MENTAL HEALTH: Find magic in the mundane

Life is made up of lots of tiny, seemingly insignificant moments that happen without us taking much notice. They go by in a flurry of actions, thoughts and experiences that have generally become part and parcel of everyday life.
Oftentimes, we are laser focused on turning our attention towards those bigger but less-frequent moments. You know – new jobs, new houses and other life landmarks to celebrate. But life is not full of grand events, for the vast majority of us at least. Not every email signals good news, not every project completed will be award winning, milestone celebrations don’t take place every weekend.
In an effort to seek out the movie moments, we can be guilty of missing out on those small pieces that really do make up our lives. Andy Warhol is quoted as saying, ‘You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you’. He was speaking about finding excitement in every day, and I think his sentiment nicely reflects what we should all probably be making more of an effort to do in our lives.
So how can we be more present to ensure that we are living in the moment?
To begin, it would be worthwhile to turn your attention to the everyday tasks that you generally do on autopilot. Approach these tasks slowly and appreciate what they provide for you. When was the last time you stopped to notice what was outside your window as you opened the curtains in the morning? When was the last time you slowly savoured the smell and taste of your coffee or tea in the morning, how it warmed your belly as you sipped it from the mug you chose? Why did you chose that mug over any other? Is it your favourite? Why?
These ways of noticing small pleasures are simple things, but they can have a gentle impact on how you approach the day and feel equipped to handle whatever it brings. And small pleasures like these are there for the taking, all day long.
If you’re reading this and you’re unsure whether you can enjoy such little moments, or whether you even want to bother, maybe get curious as to why that might be. Is it that you have become accustomed to always chasing the next big thing? Never content unless you have something exciting coming up that you can plan and look forward to? If we live our lives in this way, then the mundane will not feel so magical. You might find yourself trudging through the routine and the familiar, feeling a little empty.
The good news is that repetition is safe. It doesn’t challenge our minds by needing us to think or react in a new or different way. Instead, the status quo is at play – and this, for a lot of people, provides huge comfort. We know what to expect and can remain comfortable in knowing what is coming (in as much as it is possible to do that in life). Indeed, sometimes it’s only when something happens in life to throw things off course that we find a new-found appreciation for the everyday things. But imagine how much happier we’d be if we learned to appreciate them all the time, even just a little.
Of course you should cherish and enjoy all the big moments and achievements in life. But at the same time, always remember to look out for and make the most out of the pleasantness and privilege of having a routine in place. There are so many people who would do anything to have that security available to them.
If you begin to turn your focus and attention to those smaller moments, you will clearly see that they add up to make up a significant portion of your day-to-day life. Maybe the idea that living a simple life can be full of beautiful treasures is not so mundane after all.

Sadhbh Dunne is a qualified life coach based in Westport, Co Mayo. She is the founder of Ember Coaching and can be reached at sadhbh@embercoaching.ie.