What appears ordinary, is actually quite extraordinary

Whilst thinking of ideas for my weekly blog, I was reflecting back on all I’ve seen over the last week.

Nothing appeared to be extraordinary, except perhaps a dramatic sunset.

Birds going about their business, nourishing their hungry chicks; a young deer loitering at the river’s edge; and a kestrel swooping low over a field before hovering patiently, awaiting the arrival of its next meal.

House martins and swallows flitting, ducking and diving as they swoop just above the water and dip to drink.

A new brood of cheeping ducklings swiftly disappearing into the reeds and falling silent as we passed them.

Ferns at the local nature reserve seeming huge in comparison to last year; early mushrooms and toadstools emerging due to the damp ground, in stark contrast to last year when everything seemed parched and where growth was stunted.

Foxgloves whose flowers have spread up their stalks and provided all their pollen to the bees.

More forget-me-nots than I recall seeing before.

An abundance of painted lady butterflies landing in front of us on the path and fleeing as our shadows blocked the warmth of the sun from their wings.

Just nature doing what nature does best. Getting on with it, adapting to the changing seasons and weather, year in, year out.

Not so different from humans, really.

Families juggle work and children, nurturing and breadwinning simultaneously, navigating challenges and uncertainties, and surviving year after year.

Yet perhaps that is where we sometimes get it wrong.

We look at these things so often that we stop seeing them.

The swallow returning from Africa is no longer remarkable because we expect it.

The foxglove flowering each summer becomes ordinary because it happens every year.

The parent bird making hundreds of journeys a day to feed hungry chicks becomes routine because that is simply what parent birds do.

And perhaps we do the same to ourselves.

We dismiss the things we are carrying because we've carried them for so long.

We minimise the challenges we've overcome because there was no alternative but to keep going.

We overlook our own resilience because from the inside it simply feels like another Tuesday.

Yet when we pause and look more closely, what appears ordinary is often anything but.

From the parent caring for children while holding down a demanding job, to the carer supporting a loved one day after day, the business owner navigating uncertainty, the individual quietly rebuilding confidence after a setback, or the person getting out of bed and putting one foot in front of the other during a difficult season of life - each is an extraordinary act of resilience.

Yet none of these things make headlines.

Most pass unnoticed by everyone except the person living them.

But they are no less extraordinary.

One of the things I notice in coaching conversations is how often people arrive believing they are not doing enough, achieving enough or coping well enough. Yet when we slow down and look more carefully, a different picture often emerges. What they describe as 'just getting on with it' is frequently a story of perseverance, adaptability, courage and care.

Nature rarely pauses to congratulate itself.

The kestrel simply hunts.

The swallow simply flies.

The foxglove simply blooms.

Yet each is carrying out something remarkable.

Perhaps we could learn something from that.

Not to seek praise or recognition for every challenge we face, but to occasionally stop and acknowledge the quiet achievements that have become so familiar we no longer see them.

Because what appears ordinary is often quite extraordinary.

We just need to pause for long enough to notice.

The next time you're out walking, perhaps take a moment to look a little closer at what appears ordinary.

You might discover something extraordinary.

Sometimes the same is true of ourselves.

Sometimes, we need a moment to pause and recognise the extraordinary within ourselves.

If you're seeking space to reflect, gain clarity, and move forward, coaching with me at Nemophilist Coaching & Wellbeing can help you to uncover and embrace your own quiet achievements.