Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at GCU chapter.

The grass is always greener; should we always be looking forward?

There lies that old saying – the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. This has been particularly true in my life, but we’ll get to that. First, let’s talk about the fact that I am always looking forward. Forward to the summer when it’s warm, sunny, and nice out. I get to spend time with my family and go on tons of adventures in the area surrounding my home. But as soon as summer comes around, I find myself looking forward to the school year, the independence that comes with it, and the friends I’ve made here at school.

I have mastered the art of romanticizing aspects of my life in the past and future tense and have completely failed when it comes to contentment. But I don’t think I’m alone in this. People get excited about future events, and love reminiscing about past ones – and that is okay.  

Lately, I have felt a deep longing for summer – midterms and spring break are over, and the warmer weather and release of OBX season 3 have me in a super summery mood. But I want to take some time to be thankful for the season of life that I am in. I don’t want to be so focused on looking forward that I forget to look around.

So, I have been attempting to practice mindfulness and gratitude and recognize the little things about my current season of life that bring me joy. Even if I am stressed and tired from school and work, I can appreciate the time spent with my friends, the small beauties of my college campus, and the fun I have with my roommate. Every year looks different – even though I’ll be back on campus next year, it won’t be the same as this year, just as this current year is so different from the last. Recognizing the small things is one way for me to be present in the here and now of life.

The grass may always seem greener – but I have learned from experience that it rarely is. Summer may seem like an escape from the stress of school – but it will come with its own stress, and I will miss things about the school year that I may not fully appreciate right now.

It is interesting to think about the way people are always looking forward – whether that be next summer, next month, or even tomorrow. Very rarely do we stay present in the here and now. I know that the promises of tomorrow can be great and can seem so much better than certain things that come up in our lives, and I don’t want to discount that many things can change for the better in the future. After all, there is a reason we look forward so much.

That being said, mindfulness and gratitude can greatly impact – and positively improve – the way we endure our circumstances. So, let’s try and be more proactive in staying present. And let’s try harder to appreciate all the small things in our lives. Because more often than not, the grass is pretty green right where you’re at – even if it’s a different green than you’re used to.

Amelia Miller is a Senior at Grand Canyon University studying Professional Writing with a double minor in Literature and Communications. When she’s not curled up with a book or hunched over a laptop or notebook writing, Amelia can be found outside working in the garden, or going on a hike. Being from Colorado, the connection with nature is grounding and can serve as creative inspiration – but mostly it’s just fun. She can also be found in the kitchen, trying out new recipes or attempting to prove to her friends that vegetarian cooking can in fact be good.