Ah, that eternal question. Is the grass really greener on the other side?
My wife and I are about to get a taste of the empty nest. We’ll both tell you we are looking forward to it. It’s not permanent. Not yet. My youngest just graduated high school, so we have at least 3 more summers of someone living with us.
In the meantime, we are tempted to act now to downsize.
I can’t help it. I am tempted by “For Sale” signs. While driving down the road, I see that house, that property, and imagine myself living in it. I will often pull off the road and do a quick price check using an app on my phone. I’ll even take an occasional photo. It’s all part of the dreaming.
This has happened several times in the past week. But, I’m trying to stop the madness. Because guess what? The grass right here is pretty darn nice.
When I really think through the process of moving, of starting over on a house, painting, decorating, and all the other stuff that comes with a new home, the urge to call a real estate agent passes quickly.
It’s not just the process of moving that I dread. It is losing what we have that I enjoy. Our back porch. Our home theater. My wood shop. My practice studio. Our location, which is convenient to so much of our lives outside the house as well as being right across the street from a large city park and a short walk to the library.
Move? Why would I want to do that?
Isn’t that how it works on the job as well? We talk with friends about their places of employment, we see news stories, we see ads online, and we start to dream of a change. That thought occurs to us that everything in that new place will be better.
And then we have a good day at the current job and realize that maybe this place isn’t so bad after all. Maybe we have simply lost touch with what we enjoy about this current place.
Sure, change can be good. And sometimes moving on from one employer to another is a good thing to do.
But, sometimes, it’s just a matter of looking around and truly appreciating what is. Sometimes a small change is all we need to be reinvigorated. Maybe a new position at the existing company, maybe a new project.
Take the time to look around and appreciate what is. Acknowledge all that is good. Reopen your eyes to the green grass that is already there, right beneath your feet.