I have been struggling to write anything during this time because I don’t really have much variety in my day to day activities. I wake up, go to work, come home, eat lunch, watch tv, play with my dog, eat dinner, take the dog on a walk, shower, and watch more tv until I go to sleep. There is some variation but not much. 

I don’t have any profound things happening right now, considering most of my time is spent at home unless I have to leave (obviously because of the pandemic). For weeks I sat at my computer thinking ‘what am I going to write about when nothing interesting is happening?’ But, that is when it hit me, that life itself is enough to write about. I figured out that I don’t have to go through traumatic events or hard times to find the good in the ordinary.

So welcome to my new normal, my every day, my ordinary. My ordinary is spent with the people who mean the most to me, aka my family. My ordinary is occupying hours at my kitchen table painting canvases and feeling completely relaxed. My ordinary is driving to work and belting at the top of my lungs to whatever comes on my Spotify. My ordinary is picking earrings to match my outfit. And I absolutely adore every moment of my ordinary life.

If you were to tell last year’s me that I would be happy sitting around my house finding random activities to do, I would say you are crazy. I’m not the type to want to sit around all day, I love being surrounded by people and making plans for every new day. But, last year’s me is nothing like me today, I am stronger, smarter, more creative, and have a new perspective on life. The mundane things like walking my dog or meeting up with friends for dinner are things I have an entirely new perspective on. When I walk the dog, I look around to take in my surroundings, focusing on the sky and its colors. Even though meals with friends look different now, I will spend hours in a parking lot (6 feet apart) eating while catching up and not check my phone once. 

When life takes a turn like it has, it’s so easy to look at all the negatives. At the beginning of this pandemic I complained about having to sit inside and do nothing, aka watch tv and eat tons of snacks. But, when there is nothing else to do, it is imperative to see the good in the ordinary. We have been given time to rest, to focus on the little things, and on those and the world around us. 

I have found so much peace during this time. I have discovered that life doesn’t need to be constantly moving in order to enjoy it, we can enjoy it right where we are. We don’t need extravagant trips or insta worthy experiences anymore. We can find happiness and peace right where we are, even when life seems boring. There is nothing wrong with taking time to read, pray, stare at the stars, or even dance in the rain. We have no better time but the present to find the beauty in the here and now. 

So, to the girl who feels at peace, it is such a beautiful feeling isn’t it? It is incredible how you can feel so content about where you are in life and not want to change a thing. But, maybe you don’t feel that sense of peace, maybe right now is really stressful for you, and that’s okay too. Try and take time to let the movement of the world go, put your phone down, take some deep breaths, turn on some music, and just focus on one thing in the real world in front of you. Maybe you need to just look at the window and admire the sky or just lay on your bed with your eyes closed and listen to music. Whatever you need to do to feel even just a morsel of peace, do it, even if it is just for a few minutes. During this pandemic, all we have is time, so why don’t we set some aside to find the beauty and peace in the ordinary?