The Grass Isn’t Greener: Learning to Love Where You Are
Have you ever found yourself wondering if you’ve taken the wrong path? Or maybe you’ve caught yourself thinking, “Look how beautiful her road seems; she must be so passionate about what she’s doing. She must be lucky to have such a supportive team — that’s why she loves her job.” You may even wonder, “What if I’d stayed patient in my previous job? Maybe I could have found a place like hers.”
If you’ve thought this way, you’re not alone. As I chose my current career and lifestyle, I often faced feelings of imposter syndrome, constantly comparing myself to others. There was always too much “What if?” and “How come?” These thoughts left me blind to what I already had in my hands.
Life always presents us with multiple choices. The key is that we have to decide. Our decision-making is often shaped by how we were raised, the things we’ve seen, experienced, and learned as we became adults, and who we want to be. We tend to escape situations that made us uncomfortable when we were growing up, striving to become the people we once dreamed of — whether as children or as adults navigating the journey of life.
Life is like a series of quizzes, and we often find ourselves wondering, “Did I choose the right answer?” A wise person once said, “There’s no right or wrong answer in life.” From my perspective (and you don’t have to agree), I believe there’s no right or wrong answer, but there are wise and unwise choices. Along the way, we all make unwise decisions that lead us through unexpected doors. But here’s the beauty of life: while we don’t have the superpower to turn back time, we do have the power to learn from our mistakes. This learning and growth allow us to move forward, to realize that what happened, happened, and to let go. The ability to let go and move on is a superpower we can develop with practice.
It’s easy to say, but this superpower is something we humans can train and nurture over time. The question is: when do we realize we have this power? People say there’s no set timeline in life, but we never know when our time will come. There’s no timeline for success, but you don’t want to end up sitting on your porch, thinking, “I wish I had done this or that.”
Imposter syndrome will visit now and then. But taking the time to appreciate what you have right now is crucial. Look at the choices you’ve made: you’re able to rescue and care for your dogs, showering them with love. You’re with someone who loves you deeply, even if there are challenges along the way. You may not be in an office, but you have the freedom to develop your own products. And even if you think what you’re doing isn’t as grand as others’ work, you love it, you trust in it, and you never know the joy you’ll experience when it all comes to fruition.
In the end, the process shapes you and sharpens your skills. When it’s all said and done, you’ll realize you’ve become a new person. As the saying goes,
“A man never steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river, and he is not the same man.”
— Heraclitus
We might make unwise decisions — once, twice, or more times than we can count — but here you are, counting your blessings. You understand that your path is different from others’, and that’s perfectly okay.
Wouldn’t life be boring if everyone followed the same script? Embrace it. Live a little.
— From the Author, vena
