What's on the other side?
Is the grass greener? Is it growing faster? Is it thick and lush?
I spoke with a friend today and things in her business seemed to be falling into place with such ease; new clients, new office space. It seemed to be so easy.
Damn her grass is pretty green-I 'peered' over and it looked amazing in fact!
While I was happy for her, I found myself looking at the grass on my side of that metaphorical fence and things didn't seem nearly as green. If it was at all green, it was because I was watering, fertilizing, mulching and still at times really worried that it would dry out and wither away. And if I was to be honest I noticed some bald patches that could use some work.
I heard a wee whisper...
"Comparison is the thief of Joy"
Ya, whatever - I know that, but how do we keep from comparing? I know that drinking too much coffee isn't good for me either, but occasionally I have too many cups, so how do we stop doing what we know isn't good for us...
Some things came to mind that help us focus on our own 'yards':
Recognize your own story about the situation-things seemed easy 'on the other side' and hard on mine-the truth lies in between-the stories we make up can hijack us in the meantime.
Genuinely celebrate another persons successes-life is generous, not scarce-there's enough goodness for all of us.
Realize there is nothing to compare, really. We all have different lives, we're here to serve different purposes and to compare that takes away your own sense of purpose and gumption.
DO we need to compare apples to oranges? No-they're both delicious in their own way. So while you think you're comparing your "grass' to another's-it's so vastly more complicated than what we see-it's not worth the time of comparison-trust your own deliciousness.
Be grateful for what you do have-get out of comparison and focus on what you have to be grateful for-there is always something to be thankful for.
Keep moving forward, put on some blinders if you need to, don't look to the right or the left, just take the next step on your own journey.
Do something that lights you up and sparks joy for you-when life is a little dull everything else looks shiny and sparkly compared to what you have going on
KNOW deeply that you were meant to serve a distinct purpose on the planet and while the path may not always be clear or easy, you have a role to serve in your time here.
You're here to make a difference-spend time exploring that-that sweet intersection of your skills, passion and experience.
The more time you spend in that sweet Joy spot the less time you will have to even consider peeking over any fences.
Your 'grass' is yours and yours alone and it as unique as you are. Lean into that lushness.