 per cent) and a friendlier place to live (6.1 per cent). And, Europe aside, we're prepared to relocate thousands of miles away from the UK to secure this dream life, with Australia currently the top spot (courtesy of attracting some 18,000 Brits on a permanent basis every year), followed closely by the USA, then New Zealand and, with an intake of about 6,000 Brits a year, Canada.

Encouragingly, many of us do seem to find the pot of gold at the end of the emigration rainbow. But which country will you and your family be able to thrive in? When it comes to deciding this, would-be escapees fall into two camps: those that know exactly where to go and how to make it happen, and those that know what they want to achieve but not where to go and how to realise it. But wherever you end up in your pursuit of a better life, and no matter how far away you emigrate, the decision-making process that will greatly determine your success or failure starts much, much closer to home. After all, to migrate without making a mistaken choice of destination, you first have to explore your own motives and objectives for heading for Britain's exits. Are you, for example, looking to increase your job satisfaction, make more money, become your own boss, or perhaps it's all about reducing the importance of work in your life – or even retiring. Or it may be that family reasons are at the top of your agenda – more quality time, for example, and a helping hand with the development of your children. What's striking is how many emigrant parents report that their children are not just happier but positively thriving – both academically and socially – in their new surroundings. Or perhaps it's a better property you seek. In this respect, too, the news is positive. If you have solid equity in your UK property, moving to Australia, NZ, Canada, the USA or South Africa should put a much bigger and better property within your reach. But on this subject, and bearing in mind that one of the top motivations for leaving Britain is its high cost of living, don't necessarily expect to find everyday costs to be any lower overseas when you factor in the local wage conditions. Yes, a beer is often cheaper in New Zealand than it is here, but then the average wage is also much lower. It's swings and roundabouts.
 
A friendlier place to live and a better climate, on the other hand, are much more achievable propositions. Indeed, so much more laid-back and friendly are many of the good folk in Australia, say, that they can play havoc with your routine. Looking quite literally on the bright side, at least there are more sunny days in which to get outside and enjoy your new lifestyle. Orlando, Florida, leads the way for the real hot-spots with British migrants – its average daily temperature is 22.4°C; Brisbane, Sydney and Cape Town are all relatively hot stuff too. But, just as the British rail system can suffer from the wrong kind of snow, so emigrants who don't think through what they're doing properly can suffer from the wrong kind of sun. Something to mull over as a migrant is how much heat you can bear when working, especially if your line of work is manual. In the heat of the midday sun, temperatures in many places popular with want-away Brits will soar above the average, and many a migrant has made the mistake of thinking that all sun is good sun, only to sweat it out in sauna-like conditions. And while we're keeping our feet firmly on the ground, stop and ask yourself if your motivations and objectives are shared by your loved ones.

As this is the biggest move the family will ever make, ensure that everyone is pulling in the same direction. Clearly, there's nothing wrong with being perfectly positive about the plus points of emigrating, but ensure that a real decision-making process takes place – rather than a protracted period of dogged persuasion.

You also have to ask yourself whether you truly believe that you are up to emigrating? Can you cope with the stresses and strains of moving lock, stock and shipping container to another country, or would a less radical solution – a new job, a new hobby, a new house – be more realistic?

Remember, emigration might not be right for you, no matter how appealing certain aspects of it may sound. But should you be having doubts, this doesn't mean you must abandon your dreams right here and now. Rather, it's better to have doubts now and overcome them sensibly than to rush into thoughtless emigration only to have doubts several thousand miles – and several thousand pounds – down the line. It's all part of a healthy decision-making process. And, finally, let's not forget about the role immigration departments will play – the rather important task of processing and rubber-stamping your visas. Unless you've got a family connection that helps you to emigrate, these departments, to put it bluntly, want your money or they want your skills – so you'd better make sure you give them exactly what they want. After all, it's not just you making the decisions.

Steps to a big decision
While some people not only know where they want to emigrate to and why, and are able to qualify for the all-important visa, others don't have such a clear idea right from the outset. If you're one of these not-so-decided potential emigrants, the following list should give you some idea as to how to go about making the life-changing decision you are now pondering:

Define the issues involved in emigrating and your motives for doing so (e.g., what you'll be leaving behind and what you aspire to find – work fulfilment, a better work/life balance, a great property, etc.).
Brainstorm to generate an initial list of possibile destinations.
If you have a partner, ensure that they also go through the process outlined above.
Ask yourself if you and (if applicable) your partner and children are truly able to cope the the demands the emigration will place upon you, both personally and collectively. This way you should be able to balance facing your fears with fleshing out your fantasies.
Individually and collectively gather all of the relevant information you can on the destinations under consideration and put the information into plus and minus columns.
Use these lists to forecast how life in each destination could turn out.
Impose a time limit. Don't let the pondering go on indefinitely.
Make a decision based on clearly defined and realistic goals.
If you've narrowed the field down to one country, check that you are able to qualify for a visa, start to focus on specific areas, and take a practical fact-finding trip.
If you feel you've been realistic, are certain of your choice of country, and the trip went well, go for it!

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