Day-to-Day Extraordinary

For as long as I could remember, I knew that I wanted to do something bigger. At the turn of the year, I decided to actively pursue this something. I wanted to see if I could will into reality the type of life I could be ridiculously happy with. 


Since I'm still not sure what this bigger something is, I decided to do some research. Perhaps a strategic-coxswainical approach could point me in the right direction. I've looked up blogs, added titles to my Barnes & Noble wish list; I even Googled "Extraordinary Life To Do List". It's a pretty fun list, but I've already been skydiving and have taken a long road trip, coast to coast. 


The awesome things we do have the power to transform our lives. However, I don't think an "Extraordinary" life is contingent on a checklist. 

I'm Not Quitting My J-O-B


One of the first things I've read about people/bloggers chasing down their dreams and their true purpose is that they're usually in a job they don't like. It's not challenging, it doesn't tap into their special talents, or it isn't on track with what they want to accomplish. 


Yes, knowing what you want to do is half the battle; and yes, I still don't know where exactly I want my career to go. However, I do enjoy my job and the skills it has provided me. 


I don't want to leave my job, and in addition, I don't  think leaving would get me closer to my purpose. The average person will change jobs 8 times during their life. Knowing this, it makes me feel a little better. Plus, my job isn't supposed to be what defines my person. 


Not to say I don't enjoy a big change, or even a complete life transformation, but I'm thinking I should keep it up my sleeve for a rainy day. 


Only Bored People are Bored 

One reason why I have been thinking about the accomplishments and direction of my life is because I have a lot of time on my hands. A lot of time. Working from home makes it so I can get my tasks done on my own timeline, at generally a faster pace. Blogging, Twitter, networking all from the comfort of my own pajamas. 

I thought for a second the maybe the need for something more is because of too much down time. Something More Important must certainly equal being busy. Not the case.

Be happy with your time, and happy with how you spend it. If you want more time to yourself, make it. Don't have enough time? What can you do to better structure your day? There are 24 hours in a day, and you choose how each of them is spent. 

So To Make the Most of Time, I've been online, scouring for inspiration and something new.  I do have my own Bucket List and things I personally want to accomplish, but those things don't exactly fall into the life-altering category, just general awesomeness. 


To change your life, I fully subscribe to the thought that you must expand your barriers in all areas of life: mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. The self-actualization recipe. Spherical.


There is, of course, no recipe for happiness, or the perfect extraordinary life. There is no minimum criteria for who is extraordinary and who just missed it by 2 points. 

"The goal of self-change and self-progress is not to win but rather to enjoy life more." --HeyAmberRae 

So here is what I've come up with. 

Things to do/ponder the next time you get a bored moment:

1) Have you pushed yourself today? 
Maybe it's going an extra mile on the treadmill. Or pushing yourself out of bed an hour earlier. What if these little changes created a snowball affect on your day-to-day?


2) Did you work toward a goal? 
I have my 10 goals/resolutions for the year, do you? Not saying you have to go an achieve that goal right now, but what little things can you do to get you there? 


3) Have you taken a shower? 
When I feel like an extremely unproductive waste of space, I take a shower. When I feel sick and gross, I take a shower. When I get in a fight with someone, I go for a run, then take a shower. You could say that the shower could be a metaphorical and literal baptism/renewal of sorts, but I just think you feel better when your clean. You could even go one step further and shave, blow out your hair and put make up on; a known confidence booster.


4) Have you opened up a window? 
In your workspace, open a window and get some fresh air. If there are no windows, go for a quick 10-minute walk outside. If it's rainy or snowy out, get a cup of coffee and enjoy it. Do something to open up your senses. It's a small distraction that can open up some metaphorical windows, as well.


5) Are you satisfied? 
Are you completely happy with what you've done today? Do you think you could stick something else on your to-do list? Or can you go back and improve upon something you half-assed earlier? If so, get it done. If we strive to be proud of our work, then we will take that pride and apply to everything else. 


There are other things I do when I have bored moments: change up my iTunes, get my to-do list done so I can have free time la  recipes, find new blog post ideas, plan out the next day/week, find a new restaurant and make a reservation; a small change-up could lead to something entirely different.

All of these things can help us get through the slow parts of our day, and perhaps fill those moments with something positive. Wipe away the clutter and the boredom to make room for a new idea. Nothing on this list is particularly extraordinary, but it will give us the opportunity to create it, little by little.