extra ordinary day.

It was just another day.

A Wednesday, as I recall. To be honest, it seems as if all days now blend together, weekends blurred with weekdays and poor planners devoid and empty of activity. Is it Sunday? Is it Monday? Does it even matter anymore?

But this Wednesday was different, for in an unsuspecting moment, as I was practicing a normal routine refresh of my email, I got some news.

It was just the kind of news I needed too.

The type that made my whole world suddenly stop. Staring in disbelief down at my phone that has, for the past few months, swept me up in the negative news forever fueling the fire of this worldwide panic and paranoia, it was a light in the darkness. My heartbeat quickened and an uncontrollable smile spread its way across my face, resulting in the feeling of joy, in its purest form.

It’s been so long since I’ve felt this way!

Months ago, I submitted an article to an Alaskan magazine and having not heard back from some time, I let the notion that I might someday be a published writer drift away, thinking it wasn’t meant to be.

Having completely forgotten I had even sent in this lengthy submission, it came as an utter surprise that on Wednesday, I was informed that my article had been chosen to be published in their next edition.

I couldn’t believe it!

I could not believe it.

All this writing, all this time, finally paid off!

Beaming from ear to ear, I gleefully informed my family, and “Congratulatons!” and hugs poured in all around.

I did it.

You ever have those creeping thoughts of self-doubt, like “Am I good enough?”

While I know deep down that I believe in myself, these destructive musings always lingered in the subconscious, coming up as people pressed me about how many followers I had or how much money I made (not very many, and none at all).

But on this day, as I received news that someone else sees what I see and believes in what I do, I felt assured that I am indeed on the right path and chasing the right dream.

That feeling that spread through my body and filled me with joy, that is what I’m chasing. And it wasn’t necessarily the achievement of my article being selected that brought me jubilation. What brought me joy was the fact that I stuck with something I loved because it energized me and gave me life. And all that trust I put in myself and my writing that it would someday lead me somewhere, finally did.

What I see in those who are successful, happy, and thriving is that their lives are a reflection of the passions they chased.

I can’t emphasize enough that regardless of whether you’re getting attention from your passion, or just sticking with it because it makes you happy, YOU will inspire others to do the same, and the world needs more people that do what they love. And someday, it will pay off.

Though this achievement may seem small on the scale of the grand life I dream of, it feels enormous because it’s teaching me that the energy you put out there, the hard work you put in, and the persistence of staying with something that is a part of who you are, eventually comes back to you.

And what comes back to you will be enormous.

And it may just make your ordinary Wednesday just a little extra ordinary..