Is the grass greener on the other side?

Throughout our lives, many of us ponder whether or not life could be better if we had "more" of something. Now this could be more money, more happiness, more luxuries, more friends, more curves, or more of just anything for that matter. We often spend so much time wishing for certain things to be a certain way that maybe it would benefit us more if we focused on what we have and not what we want. I am not saying that you should not have aspirations and goals. On the contrary, I am saying that goals should be unique to the individual.

I read a quote recently that really hit home. In one of those dime-a-dozen speciality shops, I came across a pedestrian white mug that had what I believed to be an extraordinary message imprinted on it. It read: "Do not live your life finding yourself; live your life creating yourself." While this quote may not seem very profound, it hit a heartstring within me. For the first time in a long time, things began to click in my mind. I realized that I have spent so much time trying to define who I am before even attempting to create myself. I set expectations for myself based on other people's achivements and successes. When you go about it like that, recognizing one's own inner potential becomes lost in the shuffle. Identity is no longer singular, but becomes pluralized and clumped together into one large mass of confusion. Does that make any sense? lol...well, it does in my mind.

This brings me to the bigger question, "Is the grass always greener on the other side?" I think a lot of the answer to this question goes back to how you were raised. At a young age, my parents, like other parents out there, instilled certain values in me. I was to be a good student, a model citizen, and grow up to be something great. Now, let me ask you this: How do you measure success? Is it something that is the result of making lots of money, or is it defined by accomplishing something great as determined by the individual? Of course, many people would agree that the latter is more important. However, without enough money, life can feel limiting and restrictive. If you look at celebrities for example, they have a lot of money, but are they truly happy?

What it all comes down to is finding the right balance. Sure, this seems like a simple task, but with the growing pressure out there to be the best, it is easy to lose yourself. But, being the best that YOU can be is what really matters, and what should matter. The truth is the grass is only greener if you think that it is....in reality, it is the same color on both sides. It is how you water and nurture your particular side that makes it something great in the end.