The saying “the grass is always greener on the other side” is deeply ingrained in our minds. Someone will always have that exact thing we wish for, may be happier than we are, or is just better off in general. This ties in with the belief that things can always be better than they are right now, especially when we are not that content with our life at the moment. We strive for something that we do not have since it promises us the same gratification and happiness the other person is seemingly experiencing. This hedonic view on life is part of human nature. We want to feel good and want to grow from our experiences to become the best version of ourselves. By living up to the standard of others, we might get closer to achieving this goal but inevitably always disregard what we already have. But can you ever truly be happy with your life if you cannot appreciate the beauty in what you have?
A few months ago, I stumbled across this picture. “The grass is so green on my side”. What a beautiful statement. For the first time in a while, I was not asking myself what I need in order to be happy but was focusing on how happy I already am. My attention shifted from this potential ideal self, created out of deficiency and comparison, to what truly makes me happy in this very moment: The privilege of doing what I am passionate about, the fact that setbacks are temporary, the love I receive from the people in my life, the sun shining today. I felt warmth in my stomach, saw how at ease I am, and noticed a huge smile on my face. Gratitude has a magnifying power. Other than the instant satisfaction of getting something I was eager to have, this feeling lasted for a while. The everyday search of optimization came to an end. Moreover, my idea of happiness was no longer determined by what I need to achieve or by what fulfils others but could be found in gratitude towards the present situation. Everything you need to be happy is right here. This is further enhanced by the transience of life; it can never be exactly as beautiful as it is right now. I will never be this young again, I will never be this old again, the grass will never be this shade of green again. We should commit to these small, personal moments and experience them to the fullest in all their sadness and beauty instead of chasing for something seemingly better, especially because these ideas are based on speculation. Happiness is more than what meets the eye.
This is not meant to show that goal setting is ineffective and having role models or standards to live up to is destructive, but rather that at times shifting our attention from what we need to become to what we already are can help us develop further. Growth should happen out of passion, not out of deficiency. And who knows? Maybe what you are looking for already lies within you at this very moment.
Special thanks to Guilherme Atanásio for creating the artwork that inspired this piece. Make sure to check out his Instagram @atanasioart!
The saying “the grass is always greener on the other side” is deeply ingrained in our minds. Someone will always have that exact thing we wish for, may be happier than we are, or is just better off in general. This ties in with the belief that things can always be better than they are right now, especially when we are not that content with our life at the moment. We strive for something that we do not have since it promises us the same gratification and happiness the other person is seemingly experiencing. This hedonic view on life is part of human nature. We want to feel good and want to grow from our experiences to become the best version of ourselves. By living up to the standard of others, we might get closer to achieving this goal but inevitably always disregard what we already have. But can you ever truly be happy with your life if you cannot appreciate the beauty in what you have?
A few months ago, I stumbled across this picture. “The grass is so green on my side”. What a beautiful statement. For the first time in a while, I was not asking myself what I need in order to be happy but was focusing on how happy I already am. My attention shifted from this potential ideal self, created out of deficiency and comparison, to what truly makes me happy in this very moment: The privilege of doing what I am passionate about, the fact that setbacks are temporary, the love I receive from the people in my life, the sun shining today. I felt warmth in my stomach, saw how at ease I am, and noticed a huge smile on my face. Gratitude has a magnifying power. Other than the instant satisfaction of getting something I was eager to have, this feeling lasted for a while. The everyday search of optimization came to an end. Moreover, my idea of happiness was no longer determined by what I need to achieve or by what fulfils others but could be found in gratitude towards the present situation. Everything you need to be happy is right here. This is further enhanced by the transience of life; it can never be exactly as beautiful as it is right now. I will never be this young again, I will never be this old again, the grass will never be this shade of green again. We should commit to these small, personal moments and experience them to the fullest in all their sadness and beauty instead of chasing for something seemingly better, especially because these ideas are based on speculation. Happiness is more than what meets the eye.
This is not meant to show that goal setting is ineffective and having role models or standards to live up to is destructive, but rather that at times shifting our attention from what we need to become to what we already are can help us develop further. Growth should happen out of passion, not out of deficiency. And who knows? Maybe what you are looking for already lies within you at this very moment.
Special thanks to Guilherme Atanásio for creating the artwork that inspired this piece. Make sure to check out his Instagram @atanasioart!
