Living in Vancouver, we live in a bit of a bubble. Vancouver is green, and for the most part, looks unaffected by the financial crisis and changes going on in other parts of the world. Coming into Vancouver by plane from Las Vegas last night, I was reminded how green and beautiful this part of the world can be. Once I was in Vancouver, Olympic fever was high and it was great to watch the events on TV and cheer for Canada.

What struck me the most though was how different the atmosphere was here in Vancouver and Las Vegas. Yes, we have the Olympics going on, and our downtown is finally alive and vibrant like it can be, and if we chose it to be as we continue to create this city.  But, will we let our character out after the Olympics are over-and be the city we can really be? In Las Vegas, every night is a party on the Strip, the shows are larger than life, and it is because they chose it to be. They are a city in the middle of the desert-and yet, each person knows they live in a city that goes big or goes home, and that they themselves add to the character of the place.

I chatted with a variety of people in the US, and I asked each person from Las Vegas 3 questions:

1. Where do you live?
2. Why do you live there?
3. What do you think will happen in the next 2 years?

One realtor told me how sad it was to see Nicholas Cage moving out of the neighbourhood due to personal matters, one business couple told me how they love to spend time in the Red mountains around Las Vegas, while another retail manager told me how proud he is to have grown up in East Vegas (the side of town where REALLY crazy stuff happens) and how he still lives there.

They also all told me how they would live nowhere else, how beautiful it is to have coffee in the morning looking at the mountains, and how East Vegas is changing, and about the waterpark and the theme park coming to town.

Las Vegas has been hit hard-one couple bought their home at 355K and it is now worth around 215K. The casinos and related businesses have laid some people off, and local businesses are watching every penny.

Yet, there is a vibrancy and belief that they can change things, and that each person has the ability to do it.

I spoke with a variety of people from all walks of life, from rich to poor-and I was amazed at how classy and old school they were in their manners and their ability to make you feel at ease. People in Vegas come there from all over (kind of like Vancouver), yet exude a certain style unique to Vegas, and still keep their individual character.

No matter how tough the economic and social situation is, they wake up each day ready to be themselves and make the most of their day.

In my next blog, I will explain what I learned in Vegas, and why that may be important for you to know to generate more possibilities in your life.