Transforming Ordinary Days into a Fulfilling Life

What does a good day look like for you? I'm not referring to peak experiences: days on the beach, traveling in exotic locations, or having once-in-a-lifetime adventures. I mean in your day-to-day mundane life, what brings you joy, a sense of autonomy, and dignity? What is something simple you do that, without it, your day feels incomplete?

As I approach middle age, I think my answers mainly involve moving my body outdoors, having a moment of connection with my kids, reading a good book before bed, and having a good night's sleep.

Of course, I hope to have many more peak experiences in my life. But I think it's important to stop only living for those moments that break you out of your routine. It's crucial to take a step back and think about what you can do today to make your life a little bit better.

As my old boss used to say, "A good life is a series of good days." Or put another way, "How you spend your days is how you spend your life." There will naturally be harder times than others, and some major boring tasks you need to deal with. Especially as a parent of young kids, there will be days that just drag on forever, and months where it feels like you never even got to think about what you want to do.

But being clear about what makes a good day for you can change some of the small choices you make that can really add up. Maybe you can leave work a half hour early to spend a little time at the gym. Or maybe you can catch yourself procrastinating on social media and spend that time doing something that actually refreshes you.

You'll have to continually ask that question and reevaluate what it means to you. Sometimes dignity and autonomy can come from something as simple as having the ability to use the bathroom by yourself. Being clear on designing a life where those simple things are possible can do wonders to change the entire experience of that stage of life.

I have resolved to spend more time on my health, give my kids my full focus during our time together, and get a good night's sleep. Days can still be a slog sometimes, but it helps to know that I am being proactive in designing how I spend my time.

In your real life, not trying to set any lofty vision, but in your real mundane life, what brings you joy? What can you do more of starting tomorrow that will allow you to look back and know you lived the best life possible?

Find me on Threads, and I'd love to hear about it.