The Extraordinary in the Ordinary : Finding Meaning Where We Are

You often hear people say, “I want to do a job that helps people.” And yet, by default, most jobs do help people. Whether you clean a toilet, wait tables at a restaurant, are a doctor, or a teacher; you’re helping someone.

It’s a statement that can feel a little tiresome to hear, because it sometimes implies that meaning or significance only exists “elsewhere”, somewhere bigger, more visible, or more dramatic. But the truth is, we can create meaning and impact exactly where we are, in the roles we already occupy.

I understand what people often mean when they say they want to “help people.” They’re thinking of something maybe more direct, more front facing, more impactful. But we shouldn’t diminish the importance of the quieter, less glamorous ways of helping that exist across the spectrum. Every act of service done with heart, no matter how small, matters.

Helping isn’t about recognition or applause. It’s about presence, intention, and contribution. And often, the impact of small, consistent acts of care and service is just as valuable. When we focus only on “big” help, we overlook the little things: helping our own mother, treating every email with kindness, or going the extra mile in small interactions. For example, my local supermarket has a trolley assistant, he is always wearing a cowboy hat and never without a smile. He goes out of his way to help everyone, carrying his job with genuine pride and effort. It’s a small role, but the heart he brings turns it into something extraordinary.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the suffering we see in the news, in lands far away. But in focusing on the global, we sometimes overlook the quiet needs of people right in front of us. We may not be able to solve every crisis everywhere, but we can make a profound impact exactly where we are too.

It is to see the value in our own work and actions, even when they feel ordinary. The ordinary can become extraordinary when we treat everything with heart, value , meaning and the impact we want to leave others with. When we recognise that helping is everywhere, we can embrace our roles fully, knowing that significance isn’t always about scale; it’s about heart, commitment, and consistency.