7 year old Rosie would agree with me on this- life is so completely unserious and playful. For the most part, the weight of the world is in your head and if you can just let go and look around, you’ll begin to fly.
In a world where we are constantly bombarded with images of glamour, success, and extravagance, it's easy to overlook the beauty that lies within the simplicity of everyday life. Sometimes my jumper matches the flowers I walk past, and suddenly, my day is brighter- how nice it is to match the flowers. The ordinary, the mundane, the routine – these aspects of life often go unnoticed, deemed unworthy of celebration or attention. However, I've come to realise that there is immense beauty to be found in the ordinary, and by romanticising the little parts that make up my life, I've been able to dissipate the heavy weight that I always seemed to carry on my shoulders.
I feel like I spent years of my life, just waiting- waiting for that next good thing to happen. A goal, a milestone, just looking for something to look forward to. Beauty can be found anywhere but in order to ‘see’ it or ‘hear’ it we need to be receptive. We need to take that first step and open ourselves up to the world, as opposed to expecting the world to just send us nice moments.
Growing up, I was always drawn to stories of adventure, romance, and grandeur. I dreamed of a life filled with excitement and extraordinary experiences. But as I grew older, I began to feel disillusioned by this pursuit of the extraordinary. I love being a daydreamer but I often find it goes deeper than a daydream and suddenly, I have been living in my head. And the world is out there, not in my head. I found myself feeling disconnected from everything around me, always longing for something more, something elusive. It kind of sucks the life out of you- the treadmill and ever-moving goalpost of what you want out of life.
I slowly found my way back to taking photos, something I loved growing up. Instead of viewing the ordinary aspects of life as dull or unremarkable, I started to see them through a different lens – one of appreciation and wonder. I began to find joy in the simple pleasures of everyday life – the warmth of a cup of tea on a chilly morning, the sound of rain tapping against the window, the feeling of a cozy blanket wrapped around me as I curled up with a good book. I was suddenly seeking out the feelings I had been longing for and it turns out, they were all around me, I just had to open my eyes.
Romanticising the mundane isn't about denying the existence of hardship or struggle. It's about finding beauty and meaning in the ordinary moments, the daily routine that makes up our lives. It's about recognising that happiness isn't always found in the grand gestures or monumental achievements, but rather in the small, everyday moments that often pass us by unnoticed. Your life is made up by the accumulation of your everyday moments so why not make them beautiful.
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." - Maya Angelou
Another way I've embraced the beauty of an ordinary life is through the art of slow living. In a world that glorifies busyness and productivity, it can be all too easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But by intentionally slowing down, it forces you to focus on the things that matter most. I still have creeping thoughts of guilt where I feel i’m not working enough or ‘doing the most’ at all times. In all seriousness, if I overthink this blog post too much, I’ll actually convince myself that it’s just bullshit. But I’ve began to mentally challenge that- why do I have to prove my existence? I exist and am living on my terms and that is enough. Whether it's spending a lazy Sunday morning in bed, sipping coffee and listening to my favoruite music, or taking the time to enjoy a leisurely meal without distractions, I've found that slowing down allows me to appreciate the richness of life in a way that rushing through it never could.
Embracing the beauty of an ordinary life has also taught me the importance of finding joy in the journey, rather than fixating on the destination. In terms of my painting career, it’s really helped to balance out the need for consistency and discipline but also just letting art flow at its own pace. Life is made up of moments – both big and small – and it's up to us to make the most of each one. By learning to find beauty in the ordinary, I've come to realize that happiness isn't something to be chased after or attained, but rather something to be cultivated in the here and now.
Of course, romanticizing the mundane isn't always easy. There are days when life feels anything but beautiful – when the weight of the world seems too heavy to bear, and the simplest tasks feel like insurmountable obstacles. But even in those moments of darkness, I've found that there is still beauty to be found if only I'm willing to look for it..
"In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer." - Albert Camus