The Other Man’s Grass is Not Greener – Just A Different Shade of Green!

"The other man’s grass is very rarely greener however, it will often remind us of how green ours is." - Des Penny

I have had the privilege of spending the month of July overseas in Europe visiting a range of cities, countries and famous landmarks and I must say that I had an amazing time and a great rest.

I am fascinated by Europe, especially cities like Paris and Barcelona and have often said that if I was not living in Australia, Barcelona is the city I would love to live in.

Travelling to places like this opens up a whole range of senses that we often don’t use as much as we should.

There are new sounds and new smells and new languages, new architecture, new food etc.

There are also new learning experiences and new coping strategies that must be adopted, all of which make us more versatile and more aware.

 All of the things that we are so used to doing and seeing are no longer seen and done that way in this new environment and so we must adapt and learn as we go.

However, amongst all of Europe’s history and beauty, is a plethora of challenges and events that make us stop and compare with what we currently have and do and help us to understand just how privileged we are to live where we do and to have the freedom that we have.

The problems that we often complain about, and the politics that we get upset about, pale into insignificance when we get a broader picture of how the rest of the world is living and surviving.

Our problems, when put into perspective are just so small really, but our good points are so large. We are indeed privileged people living in a privileged nation.

I discovered so many wonderful things on this trip but the greatest thing that I discovered was how blessed I am as a human being and the opportunities that were available to every person if we are prepared to take them up.

Maybe this is what we need to see and recognise for our own lives and for the organisations that we work in.

It is great to have new and exciting adventures, but it is also great when we return and start to take notice once again of the sounds and the smells and the diversity and the food and the architecture that we see every day, right where we are, because the other man’s grass is not usually greener, it is just a different shade of green.

Des Penny - Co-CEO
Proteus Leadership