Ordinary Actions in Extraordinary Ways

Picture this: You stop by the supermarket and pick up your partner’s favorite perfume. There are two ways this can go.

First, you get home, hand it over, and say, “Hey, I got this for you.” They’ll smile, say thank you, and be genuinely happy.

Now, the second option. You take a little extra time: you wrap the perfume in a nice box, write a short, handwritten note, and hide it somewhere you know they’ll find it. 

Maybe in their bag, their favorite drawer, or next to their pillow. When they do, the note reads:

“I knew you’d find it, just like I found you. Take care.”

Same gift. But one of those moments is going to be something they tell their friends about.

That’s what I mean by doing ordinary things in extraordinary ways.

And this isn’t just about relationships, it’s about how we interact with people in general. When you talk to your neighbor, pay attention to what matters to them. Remember the names of their kids, their dog, their favorite football team. If you get the chance, surprise them with something small: a book they mentioned, their favorite snack, or even just a thoughtful comment at the right moment.

I remember my first writing instructor was prepping for her Ph.D presentation in December, we had the conversation sometimes in October. The day of, I emailed to wish her good luck. For me, it was nothing. Just a quick message I didn’t think deeply about. For her, it meant a lot in those stressful moments. 

These little things? They add up. They make you stand out.

Lately, I’ve been trying to be a better person. Not in some grand, life-changing way, but in a simple one: Did I make your day, your week, your life even just a little bit better than it was before you met me? If the answer is yes, then I’m better than I was yesterday.

This life is already stressful enough. If I can be the reason someone smiles today, that seems like a pretty damn good thing to be.