Summary

The article argues that the seemingly mundane aspects of life are actually its most fulfilling parts, suggesting that the excitement of highs is fleeting and should not overshadow the consistent joy found in daily routines.

Abstract

The author reflects on a night of clubbing, initially perceived as memorable but later considered unexceptional in the grand scheme of life. The article emphasizes that highs, such as intense experiences or new relationships, are temporary and can create an unrealistic standard for happiness, casting a shadow over the steady contentment of everyday life. It posits that what is considered mundane was once exciting and can be made exciting again by shifting one's perspective and making small changes. The author encourages readers to find joy in routine activities like working out, writing, and reading, and to enhance these experiences by trying new variations. The article concludes by advocating for a life filled with satisfying daily activities, suggesting that occasional highs should complement, not define, one's happiness.

Opinions

Highs are transient and can diminish the perceived value of everyday life.
The excitement of new experiences fades over time, a concept known as hedonistic adaptation.
Regular activities can remain engaging by introducing variations and new challenges.
Pursuing highs should not come at the expense of appreciating the mundane.
A truly exciting life is built on a foundation of fulfilling daily routines, with highs serving as occasional enhancements.
The perception of what is mundane versus exciting is subjective and can change with perspective.
Engaging in activities that complement existing interests can lead to a more enriching experience.
The article suggests that a good life is not made up of sporadic highs but rather of consistent, day-to-day satisfaction.

The Boring Things Are Actually the Best Parts of Your Life

The actual truth about the high of exciting things

Lost in the bleary haze of the alcohol rushing through my veins amidst the blasting music and rapidly blinking lights, my body flounders on the club’s floor.

Shot after shot of eye-wateringly pungent rum. Group after group of dancing bodies. Visit after washroom visit of peeing and resetting my pomaded hair.

The hours whizz by and the night grows older.

After an hour or two of wandering the streets spouting gibberish, we grab some steaming shawarma and crash into the musty bed of our motel room.

Post a skull-hammering blink of sleep and a breakfast of fancy scrambled eggs, we head back to college — and regular “mundane” life.

Had my first clubbing experience been memorable? Heck yes, but does it now rank anywhere in the top highlights of my life?

Heck no.

Highs Are Just that — “Highs”

Compared to 100, 20 is a small number. But pitted against 1? It’s magnitudes larger.

Highs are like 100s — their ephemeral pleasure casts a dark shroud on our otherwise “regular” 20-lives. But what we forget is there are tons of people living a 1-life.

By definition, highs are temporary — once that dopamine-flooding rave or that new relationship’s honeymoon period is over, you’re left with a messy hangover and a nagging partner.

The boring mundane parts of your life used to be exciting at first too — you’ve been doing them for so long that the spark’s faded.

It’s all a matter of perspective. What’s normal to a multi-millionaire chartering jets on the regular is beyond a dream for a peasant lying on his straw mat.

Also, the longer you stretch a high, the quicker you grow used to it — and the higher the next high needs to be.

So for a high to even be exciting, it needs to be sporadic — your real life then burns down to the routine mundane things.

The Simple Recipe for An Actually Exciting Life

Thanks to our shiny object syndrome, anything new has an attractive aura to it — be it a novel purchase, an unfelt experience, or an attractive stranger.

It’s a spike in the baseline of our excitement — but after a while, the excitement dies down and it becomes “just another thing”. This phenomenon is called hedonistic adaptation.

Working out. Writing. Reading. All the “mundane” activities of my life were once exciting targets of my curiosity.

So, to make your life exciting, rekindle the spark in your mundane activities.

Growing saturated with fantasy fiction, I recently dove into non-fiction and I’ve been loving it. As my workout program felt stale, I switched it up.

Tired of writing listicles, I’m (re)attempting articles such as the one you’re reading.

“So, to make your life exciting, rekindle the spark in your mundane activities.”

Don’t Just Stir the Pot, Throw in Extra Spices Too

Highs aren’t bad — highs alone are.

If you have a ton of satisfying routine daily activities and stick to them diligently, there’s zero harm in pursuing the occasional high.

In fact, it’s a win-win-win — you get that little extra dopamine kick without casting a dark shadow on your day-to-day life.

Plus, it’ll feel like a break you’ve “earned” for yourself. Things get even juicier if the new activity is tied to the existing ones.

If you’re a gym rat, try boxing — since you already love sweating it out, you’ll have a blast punching the crap out of a bag. Similarly, painting jives well with sketching. And guitarists can try the piano.

Once you build up the stack of your “boring” everyday things enough, your regular day-to-day life will become exciting.

Final Words

Most people live a disappointing life and escape it with exciting activities.

Do the opposite. Make your regular itself life exciting — and the new “high” activities will become mere supplements.

After all, a good life is defined by a string of good years, months, weeks, and days.

Not one-off bursts of excitement. Before you go back to your “boring” activity, here’s a lovely quote to chew on:

“Human beings make life so interesting. Do you know that in a universe so full of wonders, they have managed to invent boredom?”

— Terry Pratchett

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