chasing greener grass by Kirsten

chasing greener grass by Kirsten - February 2026 Scholarship Essay

We live in a culture that constantly tells us, “You need to be something other than you.” However, chasing greener grass often leads to comparison, dissatisfaction, and self-doubt. What if my grass is already green enough? Contentment is an often overlooked component of mental health well-being. Rather than viewing ourselves through a deficit lens we need to appreciate the value of and understand the full complex picture of our lives. By shifting focus from what we lack to what we already have, we unlock powerful tools for mental well-being: contentment, gratitude, and self-acceptance.

I journal every day to process and reflect on my interactions with others and my response to those interactions. Journaling encourages intentionality, an understanding of motivation which fosters mindfulness enabling me to be a better student, peer leader and friend. Journaling helps frame the fact that we are the expert of our own experience, putting us on a path of healing. Learning to acknowledge and manifest gratitude for what we have already accomplished is a mind-set that enables me to change perspectives from “I’ll be content when life is perfect” to “I can find peace in the present” so I may embrace the quiet strength of contentment.