Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary

We’ve come to the end of 2021. Despite the media and government trying to bring me down, I’ve been blessed with a great year. My job is fulfilling, I’ve spent quality time with my husband, learned to cook so many new meals, saw my family in the Midwest several times, enjoyed a couple beautiful vacations, and deepened my faith through newfound friendships in our Bible study group.

As I reflect on my year, the biggest impact it had on me was that I was forced to focus on the present. 2020 pushed me there, but 2021 solidified it. I tend to be a futuristic person, concentrated only on the next goal to accomplish. But these past two years made it evident that nothing in life is guaranteed. With that realization, I found an unfamiliar contentment and pleasantness to enjoying the present moment. I discovered the extraordinary in the ordinary. 

I feel a similar sentiment in personal style too. So many of us get caught up in the big fashion trends, mainstream commercials, and social media influencer advertisements, that we forget why we’re supposed to enjoy style in the first place. Personal style is meant to bring us every day joy. For me, that was trying on a new pair of Spanx jeans yesterday and feeling so good that they fit perfectly on the first try that I wore them for the rest of the evening! Just like finding satisfaction in the present moment, we can find delight in the simplicity of a necklace that sparkles just the way we want; a pair of heels that makes us feel stronger than we think possible; fresh polished nails that bring a smile to our face when we see them.

It’s not the material things that matter, it’s the feelings – delight, joy, self-contentment, confidence – that the material pieces evoke in us that matter. I believe that it is possible to find the extraordinary in the ordinary, even in the most unlikely of places like our closet.

So, this year, I challenge you to seek joy in the present moment. Find beauty in what you wear and let that confidence shine through you to touch the lives of others. Display happiness in your interactions with people around you. Enjoy satisfaction in a job well done in tasks that lead you closer to your goals.

2022 is not a year guaranteed. Rather, it will present itself as a new day with its own set of challenges and opportunities to seek and share joy. In that day, like today, we should dedicate ourselves to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments we are given.