I woke up this morning thinking about how I wanted to present this idea to the world. After all, the theme this week is something I talk about a lot. It’s about living your life now. The great things will come tomorrow but if you are not enjoying the moment now, you are letting your life slip by. The very concept of this comes from the many times I hear things and they make me cringe. Like sitting in a coffee shop and hearing every 10 minutes from the barista they can’t wait to get off work in just one more hour. Or you meet someone and they tell you “I can’t wait till this coming Saturday when I’m off work.”
There is a point to looking toward the future, but you have to make that future event all the better by enjoying the moment you are in right now. During this week we are going to touch on five different ways we don’t live where we are but are looking at another world, missing the very excitement of the moment we’re in.
So let’s start with a statement we have all heard at one time or another, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” I have talked about this before, but will address it again today. I don’t care how bad your life is right now, if you are looking at someone else’s life, or other thing you would rather be doing, you’re wasting your life away. I heard this many years ago: “If you see the other side as greener, it’s because you are watering your neighbor’s grass.” Think about that if you keep building up something that is not yours and talking about how much greater it is; you are watering or bringing that life to a more alluring picture. Think about how many times we in the self-help industry have mentioned, or written, or spoken on this topic. Your words are what create your tomorrow. If you keep using your words to say how much better life is where you are not, then you are watering your neighbor’s lawn.
Why not take your life and tell yourself how great it is, how much better off you are living where you are at now? This does not mean you will not use those same words to make tomorrow better, but use them as a great tool to enjoy now and make tomorrow even better. Instead of wasting your breath and talking about how life sucks because you had to work a double shift today, and you can’t wait till 5:00 so you can get off, tell everyone who asks, “I enjoy my work so much that I was excited to pick up an extra shift today. Tonight when I get off it will be a great night’s sleep, and I’m going to have more cash next week to put towards building my dream business.”
Let me tell you what it sounds like to me, as a customer, when you say that you can’t wait to get done with work. I hear this: “I hate making you coffee, I don’t care what it tastes like to you.” I learned as a person who made coffee for years that customers could taste the love of what I do in the art form I used to create the wonderful drink. Even with the customers who seem to have that bad look on their faces, it brought me joy to make them smile when they got that taste of a drink they loved.
When you love what you do, you want to do it better for those you serve. As you work to create a better world for yourself you are painting that picture, or watering the grass of your future. While in each of the tasks we are facing there are some times we have to do things that are not a fun part of our job, it’s the love of the job that we do that helps us endure those hard times. Water the grass of your future but don’t forget to enjoy the present place you are at. Many people will have to do what you do some day, and if you water the job you’re at now as well as your future, others cannot wait to get your job once you have moved on.
As we move through this week, the topic of goals and living in the present to make them happen will be in our daily posts. Life is about enjoying every minute we have. Those who learn to love what they do and the world around them always look like rockstars to others. So remember today to love where you are, water your own grass and the path in front of you. When you just water your neighbor’s yard it only makes you look jealous. Live today for today. The grass is greener on the side that is watered most, so water your own.
I’m Tim Gillette, the Rocker Life Coach. It’s time for you to live a life you always wanted, to love what you do and those you share your life with, water the grass you stand on, and keep your path looking green to be a rockstar in your world.
