How AI Quietly Slipped Into My Everyday Life: A Personal Story From The Last Three Months
Over the last three months, I’ve been getting to know AI properly for the first time.
Not as a headline in the news, not as something mysterious “other people” use, but as a real, practical helper in my everyday life. What has surprised me most is how personal it has felt – how often it’s joined me in moments that matter: birthdays, home projects, family gatherings, health worries, and even in the garden.
If you’re curious about AI but feel a bit hesitant, nervous, or “not very techie”, I hope these stories give you a gentle, real-life glimpse of what it can look like.
Celebrating Our Daughter’s 21st: Lyrics, Music and Cake
During the last three months, our daughter turned 21. I was looking for a very special way to capture, in words and pictures, her energy and the joy she’s brought into our lives.
She loves music, so I started by brainstorming:
- words and phrases that described her
- short descriptions of fun, upbeat times
- little moments and memories from her growing up
From there, AI helped me shape those ideas into actual lyrics for a song. We matched the lyrics to a music style she loves, and then paired the finished song with photos from her childhood and teenage years to create a celebration song.
A couple of the photos were lightly animated to add humour and movement. The end result was something I could never have created alone – at least not at this standard. It felt polished, heartfelt and fun.
What might have taken me a year of agonising over on my own was done in just a few evenings of genuine enjoyment.
AI also helped with:
- designing the cake for the party
- capturing who she was as a pocket rocket when she was young
- representing her adventures now: buying her own HiAce (shown as a Kombi van on the cake), living in the tropics, travelling and learning to surf
- finding someone locally who could create the cake we’d envisioned
It turned into a celebration that felt very “her” – and I felt supported the whole way through.
Bringing More Love into Our Home
After years of working full-time, it has been such a gift to have more time for our home – to really apply more love and attention to the spaces we live in.
Over the last six months, AI has been like a gentle design partner:
- helping me envisage changes
- suggesting layouts and ideas
- helping source products and suppliers
Together, we:
- transformed a rarely-used dining room into a joyful, airy space we now use daily. AI helped me imagine a better layout and design that actually worked with the room rather than against it.
- I painted the lounge and dining rooms, and at one point the lounge felt too dark. Instead of sitting with regret, I asked AI for ideas. It suggested ways to brighten the room and helped me explore options for lamps, wall art and floor coverings.
- in the laundry, AI helped me find an overhead cabinet in the closest matching colour to the cupboards below. It also helped me think through how it would look overall – especially important because we have a side window and didn’t want to lose light.
All of this made the process easier and more joyful. Most importantly, it helped me actually get things done – where in the past those projects might have stayed as “one day…” for years.
Exploring Seattle with a Self-Guided AI Walking Tour
In September, we went on a cruise to Alaska (which was amazing!).
We had half a day in Seattle and wanted to make the most of it, even though we didn’t know the city well.
AI helped us plan a self-guided walking tour:
- starting from our hotel
- linking together main attractions within walking distance
- taking into account events that were happening that day
Instead of spending hours lost in blogs, maps and tourism sites, we had a simple, personalised plan – and could just enjoy our time.
Turning a Beautiful Artwork into a Meaningful Wedding Gift
My mother had picked up a beautiful gift: an artwork of two lovers kissing on the front. She wanted to give it to her grandson and his fiancée for their wedding, but we didn’t know the story behind the piece.
I took a quick photo of the artwork and asked AI about it. It identified it as “The Kiss”, gave us the name of the artist (Gustav Klimt) and shared the meaning behind the work.
From there, AI helped create a short, thoughtful description of the artwork and its context. We printed that onto a quality card and wrapped it carefully with the gift.
It turned a lovely object into a deeply meaningful present. It was a real hit – and we never would have known the story without that little bit of AI help.
Finally Making Something Flourish in the Garden
I’ve never considered myself a very successful gardener (unlike my husband). My desk looks out over a patch of garden that has stubbornly resisted my yearly attempts to make it flourish.
This year, things are finally coming together.
We’ve discovered that succulents are happy where other plants struggled. AI has helped me:
- identify the plants I already have by photo
- understand why certain plants weren’t thriving
- get step-by-step guidance on how to improve their health
It has felt like having a patient gardening friend on call, showing me what might work rather than leaving me guessing.
Planning a Meaningful Family Farewell
Very recently, my father asked for help organising a family event. His brother had passed away, and he wanted to release the ashes into the Swan River.
This was a big trip for him. Travelling from Mandurah to Fremantle is not something he does often now, especially for health reasons. Ten of us gathered, and we went out on a boat together.
AI helped with the practical side of making the day special:
- finding a place that could cater for us afterwards
- locating a suitable picnic spot
- all within a couple of kilometres of the jetty
We didn’t know the area well, but the places we found fitted our needs beautifully. It became a very successful, meaningful meetup – and having that quiet support in the planning made a real difference.
When Health Worries Pop Up
Just before our Alaska trip, some medical symptoms arose that concerned me.
AI was helpful in:
- explaining what might be going on in plain language
- helping me understand which signs might suggest something needed more urgent attention
- giving me better words to describe what I was experiencing when I spoke to a health professional
Acting on the advice from the doctor helped resolve the issue quickly and reduced a lot of anxiety beforehand.
I want to be clear: I don’t see AI as a replacement for doctors. But it has been very helpful in getting me from “worried and confused” to “prepared and informed” so I can have a better conversation with the people who actually look after my health.
Finally Tackling the “Too-Hard Basket”: Solar Power
We’ve been wanting to install a solar solution on our home for many years. But:
- our property has heavy shading
- the information out there can be overwhelming and sometimes unreliable
- we’d already had a false start a few years ago
It all felt like a giant, confusing hurdle.
This time, AI (along with improvements in batteries and technology) made the process much more manageable. It helped by:
- summarising the offerings of different providers
- contrasting the solutions
- considering our unique circumstances (like the shading)
- comparing likely return on investment
What once felt almost insurmountable – a long and tedious task trying to wade through all the fine print – became a clear comparison. In the end, the choice of supplier felt fairly straightforward.
Little Everyday Helpers
On top of all these bigger things, AI has also quietly slipped into my everyday routines:
- recording shopping lists in a way that actually gets used
- providing morning news updates in a format I can digest without feeling overwhelmed
- summarising long documents so I can grasp the key points quickly
None of these things on their own are dramatic, but together they add up to a life that feels more supported, more organised and more doable.
A Gentle Invitation
If any of this resonates with you, I’d love you to come along for the ride.
In future posts on Eudaimon Tech, I’ll be sharing simple, step-by-step ways you can:
- use AI to plan a special celebration
- explore ideas for refreshing a room in your home
- get help understanding confusing letters or documents
- plan trips, big or small, with more ease
If there’s something you’d love AI to help you with, feel free to reach out via my contact page or leave a comment.
You’re not behind. You’re right on time to begin. 🌱