The detriment of extraordinary

Often times examples of success lift up those doing the extra ordinary, placing people high up on a pedestal.  This is especially true when we look for examples of recovery.  These examples read like a Chicken Soup for the Soul story designed with the intention to inspire and motivate.

The danger of extraordinary is that we set an unrealistic bar.  Extraordinary in anything is the minority.  Ordinary is the majority.

It can be hard to see ourselves in extraordinary.  It can feel unattainable.  It can feel discouraging when what is being lifted up as an example of recovery is the extraordinary.

It can be more helpful to those looking for a role model, an example of recovery, to lift up the ordinary.

There is beauty in the person who gets up each morning and works the 9-5 job and lives with a mental health challenge.  There is beauty in the person who is in happy loving relationship and is accepted as they are.  There is beauty in the person who is doing the things they love while living with a physical health challenge.

Instead of those doing extraordinary things, let's make a point to lift up those doing ordinary things.  Those living their every day life.  Those working, going to school, having relationships, engaging in hobbies, playing, laughing, loving.  There is beauty in the ordinary.