The Ordinary Moments Matter

I think we can all relate to the desire to seek the extraordinary moments. We measure our life in increments of achievements, success, and milestones. Sure, these offer a firecracker burst of excitement, but just as quickly they fade with the uncertainty of when we’ll experience the next one. What I’ve come to realize, especially during some of my life’s deepest uncertainty and hardships, is that all it takes is the experience of loss, illness, or grief to show us just how beautiful life’s ordinary moments are.

When the simple blessings of life, like the love of family and friends, a fulfilling career, the ability to provide food and shelter, and our health, become the routine and expected “wallpaper” in the backdrop of our lives, we risk becoming ungrateful for the immense joy of these ordinary moments. So we allow ourselves to believe that the only moments that really count are the extraordinary ones. That next vacation, a big “win” at work, meeting a fitness goal, a bump in income – these are mile markers, but the real journey is what takes place in between. And if you allow yourself to feel burdened by the journey between these mile markers, you’re going to miss out on so much!

If I’m being honest, it’s been about a year now that I’ve felt an interesting and sometimes uncomfortable stirring in my soul. One that’s telling me the desire to see extraordinary moments is heavy and tiring. And it’s a void that will never be filled. But when I look to my left and right, I see a society driven by extraordinary moments, social networks that paint perfect pictures of other people’s lives, exaggerated accomplishments, and elaborate “humble brags” announcing yet one more major achievement in someone else’s life. My life is not exciting – at least not like that. Seeking awards and accolades for myself, touting my life of clients, and putting the spotlight on myself has never sat right with me. But it’s taken both time and intentional introspection to be confident about going against the grain of society to embrace being very, very ordinary.

Ready for some irony? In my career field of Public Relations, my work aims to elevate other people, their missions, and causes. To tell their stories loudly and boldly while tying them to great meaning and impact. And at times it’s downright tiring. I exist to create extraordinary moments for my clients. Coincidentally, this has made me embrace the peaceful ordinary moments of life that much more. It’s developed within me humility that keeps me grounded and gives me a clear and reassuring perspective where I can confidently say, “There is immense beauty in life’s everyday moments!”

The paradox is that only when our “ordinary” moments are compromised – by loss, a change of fate, a disruption of plans – do we long to get back to the routine we forgot to appreciate. Recall your most recent feeling of disruption in life. How long did it take you to wish things could just go back to normal? For your plans to be as they usually are. For the people and actions in your life to be accessible and expected. Never forget how wonderful ordinary feels! When you learn to lean into the ordinary, and use it to fuel peace, rest, simplicity, and appreciation for the mundane, everyday occurrences, you will find that you’re no longer waiting for that next firework to light up your sky…instead, you’ll marvel at the “ordinary” stars that are yours to enjoy every single day.

Have you ever found yourself in a season of life where you’re overlooking the beauty of the ordinary moments? What was your wake-up call to release your desire to only measure the extraordinary? Tell me about your experience in the comments below.

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