From Ordinary to Extraordinary: A Mindset Shift
Hey there Reader,
As I sit in my garden on this sunny July day, I find myself reflecting on this simple yet powerful question:
What if “extraordinary” wasn’t about having more, doing more, or chasing something new—what if it was just about seeing the “ordinary” through a different lens?
So often we think ordinary means dull. Routine. Too simple. Too small.
But what if ordinary only feels that way because we’re comparing it? Judging it? Believing it should look like someone else’s version of success?
When Ordinary Becomes Magical
Years ago, just after university, a friend and I did a road trip up the Sunshine Coast. We had no money—just a car, some groceries, a tent, and the wide open road. We found hidden campsites, some deep in the forest, one perched right over the ocean. I remember standing at the shore, mist in the air, totally immersed in the wildness of nature. Free. Present. Light.
Whether I went skinny-dipping or just stood barefoot in that water—I was alive. It was exhilarating. It cost nothing. And it still lives in me.
Another vivid memory: one rainy, misty evening on the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec, we celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary on a campsite by the sea. No fancy dinner. Just a picnic table, a cheap glass of wine, our kids playing on the rocks nearby. I remember thinking:
This is one of the happiest, most content moments of my life.
Not perfect. But perfectly mine.
Extraordinary Is a Mindset Shift
These memories taught me that extraordinary isn’t about switching out your life. It’s about how you see it.
It’s not in the price tag or the plan. It’s in your presence.
It’s in the belief that this moment, exactly as it is, can be enough.
We often wait for something more glamorous or dramatic to “count” as special. But the real gold? It’s often in the moments we’re tempted to overlook.
And it all begins with what you believe.
I am currently reading the book "Worthy" by Jamie Kern Lima. In it she quotes Oprah as having said:
“You don’t become what you want. You become what you believe.”
So if we believe our lives are too small, too late, too ordinary… that’s what we’ll see.
But if we believe we’re capable of joy, meaning, freedom—even in the simple—we start seeing that too.
Try This: Make an Ordinary Day Extraordinary
Extraordinary doesn’t have to cost a thing. Here’s how I’m doing it this summer:
- 🌳 Visiting a park with a packed lunch and a friend
- 🎶 Listening to live music in our community for free
- 🍒 Picking cherries in the backyard
- 🧺 Tidying a neglected garden corner and feeling proud
- 💬 Connecting with someone I care about
It’s not big. It’s just intentional. And that’s what makes it magic.
Let’s Create Your Extraordinary Together
If you’re in a season of change, questioning, or wanting more but unsure what that looks like—let’s talk.
✨ You can book a free Call
Together, we’ll explore what feels stuck or unseen, and identify what’s possible.
🔥 Try the Clarity Connection Blueprint
This powerful 90 minute session will help you:
- Identify your stuck stories and shift them
- Reconnect to your inner vision and learn how to trust your intuition
- Create clarity on your next step with a clear strategic action plan to get you moving forward.
Session is $175
➡️ Contact me for details: marianne@mariannepreston.com
Your Extraordinary Day Checklist
Print it. Screenshot it. Use it anytime you feel stuck or flat.
✨ Do any 3 of these today to shift your energy.
✅ Do something kind
- Write a thank-you message
- Compliment someone
- Drop off a treat
✅ Do something creative
- Journal, draw, bake, or plant something
- Go see a community play.
- Try a new recipe
✅ Do something active
- Walk in nature
- Go for a bike ride or a short hike.
- Stretch for 10 minutes
✅ Do something connected
- Call a friend
- Visit a community event
- Invite someone over for tea
✅ Do something reflective
- Sit in silence for 10 minutes
- List 3 things you're grateful for
- Ask: What did I love about today?
🌀 Bonus prompts:
- What would make today feel extraordinary?
- What kind words do I need to hear today?
Final Thought
You don’t need a new life to love your life.
Let go of the comparison. Let go of “should.”
The beauty you’re looking for is already here—woven into your life, your surroundings, and your choices.
Extraordinary is available to you today.
You just have to choose to see it.
With heart,
Marianne
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