Being Average and Living an Average Life

‘Perfectly Average’ is a term that I happily associate with myself. Being Average never made me happy when I was younger. I always wanted to do something special, something different but life had simpler plans. Another way to put it is that I didn’t exactly make any special efforts either and kept my talents under wraps.

Now, I live a mediocre life and I am happy. Happiness is subjective; for some it means a well-paying job while for others it can be getting one hour of me-time (#MomLife). Most happiness in today’s time comes from getting to lead the life like a celebrity or a famous blogger. People aspire for what they see- a beautiful house, a swanky car, an endless wardrobe, an army of servants and a lot more. It’s OK to desire for material pleasures but only when you are working to achieve them. Just sitting and wishing and envying others never yields any results. Either work or stop wasting your energy in feeling miserable because Being Average isn’t that bad.

Some people say that they hate their ‘routine-life’. My point is that even the people we look up to have some kind of routine. It may seem exciting to us but they may not feel the same enthusiasm every day just like we don’t. Even your dream job gets repetitive after a point (happened to me). A beautiful house and glamorous lifestyle will not always be as lucrative.

Being Average is My Lifestyle

Coming to myself, I have a very regular middle-class life. I wake up early to go to the gym then come back and make breakfast. Idhaya, my daughter and I feed ourselves then we have our baths followed by some play time. She naps for an hour or two in the afternoon. I do my freelance work then. Once she is up, we have lunch then play some more. We then go to the park, come back, eat dinner and sleep.

Despite Being Ordinary, this ‘boring’ schedule can be someone’s dream. Let me explain. I have two part-time helpers- one for cleaning and dishes while other helps in cooking. I keep talking to them and have realized that they feel that I have a fancy lifestyle. Even the smallest things I own may seem like a prize for them. When I give them boxes of crayons because Idhaya has too many, their faces light up. A special reward as small as 100 rupees gets these ladies in a happy mood. Whenever I give them anything, they tell us how happy their kids were on receiving even something small like a few hair-clips or some candies.

Similar Lives, Different Perspectives

Now let’s see the difference in perspective of these two ladies. My cleaning lady is a loud yet very supportive lady. She shows up on time and feels guilty if she has to take even a single leave in 3-4 months. She never eyes the stuff that lies around in my home and if I give her something, she feels shy. I can see her happiness at such moments and she always tells me how the seven kids (four of them are her own) in her house respond to the little gifts.

Talking about my cook, she is always eyeing even the smallest things I have and keeps asking about them. If I give her something, she takes it with a poker face and doesn’t forget to tell what other people keep giving her. Sometimes she acts like she has a lifestyle just like mine while at others, she behaves like a poor lady. She has just one child but whatever I give her is never good enough. She asks price of things and either tells me that she will buy it or says that it’s not in her luck.

See the difference! It’s surprising and makes me look at my life with a different perspective.

Why Being Average Works Perfectly for Me

I am the kind of person who is happy for some time and then finds something to sulk about. Looking at my life from an outsider’s eyes, I see my life like this-

“I can afford to go to a gym and my husband takes care of my daughter in that time. I have the luxury to work on myself despite Being Average. I cook what I like for breakfast and if I don’t feel like cooking, I can always order something. I don’t have to worry about my house being clean. I get to eat delicious homemade food without much effort and again I can order food if my cook is absent. I have some talent and a job that lets me work on it. I have wide open and safe spaces around me for Idhaya to play. My daughter sleeps through the night and I get uninterrupted sleep of at least 7 hours every night. I have a loving and supportive husband. I can afford vacations, not opulent but getting to travel to new places is a luxury in itself.”

Yes, I have a routine but it means that I don’t have to struggle. It means that I can plan my day. It means that I don’t have to worry about where the next meal will come from. It means that the people I love are safe. It means that I am healthy. It means that life is good however average it might be.

What are your thoughts on Being Average?