The Plain, the Mundane, and the Downright Insane

So, recently, Haley Ragsdale and I decided to collaborate on a little project together. She told me a few hilarious tidbits about her life, I almost spit out my coffee, and then I jumped on my laptop to see what would happen if I wrote up a little something. Well…. Here’s what happened….

Most of you may not know this, but Haley has been told she sounds like a Valley Girl a time or two in her life. Okay, a time or two million, whatever. I mean, like, gag me with a spoon! She totally stopped talking that way a few years back! Anyway, the point is, she may have been born in California, but she was raised an Alaska girl. When you ask her, she’s not exactly sure how the Valley girl thing stuck, but she and I both know what it’s like to grow up in a place that can seem ages behind the times. Some might say it’s boring, but really, it just makes us have to try a little harder to keep up.

That being said; a few days ago, Haley told me she was getting ready for her day, applying her blue eyeshadow and hot pink lipstick, her hair large and in charge; and when she looked at herself in the mirror, she was flashed back to 1987 in an instant. She could practically hear “Head to Toe” playing through the proverbial boom box in her mind. It was all Lisa Lisa up in her bathroom that morning, and she found herself transported back to a simpler time.

A time of innocence. A time of teetering on the edge of breakthrough technology. A time of sleepovers, bad music, and experimenting with makeup- accidentally lighting her hair on fire, trying to melt her eyeliner. Oh yes, that happened. Would we expect anything less from the Fearless Haley Ragsdale? Of course not. A bit too much Aquanet? Perhaps. But her story left me feeling alive with inspiration.

So, what did all this crazy make-upping, big-hair burning, and so-bad-it’s-good ‘80s music result in? Well, most people would have looked at that hot mess in the mirror and reached for the nearest wash cloth, but not Haley, she OWNED it! But more importantly, she was inspired. And her story inspired me! I realized more than ever, that we, as a society, are desperately seeking INSPIRATION. It got me thinking about tapping into what inspires us. What inspires others? And how we can take the day-to-day mundane and turn it into a lifetime of extraordinary.

I believe it starts with the little things. The bad ‘80s hair day, (even the good ‘80s hair day), the smile on a stranger’s face when you take that extra second to really hold the door open for them. The warm thank you from the barista you overtipped, even though you were stressed out. That first cup of perfect coffee in the morning, that last kiss from your loved one at night.

From the greatest of things, the awards and recognitions, new babies, weddings, and jumping out of airplanes with your best friend; to the smallest of accomplishments: the workout, the casserole, squeezing into those jeans, mastering that perfect smoky eye, getting out of bed 15 minutes early, shoot, just getting out of bed at all.

From the everyday things, to the once in a lifetime. Allowing them all to be equal on the scale of amazingness, all treasures in the eye of the beholder. YOURS. Tapping into the things of the past, the hope for the future, and the reality of today, and using them all to create something truly inspiring.

And so, our challenge is this: Find these little things in your life, the plain, the mundane, and the downright insane, and make them your EXTRAORDINARY life! Take a risk, tell a joke, be a mentor, write a poem, sing a song, spend some time, take that nap, talk to someone, and yes, be silent too.

Just do it all. Because life really is going by quickly. The lady Haley sees in the mirror is still that same crazy kid, she’s just got a few more battle scars. But one day, she’ll be older still. And when she looks in the mirror then, I know she’ll be just the same. Same crazy hair, blue eyeshadow, and hot pink lipstick. With a few more laugh lines, a few more battle scars, and a lot more wisdom. But man, will there be one heck of a smile on her face. Because she will have made an extraordinary life. “Totally, for sure!”

So, what are you waiting for? Go make yours!

To find out more about Haley's Adventures in all things Direct Sales and Make-upping, visit her website: HaleyRagsdale.com