Our Love/Hate Relationship With Being Average

Let's face it. At no point will you hear anyone say they prefer "average".

"Just give me an average coffee, an average conversation, and an average person to share it with", said no one, ever. I get it.

I also understand the slight scorn you might feel when you imagine an average life. But consider this: the law of averages states that if someone were to predict the state of your life at any given moment from now, it'd be the sum total of all previous days (standard deviations), converging to the most average day you've ever lived in your life.

It also means that out of all the days you've lived, all the meals you've had, and all people you've met, half of them have been below average. Alarming eh?

That being said, here's a question for you: When was the last time you actively put yourself in a position to have an above-average experience? When was the last time you, at the very least, tried? Given the (slightly) morbid reality of our past "average" life, you'd think you'd come up with an answer.

But we don't work that way. We like average. Average is the safest bet to... well; average. But it isn't all that bad. Right? Mostly because we don't think as much. Picking average is an involuntary activity we've pawned off to a part of our brain that controls other functions of our body. Why? So that it clears up mental space to take care/ experience other "important" (read partly average) things in our life. Sounds smart, but is it though?

Here's a disruptive thought: Pick the most average thing you do every day. Like brushing your teeth, making breakfast, driving to work, or saying good morning to your significant other. It's something you do every day, so why not make it spectacular? Make the few minutes of your everyday, mundane life, exciting. Have a ritual, make it interesting, and most importantly, make it something to remember.

Transform ten unexciting things you do every day, and you transform an hour of average into extraordinary. I'm not saying it'll change your life for the better, but aren't we the sum total of all our habits? (wink) Love Ritvik