There is an expectation that every moment of our lives should be exciting or fulfilling our “main-character moment” quota for the day. With unrealistic expectations like that, we are set up for failure. If our day isn’t adventure-packed or entirely stimulating, we are led to believe that we’re boring or that we aren’t living our lives to the fullest. That’s simply not true.
I believe there is beauty in the small and mundane aspects of our lives, like if we’re wearing our favorite shoes one day, if we did nothing but spend the day on the couch binge-watching New Girl, or even if the most exciting part of our day was getting a fun drink. If our lives were as exciting every single day we are on this Earth, then the invigorating things would lose their spark. The exhilarating parts would become mundane.
Appreciating life’s simple pleasures is what we were put on this Earth to do. Every day, we are gifted with things like our playlist shuffle hitting hard that day, the weather being just right, and fruit being perfectly ripened. If we’re focusing on the next biggest thing to happen to or for us, we miss the small pleasures that fall through the cracks.
More often than not, we engage in simple pleasures multiple times throughout the day. It’s the thing that keeps us going. At least, it’s the thing that keeps me going. Being able to listen to my favorite song on repeat or getting my daily iced coffee are some of the only things to get me out of bed in the morning. Even just getting out in the sun and the fresh air for a little bit during the day is rejuvenating. Other days, I am blessed to have an exciting event like a concert or going out to look forward to that night, too. But mostly, I have to rely on the little things in my life to get excited for the day.
In college, there is the expectation that you are going to be doing something adventurous and life-changing every night during the “best four years of your life,” but that is typically not the case. It’s hard to appreciate the slower and less “exciting” days in college, especially in the dorms. Everyone around you is talking about their summer trips and even their party plans for the weekend, and it’s hard not to compare your lack of plans to theirs. It’s easy to feel like you’re behind in some way simply because your plans don’t mirror other people’s. Just because you don’t have stories from every single night doesn’t mean you’re not fascinating. Comparison is the thief of joy. If going out from Thursday to Sunday is what brings you joy — that’s amazing. If staying in for a relaxing weekend is what brings you joy, that is also amazing. Everyone lives life at their own pace, and it is crucial to take a moment to appreciate the little things, no matter how small they seem.
I love being busy and having exciting plans to look forward to, but I also cherish and treasure my downtime and slowing down. I love slowly rolling into my day at my own pace, and I look forward to watching my show at night before I go to bed. I also love being out with friends all day at brunch and then going out that night as well. Too much of one thing is not a good thing for you, and life is meant to be lived.