It's easy to get fixated on the glamorous world of Hollywood celebrities. To put it mildly, our culture is obsessed. Yet, beyond the glitz and glamour of parties, to-die-for clothes, and seemingly perfect lives is a more mundane existence, one that I needed to be reminded of.
I have a tendency to have a case of "the grass is greener" syndrome, in that I often will see what other people have and suddenly want whatever it is. My long-standing fascination with celebrities has been an easy way for me to live vicariously through them; various haircuts, fashion choices, and home decor items of mine have all been inspired by the lifestyles of the rich and famous.
No matter how great my life is, it could always be better.
Mila Kunis, the pint-size, raspy-voiced beauty, is one of those celebrities who is naturally likable [1]. Her openness, sense of humor, and approach to parenting [2] have made her one of my favorite actresses. This is why I was stunned to hear that we may have more in common than I had previously thought [3].
When asked to describe her perfect day in a recent interview with Marie Claire [5], her response was surprisingly mundane.
"My ideal day consists of waking up around 7 a.m. because that for me is sleeping in. Doing a giant kid pile in bed with my husband, putting on some cartoons, getting an extra 30 minutes of sleep, rolling out of bed, doing breakfast while staying in our pajamas, and then maybe going to the zoo or the aquarium or park, sans paparazzi. That would be my ideal day," Kunis emphatically states.
The thing is, this is my average day, down to every basic detail. When I first read that quote, I was standing over our stove in my pajamas waiting for my son's omelet to finish and trying to decide between the natural history museum or the aquarium for the day's activity.
In trying to be so focused on doing the perfect thing, I didn't stop to recognize how truly privileged and blessed my own life is.
In trying to be so focused on doing the perfect thing, I didn't stop to recognize how truly privileged and blessed my own life is. Thanks to mine and my husband's jobs, and because we live in a vibrant city, we are able to have "perfect days" every day.
It's easy to dismiss celebrities' lives as easy because of the kind of wealth and status they maintain. Certainly my life would be better if I had a live-in nanny, a personal trainer to tame that pouch [6], or a chef to bring me avocado toast in bed.
But then I'd have to actually work out and take time away from my family. Our relaxed mornings would be sacrificed for difficult schedules and obligations. While the thought of a chef to cook my breakfasts is appealing, being able to have these lazy mornings with my family every day is pretty spectacular and cozy. I also have the extra benefit of never having to deal with the paparazzi, which I can only imagine is one of the most frustrating parts of fame.
So instead of focusing on the fact that my omelet fell apart on the flip, or that I don't think I'm going to get a chance to run today, I'm going to focus on the little things that make my life the envy of a favorite celebrity.