> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://cje.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Mastering the mundane
- URL: https://cje.io/2018/09/03/mastering-the-mundane/
- Published: 2018-09-03T22:05:14.000Z
- Updated: 2025-12-27T23:35:32.000Z
- Description: I live a pretty frenetic and busy life both activity-wise and mentally. Some of this is environmental, most of this is my own making, and almost all of it I love… But it’s important to be reminded to appreciate the simple and sometimes boring things too.
- Author: Casey Ellis
- Tags: Thinking, Hot Takes, leadership

We’ve been using Labor Day weekend to do a bit of Fall Cleaning at home, a part involves finding old hard disks, checking them out, and backing them up. 

Somewhat fittingly, I stumbled across a note from a talk (I’m not 100% who gave it… If you know leave a comment) I heard 15 or more years ago.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ec/8a/ec8abb38-39b9-4422-95b9-695b2a5e652e/content/images/2021/08/image.png)

### *Mastering the Mundane...*

- *the opportunity of days,*
- *the grace of responsibility,*
- *the communion of meals,*
- *the unguardedness of sleep,*
- *the ceremony of washing,*
- *the discipline of study,*
- *the joy of routine,*
- *the possibility of decisions,*
- *the discovery of repetition,*
- *the revelation of conversation,*
- *the progress of travel,*
- *the enlargement of thinking,*
- *the observation of the ordinary,*
- *the potential of crowds,*
- *the wonder of monotony,*
- *the thankfulness of breath,*
- *the fruitfulness of waiting,*
- *the divinity of rest, and*
- *the satisfaction of work.*

I live a pretty frenetic and busy life both activity-wise and mentally. Some of this is environmental, most of this is my own making, and almost all of it I love… But it’s important to be reminded to appreciate and steward the simple and sometimes boring things too. I think most people who find themselves reading this could relate to that idea in some way.

To me, this is a beautiful list of the moments of peace, rest, and gratitude that are waiting to be captured on an average day.

Enjoy.

#simpleisstrong