Comments on: Misplaced priorities

By: best prenatal vitamins

best prenatal vitamins — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:38:20 +0000

On holiday to Florida recently, I really enjoyed leaving my ever shrinking lawn behind(as the kids get older, we no longer need enough lawn to kick a ball around).

What was even more refreshing was sitting on my patio via the pool in the villa we rented watching someone else mowing whilst we enjoyed a nice glass of wine. It would seem lawn mowing can be better appreciated when you are not the one behind the mower.

By: baseball pitching machines

baseball pitching machines — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:18:02 +0000

I guess I can see this from both sides. I do have better things to do with my time, but I can also see why people take pride in their lawn and really work to make it look good!

By: hydrofloss

hydrofloss — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:17:58 +0000

A lawn is pretty important in every house. It is the first introduction to a house. Sightseers will be impress if a lawn is properly organized. I think that you have to take care of your lawn everyday.

By: Gun Cabinets

Gun Cabinets — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:42:58 +0000

When you live in the suburbs and don’t have an association to take care of your yard the responsibility rests on you. Peer pressure is the best motivator when it comes to the appearance of your yard. “You better mow the lawn….what will the neighbors think?” This is the motivation. Now there are a few of us who don’t care what the neighbors think and only take care of the yard based on our own time table and sense of appeal.

By: Tom - Realtor Marketing

Tom - Realtor Marketing — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 04:21:48 +0000

Fortunately, my son mows the lawn because I think it is important to teach him the value of work. It is sad however, that many people seem to think that outward appearances are top priority.

By: kim@self improvement and motivation

kim@self improvement and motivation — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:31:26 +0000

I think many people have gotten to the place where they feel they HAVE to be busy. To me, lawn work is a necessary evil that has to be done, but not before it’s time.

How do I prefer to spend my time? Doing activities that help me reach my goals or make me happy. Life is too short to spend it all on my lawn.

By: Dennis

Dennis — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:29:14 +0000

What always bothers me is other dictating what somebody elses priorities should be. Is it not possible to have a nice lawn while still fulfilling your other life’s commitments? Hello, yes it is. If somebody enjoys having a nice lawn and it make THEM happy, then who are you to criticise. By the way, I trust that everybody who condemn those people who have nice lawns has thrown away their TV’s or is Lost the number one priority in your life. And if I don’t want any purple flowers and clover in my yard then so be it, it’s my yard.

By: Claire

Claire — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:13:25 +0000

I have also been analyzing the keys to happiness on my blog, O! To be happy! While prioritizing is definitely a key to personal happiness, I think it important to refrain from judging the priorities of others. For example, enjoy keeping a clean house. I’m not OCD about it (I know a few people who are) but I do find that I personally function better when I live in a clean and organized environment. It helps me to be productive, which in turn, increases my level of happiness. As far as the lawn goes, some people really do enjoy gardening, and mowing the lawn is part of keeping it up. Yes, there might be some who do it solely for the purpose of “Keeping up with the Jones’” but you never really know what the motivation is behind that behavior. I notice you are wearing a red shirt and tie in your picture–do you enjoy the color red, does it make you feel better, or look better? Some people hate red (my redheaded daughter for example, because it clashes with her hair). So I’m not going to judge you on that choice. Judging others is an act that sucks energy, and produces negativity, which drags you down. Its not a good thing.

By: Chris Arnold

Chris Arnold — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:58:55 +0000

First, Hello. This is my first time posting a comment here.

“Remember, your priorities are not what you say they are, but rather how you spend your life.” How true that statement is.

Lately I’ve been thinking about how we all understand the concept that money doesn’t buy happiness. We grasp the conclusion (based on research) that past the poverty level money isn’t correlated with happiness.

I get these concepts and suspect you do too. Yet we spend so much time and energy on money–as a society and as individuals. So to the quote above, WE REALLY DON’T GET IT.

We worry about:
* “Will I keep my job in this economy?”
* “Can I give my kids everything they need to have a great life?”
* “Will I be able to afford this? (gym membership, designer handbag, pet gorilla)
* “Will I have enough for retirement?”
* “Am I making enough? Am I living to the standard I should be?” (comparison to others is a huge thing in most of our heads)
* and on and on.

Personally, I’m trying to catch myself in this thinking and reverse it. If I really see that money doesn’t buy happiness, than what am I doing right now to correct all the energy I’m worrying away on money?

By: Kay Patterson

Kay Patterson — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:59:27 +0000

I agree… I live in southern Spain, where much of the local populace are retired, but spend most of their time “manicuring” their flowers and plants (there’s not much in way of grass here).
Don’t get me wrong, if it makes them happy then good for them… But you get the feeling all that effort is about what the neighbors think.
Personally, I go for less effort, more time to sit and enjoy it!