I’d never heard of a psychologist named Sam Goldstein but I read an article about what he has to say and found it so valuable I want to share it. He points out that our culture pressures us into shining, from kindergarten with its gold stars to social media, to so many walks of life where the message is that we need to be better than the rest. Being average he tells us is what makes the world stable. The bus drivers, the carers, the teachers, are considered average; they’re not CEO’s or stars but they make the world function better and with more compassion.
It’s OK to be who we are, he tells us, it’s important to just be present, to be where we are and who we are without having to shine. And through our presence, he goes on, we can lead a life of purpose without needing to be a star. He underlines that making coffee for a friend who needs to talk can be a big thing.
Besides the instance of making someone coffee, there are so many such moments in life, moments that ought to remind us that being average doing average, normal things is beautiful.
Comments
6 responses to “The Beauty of Being Average”
Oui
Thank you for agreeing to the thought of this post.
Yes, I feel being “normal” is OK at this stage in my life (I am 80). All through my childhood and career, I pushed to be exceptional, but now I am fine with being comfortable and not pushing myself. I feel I am “present” and participating in my relationships, and that is enough.
yes and being “normal” with or without quotes doesn’t mean we can’t have our own distinctiveness–and you are a great example.
Amen to this! Brilliant.
I know He is a psychologist whom we ought to know more about.