The grass is always greener on the other side. I have believed that in my heart countless times. Until today. Today I read a quote that helped me see that some of my 'less than' feeling might be self inflicted.
The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence; it's greener where you water it.
WATER YOUR BLEEPING GRASS Abby, geez. Duh. I know...it's so simple, so obvious, and that's why I love it. My grass is my grass. I don't get to have anyone else's grass, I get mine. So I better make it the best damn grass I can. I'm going to be proud of it, embrace it and nurture it. It's mine and I'm gonna own it.
Here's a great example...I live in a wealthy community. I am a 'have not' swimming in a sea of 'haves'. Don't get me wrong, my husband and I have college degrees, own our home and two cars and live extremely comfortably. To many, ours is the greener grass. But in comparison (the root of all evil...why do we do it?!) to our neighbors, we don't stack up. Lots of opportunities to marinate in the juices of my insecurities, trust me. But over time I've learned that even if I was a 'have', I am not a livin' big kind of girl and status items don't excite me. I just don't need much to make me happy. But I can and have gotten caught up in coveting the grass I don't have instead of appreciating all that I do.
With refreshed eyes I look around and my grass IS green. I embrace my not so perfect house and not so perfect family and hold them close to me. There is a lot of love on my side of the fence. Connections are made here that run deep. But the ability to make those connections only came once I got real with myself.
Transparency + Vulnerability = Keeping It Real.
THAT'S what fills me up. Connecting with my people makes me feel whole. And isn't that what life is all about? Let's face it, life is too short to spend it focusing on anything but the good in it. Are there bad things that crop up? Of course. But guess what? Most of those situations teach us lessons, have silver linings and make us stronger...if we let them. Sometimes we let the bad stuff own us and that's when other people's grass looks greener.
So I'm going to treat myself to a cute, new watering can to serve as a reminder to tend my grass. I will use it every day, nourishing all the wonderfully real stuff on my side of the fence.
xo,
a.m.
Here's a great example...I live in a wealthy community. I am a 'have not' swimming in a sea of 'haves'. Don't get me wrong, my husband and I have college degrees, own our home and two cars and live extremely comfortably. To many, ours is the greener grass. But in comparison (the root of all evil...why do we do it?!) to our neighbors, we don't stack up. Lots of opportunities to marinate in the juices of my insecurities, trust me. But over time I've learned that even if I was a 'have', I am not a livin' big kind of girl and status items don't excite me. I just don't need much to make me happy. But I can and have gotten caught up in coveting the grass I don't have instead of appreciating all that I do.
With refreshed eyes I look around and my grass IS green. I embrace my not so perfect house and not so perfect family and hold them close to me. There is a lot of love on my side of the fence. Connections are made here that run deep. But the ability to make those connections only came once I got real with myself.
Transparency + Vulnerability = Keeping It Real.
THAT'S what fills me up. Connecting with my people makes me feel whole. And isn't that what life is all about? Let's face it, life is too short to spend it focusing on anything but the good in it. Are there bad things that crop up? Of course. But guess what? Most of those situations teach us lessons, have silver linings and make us stronger...if we let them. Sometimes we let the bad stuff own us and that's when other people's grass looks greener.
So I'm going to treat myself to a cute, new watering can to serve as a reminder to tend my grass. I will use it every day, nourishing all the wonderfully real stuff on my side of the fence.
xo,
a.m.
RSS Feed