Really when you think about it, we are pretty damn lucky to live in this wonderful part of the world.  (No I haven’t hit my head).

In Northern Ireland, one of our best qualities is finding the negatives in every situation. Much has been made of the collapse in devolved government here over 14 months ago, with the mood sinking to depressingly low depths.

But lo and behold the earth still hasn’t stopped spinning, and miraculously everyone has gone on about their business with little or no interest on what happens (or doesn’t happen) on The Hill.

The levels of disengagement, although disappointing, are not to be unexpected. Ironically, although politics still remains very much stuck in the past over here, many other aspects of our society are surging forward.

I found myself walking through the city centre the other week, heading towards Queen’s University. What struck me was the impressive Belfast skyline, awash with cranes. New hotels opening, with major development happening in some of the most neglected areas of the city – take the continuing transformation of the Titanic Quarter.

There has also been a staggering increase in tourists over the last two years, with Belfast now becoming a top destination for a short European break. With the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement in our midst, it is time to reflect on just how far we have actually come.

Twenty years ago the only activity on our skyline would have been the sorties of Army helicopters. Just think about that. Belfast simply wasn’t a place people wanted to visit.

The growth in tourism has been matched by the sharp growth in foreign direct investment landing on our shores. Many of the world’s leading financial, technological and legal companies have established a presence in Belfast. It’s no coincidence that these investments have taken place over the last two decades.

Ironically, with the soap opera that continues around Stormont, TV cameras and film crews now come here for a different reason. Northern Ireland has found itself at the epicentre for new TV shows looking for a location to film.

Game of Thrones and The Fall are just two of the smash hit TV shows that have been filmed across Northern Ireland. The demand from TV has resulted in state-of-the-art studios being built in the Titanic Quarter. The filming of the intoxicating Game of Thrones has led to an army of fans coming over to see where the series is filmed, with tours featuring key film locations across Northern Ireland.

So although at times we feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders, with one political crisis after another, we need to remember just how far ‘our wee country’ has come.

Now, the question is: where do we want to go?