How To Start Embracing the Ordinary.

There are many people who believe that they are unique and no one is like them and that no one can ever understand them.

Society has really drilled it in everyone's brains that they are special. And we keep telling our dear ones and even ourselves that we are special.

Could this be the source of our misery?

Being extraordinary is a lonely place to be. And we are always pursuing it.

So it's not surprising that science has declared that this generation is the loneliest generation ever.

Many people feel let down when they find out the truth about themselves.

Their illusions about being extraordinary shatters. They find that they are like every one else.

But why feel let down? Embrace it.

We are social animals. We need to be with other people, spend quality time with loved ones if we are to survive.

The longest study conducted by Harvard called the Grant Study proved that. A persons's well-being depends on the quality of connections he/she has with other people. They even lived longer.

What does this have to to with being extra ordinary?

Extra ordinary people have a hard time connecting with people around them. They are different. They are proven to be more lonely, because no one is like them.

Problem arises when you think you are different. Then you end up becoming an ordinary person who cannot connect and spend time with other people.

At least if you're extra ordinary you can leverage that to be successful even though you're lonely. But a disillusioned person? He/she doesn't have any connections to speak of nor does he/she have anything to leverage.

I recently watched a documentary on Netflix titled Bleeding Edge. It's about how the advances in medical appliances aren't monitored by the FDA before it's sold. As result, many people became victims of untested devices. And their stories are harrowing.

One such case was a contraceptive device called Essure. This device is implanted in a woman's fallopian tube to prevent pregnancy.

A woman named Angie Firmalino used Essure and started having problems, she couldn't work and had to go through many surgeries. It destroyed her life. She finally decided to find out if anyone else is going through what she is going through.

She made a Facebook page called Essure Problems and a lot of people joined to share similar experiences they had with the product.d

As of now, that page has amassed over 36,000 members some of whom has met with FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb. Bayer, the producer of this medical device, announced that it will drop the Essure line.

Now imagine if Angie decided that she is unique and no one would understand her problems. Imagine if she went "even doctors doesn't understand what I am going through, so how can any tom dick and harry help? And besides it's a woman's problem better keep it to myself." Then nothing would've happened. No changes would occur and more women would be victims.

Thousands of women were suffering before Angie made that group. Because they all had one thing in COMMON-They all thought they were SPECIAL.

Angie's way of thinking was to find someone in common and then she did something special. While others thought they were special and did not want to reach out so they all suffered on their own.

This is not to say that Angie has recovered. The damage to her body and the bodies of many other women has been done. But she did an amazing job to prevent more women from becoming victims.

So you see how embracing the ordinary can bring extra ordinary results?

Extra Ordinary is a by-product of being you. Ordinary plain old you. Can Beyonce be anymore Beyonce than she already is? She is as Beyonce as she can be. It is a by-product of taking small steps one step at a time.

Accepting yourself is the first step towards creating something extra ordinary. You can't have your heads in the clouds and expect to be or make something special.

Know your limits and your strengths and play your card right.

Do not get it in your head when people congratulate you on your first milestone. Do not rest on your laurels. Use those compliments and pats on the back as a motivation to go even further.

Many young football players stop growing when people tell them that they are the next Pele. They let it go into their heads. Don't let it get into your head.

To be extra ordinary is to know thyself and to not get carried away with whatever society tells you. People who are like that are extra ordinary.

To be extra ordinary you need to follow a process that is not at all extra ordinary. People need to be more process oriented stick with it come rain or shine.