When was the last time you had a first?
Most of us immediately think about the big ones. First car. First job. First apartment. First love.
I had a first this past weekend that I’ll remember for a long time.
My 12-year-old niece, Lexi, and I went to the very first Women’s Professional Baseball League game. It’s been over 70 years since women had a league of their own. I’m a Cardinals fan through and through, so combine baseball with supporting women’s sports, and I was all in.
The stadium was sold out. Everyone seemed genuinely excited to be there because we knew we were watching herstory. We had an hour rain delay before the first pitch, and it even sprinkled off and on throughout the evening. Yet no one seemed to mind. We cheered for the Los Angeles Queens as they beat the New York Heights 10 to 8, and we had a wonderful time.
Somewhere between the rain delay, cheering with Lexi, and the drive home, I found myself thinking…
How many firsts happen every single day that I don’t even notice?
We celebrate the milestones because they’re easy to recognize. Yet our days are filled with smaller moments that quietly shape how we experience life.
The first smile.
The first deep breath.
The first bird I hear outside.
The first snap as I open my Diet Coke.
The first laugh.
The first reminder that today still holds possibility.
Most of us probably won’t remember those moments a year from now.
But I wonder if they’re the moments that quietly shape the kind of day we’re going to have.
Maybe paying attention to those little firsts helps us notice opportunities we might have otherwise missed. Maybe they remind us that every day still has something new to offer.
As you move through this week, I wonder…
What first will you notice today?
Moving forward, I invite you to:
Pay attention to your firsts.
Notice the first smile, the first kind word, the first beautiful thing you see, or the first moment that makes you pause. Those little moments can gently shift the direction of your day.
Look for possibilities.
When something unexpected happens, pause for a moment and ask yourself, “What opportunity might be here?” You don’t have to ignore the challenge also to notice what’s possible.
Keep a “Firsts” journal.
For one week, write down one first you noticed each day. It doesn’t have to be extraordinary. The practice is to become more aware of the moments you might otherwise overlook.
End your day with gratitude.
Choose one first from your day that made you smile and spend a few moments appreciating it. Gratitude has a way of helping us notice even more goodness tomorrow.
The beautiful thing about firsts is that they remind us life is still unfolding. Every day offers another chance to notice something new, learn something new, or experience something that wasn’t there yesterday.
Today, pay attention to your firsts. They may be small enough to overlook, yet meaningful enough to change how you experience your day.
If you’d like someone to help you notice new possibilities, quiet your inner critic, and take your next small step with confidence, I’d be honored to walk alongside you through coaching.
Affirmation
I welcome today’s new possibilities.
Sounds for Your Soul
Sometimes a song finds us exactly where we are. I hope this one brings you a little reminder to be gentle with yourself.