If you think romanticizing your life requires any expense, then I’m here to tell you that is not the case. It can be anything from savoring a quiet early morning breakfast to taking a calm, nice walk through your neighborhood, as long as you approach these moments with intention and a focus on the positive side of things.
The trend to romanticize daily life has taken off on social media recently, and for a good reason, I think. Most of us want to find beauty in the mundane and make ordinary days into something extraordinary.
Living our ideal life shouldn’t always be on the back of our minds or in some far-off future of ‘when I am this… or that, then I will…’. The time to start living is now, not later.
Whether you want to embrace the little things, like the smell of a freshly laundered blanket, or spend a moment each day to notice the colors of the sunset, these small practices can bring wonder to your everyday routines.
So, read on for a few ideas on how to appreciate life’s simple pleasures and make your daily life something more special.
1. Use a bath bomb for your next bath. Use that holiday gift your bestie gifted to you that you’re planning to use on a special occasion.
2. Spray a little perfume before you go to sleep. I know, it’s a little weird. But trust me on this.
3. Find a recipe online and bake some pastries. Spend the afternoon baking some delightful cookies, muffins or even cinnamon rolls.
4. Wake up at 5 a.m. Before the sun graces the sky, prepare your breakfast and eat it while it is still dark outside. It must be nice to enjoy the peaceful and quiet stillness of the dawn.
5. Send a gift to your mom (or your dad) for no occasion. Just to show them how much they mean to you.
6. Dance in your room. Sway and twirl like no one is watching and just enjoy yourself.
7. Bring a notebook to your commute and sketch out random sceneries. Turn your daily commute into something creative. Even if you don’t have a drop of Picasso in your blood, just try and notice the city skylines or the quaint street corners. Sketching makes us more aware of our surroundings and notice every little detail.
8. Whip up some cocktails (or mock tail) at home.
9. Buy yourself fresh flowers. Next time you’re in the supermarket, don’t just walk past the flower aisle; buy them. And when you get home, find a good-looking vase and put it on your dining table.
10. Plant your favorite herb instead of buying them in the store. If you’re like me, who loves cooking and also loves adding plants to my house for a touch of nature aesthetic, consider planting the herbs you always use in your cooking. Whether it’s basil, rosemary, or mint, you don’t need a lot of space to start harvesting some fresh greens.
11. Buy a cake on a random afternoon. Treat yourself every once in a while and cherish spontaneous moments. Nothing is more fun than slicing a cake just for an afternoon tea and for no occasion.
12. Find a small area in your room and create a cozy reading nook. Add fairy lights or some cute cushions. Or even add soft, neutral blankets. It’s time to start reading the books in your long TBR list
13. Throw a pajama party. Invite your besties for a night of laughter and catching up. Book an Airbnb or a hotel and tell them to bring with them their coziest pajamas. Maybe bring in some beauty facemasks and your favorite snacks and make your chat even more fun.
14. Turn on classical music while doing the laundry. Or when you’re cleaning the living room or dusting the bookshelves. I know house chores are not the most interesting part of daily life, so why not add a bit of grand opera vibes while doing them?
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15. Reread your favorite book. Perhaps you have a book from middle school that you will forever cherish. Do yourself a favor and read it again. Time to ditch your BookTok recommendation for a time.
16. Start an art journal. Buy a decent sketchbook and turn those pages into your creative outlet. Doodle for a few minutes each day to take your mind off things. Draw the highlights of your day. And add a few sentences to document your life.
17. Sleep in. Set your alarm and then turn it off. There’s nothing quite like hitting the snooze button knowing you can have more sleep.
18. Create a photo album you can flip through. Choose the best photos from your photo roll or on your social media gallery and print them out. I think it is still better to have a physical copy of your favorite memories than to just look at them on the screen and forget about them.
19. Take a pottery class. If you love anything that involves creating something using your hands, taking a pottery lesson should be on your list. The best part is that you get to keep your finished product after the class and brag to your next family gathering that you created it.
20. Have a picnic dinner. Yes, lunchtime picnics are overused and overrated. It’s time to start going to the evening picnic.
21. Visit the beach. Bring your guitar and watch the waves as the sun sets on the horizon.
22. Take a day off. It’s time to take that vacation leave, even if you have nothing planned for it. Do your grocery shopping on a Monday morning when all the crowds are out at work. Or sip your coffee while reading a book in a coffee shop with no worries about work in mind.
23. Enjoy the rain. Remember the last time you went out and played in the rain? Maybe in your childhood? We always think rain only brings us inconvenience, but I disagree. I think it’s nature’s way of telling us to slow down and chill for a bit.
24. Play chess. Embody your Beth Harmon spirit by playing with friends or your family. Chess is an exciting board game that lets you discover your strategy and tactics.
25. Buy yourself a gift for no occasion at all.
26. Plant colorful flowers on your windowsill
27. Drive around cute neighborhood and look at the houses you pass by. The soft glow of porch lights in the evening makes you want to imagine the lives lived within those walls. I don’t know, but I find it really lovely.
28. Get glammed up on your way to the grocery store. Who says you can only get dolled up at major events? Part of being an adult is that no one can stop you from being glamorous while picking up your frozen kale and tub of ice cream.
29. Make a DIY cookie mix in a jar and gift them to friends.
30. Whip up the coolest outfit from your existing wardrobe and post it on your social media. No need to break the bank. Try on clothes from your already full cabinet; perhaps you can invent a new fashion trend right in your own room.