A meme crossed my path. All caps, lots of colors — the kind of design I might be into…
YOU DID NOT WAKE UP TODAY TO BE AVERAGE
I have a couple of thoughts about that.
1. Math.
2. Maybe you did.
By definition, we can’t all be above average.
If we’re using the math-based definition, typically accepted as the mean, we can’t all be higher than it because then, by definition, it would be raised.
If we’re using the definition that makes “average” somewhat synonymous with “normal” or “usual,” we still can’t all better or different than that. If we’re all different than normal, then the definition of normal changes.
And maybe you did wake up today to be average. Maybe life has been terrible and to have a typical-for-other-people day would be amazing. Maybe so many out of the ordinary things—good or bad—have been happening that you’re ready for calm. Maybe for any one of a zillion reasons, finding a groove and hanging out in it for a while would be lovely.
I know a lot of people who would love to hang out in a comfortable groove for a while.
We don’t have to be The Best Ever at everything we do. Within the bounds of lots of asterisks (that I’m not going to ramble about today), doing a good but not amazing job at work is good enough. Being a good but not as good as you feel like maybe other parents are parent is good enough. Preparing decent food for yourself and whoever else you’re feeding is good enough.
Get some exercise. It doesn’t have to be hard core. Eat healthy food. You’ll feel better. Get enough sleep. Or as close as you can get. (There are so many hurdles, some of which we can’t control.) Love your people. Accept that sometimes, life isn’t going to permit all of those things to happen every day.
And when you have energy or drive to do more, do it. Don’t let other people steal your energy. If you want to spend time creating something beautiful or different or silly or useful or just plain amazing, do it, and don’t let the haters tell you that’s not how you should spend your time. (I hate the “too much free time” means of dismissing people.)
But waking up to be better than average every day? That’s stressful. Let that shit go, even if it’s in all caps and lots of colors.