Summer Above the Circumstances

"Alright gents. Same time tomorrow?"

Such has become the nightly adieu amongst my roommates and I - our instrument to make light of the everyday loop we find ourselves living. Does anyone find it concerning, even with all the changes over the past few months, how swiftly discipline fades to lukewarm repetition, novelty to routine?

Lets pivot. It's summer. There’s sunshine and an expectant excitement of reunions with friends. There’s a newfound appreciation for the activities we once took for granted. There’s an electricity and purpose permeating through our communities, uniting us as humans and inviting change. There's so much more than the seemingly unbreakable loop we feel stuck in. Why is leaning into this purposeful and joyful outlook on life so tough to do?

A quick aside about myself - I'm about as cookie-cutter, plain vanilla as they come. I'm no influencer, I have no kind of following or platform - just a stable job and a happy life in my opinion. My hope is to share the joys that I’m cherishing this summer, and my mediums of spreading love and support to others.

Let’s start inwards and work our way outwards.

Inwards - I find my personal happiness each day undulating between two outlooks on life – one circumstantial, and one rooted in gratefulness. What does a circumstantial outlook look like? If you’re like me, it’s hunching over a desk for most of its waking hours. It’s receiving little to no acknowledgement when things go right, but a majority of the blame when things go wrong. It’s passing along half of its monthly income straight to the landlord. It’s exhausting and it’s overbearing.

But how might an outlook rooted in gratefulness look? This picture is tougher to paint with words as it varies human to human, but there is a constant – the gratefulness stems from pursuing one’s passions. For me, the ocean is my passion. It’s paddling out for a late evening summer surf after a long workday, the glassy reflection of the reddening sun, or the rhythmic chop from the breeze in the water. It's how the sky tints with light orange and pink streaks, marking the suns descent. On those special evenings in the ocean, weariness from the everyday routine shifts to an outlook rooted in gratefulness. I’m grateful for my stressful job. I’m grateful for the way it challenges me, and forces me to learn and grow. I’m grateful to afford rent each month, allowing me to live in proximity to the ocean – my refuge to recharge after a draining day.

Outwards - This internal gratefulness overflows my cup, and has the ability to fill those of others. My focus shifts from self to others. Have you ever met someone who lives so passionately, that their excitement excites you? This summer, I’m going to work through the daily, repetitive routine – but I’m going to do so with gratefulness and unabashed passion that I hope spreads to others. I annoyed my girlfriend the other week by saying ‘good morning!’ to every single person we passed on our hike. It’s a small example of how our internal joy can translate into spreading cheer, but what if we all lifted up those who we come in contact with? Would it permeate throughout our communities and build others up?

There’s something beautiful about how we take ownership over our everyday life. Rooted in gratefulness, we champion love and passion to those around us. I’d like to leave you with one thought - What could be more routine than the sun setting each day? If so routine, then why are we as humans so fascinated by its beauty? Let’s make this summer one filled with joy and passion as we live our lives each day. How lucky are we to struggle through the day-to-day grind? How lucky are we to live so passionately that the ordinary becomes extraordinary?