Surround Yourself with the Ordinary

Society sends a message that we should only celebrate and be proud of ourselves, that we are only enough, once we have accomplished something big, once we have a finished product ready to be presented to the world.

I have been thinking about this a lot lately, especially as everyone rushes to announce their big accomplishments from the past year and their big goals for next year. I have particularly noticed this message subliminally being sent to us through podcasts. I truly love podcasts; they have supported and guided me through many life changes. However, most podcasts contain interviews or insights from people who are high achievers, celebrities, well known influencers, people with outward success, fame and acknowledgment. While that is wonderful and can be motivating, inspiring, educational and enjoyable, I wish there were a place that highlighted the people who are in the In Between.

I think some of the most inspiring, enlightening and educational stories, words, and connections can come from people who society deems “average” or “normal” or people who are unknown, not finished or “there” yet.

The bus driver who is genuinely joyful. The woman who is in the middle of writing her first book, with no followers yet, and no one who even knows she is writing it. The person who really knows how to be a best friend. The teacher who struggles with mental illness but still shows up for her kids everyday. The barista who makes everyone feel heard. The farmer who greets every early morning with a smile.

We all have magic innately within us.

The world has taught us to ignore and be blind to our magic because we don’t even recognise it as magic. Of course it’s okay to have big goals and dreams - I know I definitely do - but we have to remember that, even before we accomplish them, we are magic. Even before we reach the end goal, we are worthy of being on a podcast, of having our stories heard, of being in the spotlight, celebrating ourselves, knowing we are special. Being who we are already is enough.

If we heard more stories from people in the In Between, or from people who are “ordinary” and content with life, we would recognise our magic more. We would see we are already enough, we would believe in ourselves more, we wouldn’t always think we have to be better, be seeking something more, be working towards something big.

Maybe achieving our goals is less about pushing ourselves to work so hard and more about humbly and unconditionally believing that we’re capable of what we desire.

What if we desire what we want to achieve because we are already capable of achieving it?

Of course, surround yourself with people who motivate, inspire and support you and your dreams, but, even more so, surround yourself with the people who already see the magic within you and within themselves. The people who see the magic in the ordinary and mundane. Surround yourself with the life lovers, the people who are content with who they already are and who are proud of who you already are. That is magic.

You’re going to grow this year. You’re going to evolve, make progress and probably achieve at least one thing you’re proud of. But this Before, In Between version of you is already enough. This current version of you is already magic.

This is the version of yourself that is going to get you to the next version of yourself. You can’t be who you’re going to be without being who you already are. So I think it’s time we allow the present version of ourselves to be enough. Let’s try to see the magic in who we are right now and believe we’ll achieve our dreams because of it.