Is the grass really greener on the other side? Maybe…

It's springtime again. The birds are chirping, everything smells fresh, and it is evident from watching the various animals flirting outside the back window that love is in the air. Looking over my yard, my heart sinks a bit. It seems like a mess, half-rotten leaves everywhere, weeds popping up left and right, and huge patches of brown spots all over.

I look over at my neighbor's yard and shake my head, it always seems more beautiful this time of year. I head to the store, pick up some weed killer and fertilizer, sharpen my mower blades, and get to work.

Is The Grass Really Greener?

Is the neighbor's yard really greener or does it just appear greener? Whether we are talking about relationships, careers, or we are talking about actual grass, the answer is maybe. It may actually be greener on the other side!

Sometimes the grass is actually greener.

Some would say that it merely looks greener because it's fertilized by bullshit. In my experience, while that is sometimes true, often the grass IS actually greener on the other side.

If your relationship, career, or grass is looking a little less green than you would like it to be, then that means you have some work to do!

Selling The House Isn't The Answer

Do we sell our house and buy the neighbor's house because the grass is a bit greener? That's probably a silly question, but it's what many of us do in other areas of our lives. Unless your neighbor sticks around to keep taking care of it, how do you think that grass is going to look in five years?

Why do we think relationships or careers are any different? If your grass, job, or marriage is looking a bit dead or overgrown with weeds, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work.

Don't Compare Your Blooper Reel to Other's Highlight Reel

It is critical to not compare your behind the scenes blooper reel with your neighbor's highlight reel that they post on Facebook as you'll never live up to that fantasy, but you also shouldn't feel like your relationship or career stinks. If it does, you have some work to do.

It is true that in some extreme situations it is best to till everything up or move and start over. It's hard to grow grass on concrete in the desert, so if that's your situation, you may be fighting a losing battle. In most cases it isn't that bleak though, and a bit of hard work pulling weeds and fertilizing your yard will get things looking amazing. The grass may be greener on the other side, but a little water and TLC will usually go a long way to making your own grass green again.

Looking for a few more ideas on how to freshen things up in your relationship? Check out this article: I've fallen out of love with my spouse, how do I find that love and friendship again?