Finding Joy in the Everyday
Have you ever gotten through another day and asked yourself, "Is there more to life than this?" If so, I know the feeling. Life can feel very mundane at times. You get up in the morning, eat breakfast, go to work, come home, and then do the same thing all over again. For some, you wake up before the sun rises, get your kids ready for school, make sure that all the housework is complete, cook dinner and then do it all over again. For others, you get up, go to school, go to work, come home, and then do it all over again. The point is that we all have our own routines and we all wrestle, at some point in our lives, with the thought that there must be more. We all struggle to find purpose in the mundane moments of our lives.
Recently, I've been struggling to find purpose in my day to day routine. I grew tired of doing the same thing over and over, and as time passed, I'll just be honest and say that everything began to feel pointless. Almost every night when I got ready for bed, I would think to myself, "God, is there more to all of this?" I wanted to know if everyday of my life would look the way that it did in this season, and if so, how would I be able to cope?
A few days ago, as I wrestled with these thoughts again, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to everything that was going on around me. It was as if I became increasingly aware of every blessing in my life, and the simple things that I would often take for granted. For instance, I thought about my family and how much they supported me. I also thought about how much joy they brought me during my time at home. I started to think about all the other things that brought me joy that particular day, but I didn't even realize it until God reminded me. The birds chirping outside. The warm sun shining on my skin. The clear blue skies. In that moment, I felt the Holy Spirit reminding me that there is something different and beautiful about each day.
God reminded me that yes, there are seasons when our lives may seem mundane, but truthfully, I believe this is because we fail to see the beauty in each day. Sometimes, we become so caught up in what's going on in our lives, that it's difficult to stop and see what's around us. I've realised that we must be intentional about this. We must be intentional about seeing the beauty in each day. Each day is different. There are new opportunities and new experiences that await us, once we open our eyes to really see them. Birds chirp outside my window everyday, but I never think to walk to my window and look at them. It's sunny almost everyday, but I never think to actually stand outside and be intentional about allowing the sun to warm my skin. I was so focused on just going about my routine and feeling like each day was the same, when I had more than enough opportunities to do something different, experience something brand new, and even take advantage of what I often took for granted.
When God opened my eyes to these things, I began to view my life differently. I began to view my day to day differently. Of course, things didn't magically change overnight, but everyday, I found something to be grateful for. Everyday, I found something that made me smile and I thanked God for it. Everyday, I made up in my mind that I'd do something different than I did before. There were some days when I'd change up my routine and try a new breakfast. Days when I'd change up my schedule and go to the beach. Days when I'd take a few minutes to do something that I enjoy. Some days were still similar to others, but the difference was that I was intentional about finding joy in my day to day.
If you struggle with feeling like your life is mundane, I encourage you to look deeper. There is always something to be grateful for. There is always something new that you can do each day. It's as simple as trying out a new breakfast cereal, taking a different route to work or from work, stopping for ice cream on the way home, going for a run, going to the beach. Do something out of the ordinary and ask God to help you see the beauty of your life, no matter what season of life you may be in.
Our lives may seem mundane at times, but are we willing to take the small step to change that? Let's be intentional about finding joy in the everyday. Doing so has changed my life for the better, and I assure you that it'll change yours too.