Raise a glass to more of the everyday
The outcasts and the underdogs, the hustlers and the warriors
Monday: The day voted most likely to make you want to stay in bed
Moxie: Confidence, determination, force of character
Monday Moxie: A tiny spark of “Go get ‘em!” curated by yours truly to help you get your day (even a Monday) off to a good start
Quick! What’s your gut reaction to the word ordinary?
According to various internet sources, ordinary refers to:
Having no special or distinctive features
Normal (whatever that means)
Commonplace or standard
To be expected
Familiar
Plain
Usual
Average
Unremarkable
Did your initial gut reaction change?
If the word ordinary already made you a little uncomfortable, did your discomfort deepen upon reading that list of definitions and synonyms?
It feels like being ordinary has become some kind of social crime — a failure to live up to one’s full potential.
I mean, we all want to be special, right? We all want to matter.
We want to be interesting.
We want to be extraordinary.
But what does that mean?
If I asked you to name five extraordinary people, who would come to mind and why?
What about the relationship between being extraordinary being happy?
This is what I’ll be thinking about as I work on this week’s Thursday newsletter. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Puzzling out these things on my own is not nearly as fun as having a conversation with you.
So, I hope you’ll drop a comment or hit ‘reply’ and send me a note back.
In the meantime — please enjoy this week’s Monday Moxie song: “Cheers” by the band Jukebox the Ghost. It’s an anthem for ordinary people and everyday things, and it makes me smile.
Cheers!
Jukebox the Ghost, 2022 — Track 13 on the album, Cheers
Here's to more of the everyday, raise a glass and sing along, The outcasts and the underdogs On the benches, on the sidelines, wallflowers: this is our time Ordinary people every day In the nosebleeds, in the bleachers I see victors, I see fighters Raise a glass and cheers to every day Raise a glass to more of the everyday Cheers! Cheers! Cheers to all the dreamers, the everyday believers! Cheers! Cheers! Cheers to all the dreamers! Time to get out, start the morning, 9 to 5 and 5 to 9-ing, Raise a glass 'cause we got bills to pay To all the lovers and the loners, all the hustlers and the warriors Raise a glass and cheers to every day Raise a glass to more of the everyday Cheers! Cheers! Cheers to all the dreamers, the everyday believers! Cheers! Cheers! Cheers to all the dreamers! Here's to more of the everyday, raise a glass and sing along, The outcasts and the underdogs Here's to more of the everyday, raise a glass and sing along, The outcasts and the underdogs Cheers! Cheers! Cheers to all the dreamers, the everyday believers! Cheers! Cheers! Cheers to all the dreamers! Here's to more of the everyday, raise a glass and sing along The outcasts and the underdogs, the outcasts and the underdogs! Songwriters: Tim Myers / Ben Thornewill / Tommy Siegel / Jesse Kristin Cheers! lyrics © Ben Thornewill Publishing, Tommy Siegel Publishing, These Are Pulse Songs, Songs Of Zync, Hugs & High Fives, Jesse Kristin Publishing
Yes, this is a great topic! *Ordinary* at first thought is mundane and kind of grey like the Pacific Northwest skies so much of this season (I do live in a rainforest). Whereas *Extraordinary* stands out, and is exceptional, it sparks something bright and colourful that captivates awake attention like a sun-blasted day on a mountaintop. But I crave to live more grounded and in companionship with others on the earth and less stimulated, questing and solo on the mountain expedition, so I am torn between my longing for both the ordinary and the extraordinary.
Great topic! I crave ordinary. It’s true. I think people underestimate what their “ordinary” actually is and how special it can be. I think if you were to ask any people we think of as “extraordinary”, they would say they feel ordinary. Like status quo in terms of who they are and what they do. It’s just that they elevated their own meaning of ordinary in my opinion. That’s what I like most about extraordinary people - the selfless ones at least - is they don’t think of themselves as extraordinary or different at all.