Why I Hope You Have a Perfectly Boring Day?

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It’s not unusual for me to start a coaching session by asking, “What would make this conversation extraordinary for you?”

That’s because coaching is all about going from good to great—ordinary to extraordinary.

But ironically, my greatest hope and wish for my clients, loved ones, and myself is to be consistently blessed with the ordinary.

The everyday. The average. The banal.

In other words, all the things we regularly take for granted.

An ordinary day is the most discreet blessing of all, and we mustn’t confuse its hushed tones for insignificance.

You see, in our yearning to go above and beyond, we so often fail to appreciate the blessing of an ordinary day.

Reaching for the stars is a privilege only afforded by those of us who are blessed to feel the ground under our feet.

Ask anyone whose everyday life has been thrown into the smallest measure of disarray, and you’ll see someone who is praying to and bargaining with the universe for simply what they had before—and nothing more.

For those of us who have felt the ground under our feet become shaky, the ordinary is a miracle and our only wish.

I mention prayer here because I’m amazed by how often people who don’t believe in a force outside of themselves turn to prayer when life falls apart. There is no denying that it works—science proves this beyond a doubt. But even if you don’t believe prayer impacts outcome, consider that it affects how we feel. And that’s not nothing.

To truly feel the miracle of an ordinary day, create a daily practice—however brief—that allows you to appreciate what you already have (eyes, ears, trees, children, clean water, parents that are alive, a Nespresso machine—you get the picture!) while reaching for more and better.

Gratitude is not the antithesis of ambition. In a good and fulfilling life, these two qualities of character ride shotgun.

My own morning practice, which lasts no longer than 30 minutes (short enough for me to stick with it) begins with prayer, then a few minutes of reading (something inspiring—NOT the news), 10 minutes or less of writing (gratitude journal, thought download, or planning the day) and 10 minutes of stretching. However short your practice, make sure it includes activities that awaken you spiritually, emotionally, behaviorally, and physically. All four matter.

Although it’s only 30 minutes out of my day, if I skip it, the whole day feels like I’m moving through a haze. 

Prayer, especially, grounds me in the blessings of an ordinary day. You can create your own prayer in a language that feels true to you.

These are some of mine:

May we all be blessed with an ordinary day.

May we wake up with the same aches and pains as yesterday and no new ones.

May we indulge in the small pleasures and joys as we did yesterday.

May our children be alive and healthy, even if they are as critical of us as they were yesterday.

May we get to do the things we love, even if more slowly than yesterday.

May our work have as much meaning and impact as yesterday, even if we have yet to reach many of our goals.

May we see, hear, smell, touch, and taste all this world has to offer, even if not as effortlessly as yesterday.

May we have the opportunity to have another ordinary conversation with family and friends.

And of course, may our loved ones continue to grow and thrive.