The Roanoker March/April 2024 - 82

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Y
82 MARCH/APRIL 2024
OU MAY HAVE COME ACROSS the hashtag
on social media in recent years, #romanticizeyourlife.
These posts are often accompanied
with images of steaming teacups
and perfectly plated pastries, softly filtered
lighting on an open book or a fresh bouquet
of flowers artfully arranged in a beautiful vase. What's striking
about the content is that rather than highlighting a major event
or exotic location, these moments are usually collected from a
person's ordinary, everyday life.
Rather than waiting for Something Big to come along to highlight,
the #romanticizeyourlife trend is a call to action that asks
us to shift our perspective around the daily routines, objects and
activities we might otherwise overlook. How can we make the
things we do every day feel special? Is there a way to make our
most mundane habits more enjoyable?
Answering these questions is a deeply individual journey:
While one person might say that using their grandma's china for
their coffee is the perfect way to elevate their morning, another
might decide that their fast food breakfast sandwich eaten on
commute while listening to a podcast is the ideal start to their
day. The purpose of romanticizing your life isn't to create the
same aesthetically-pleasing Instagram photo, but to slow down
and notice the day-to-day details that bring you joy. It is a kind
of mindfulness practice, one that transforms the details of your
life from background noise into the spotlight; you are, after all,
the main character of your own life.
The reality is that the majority of us, our lives aren't made up
of glamorous vacations and major milestones, but of our habits,
chores, domestic responsibilities and work tasks that can fill our
days without leaving much of a mark on our memories at all.
Choosing to romanticize even the forgettable or unpleasant details
of our lives boosts our gratitude, can help relieve anxiety and
imbue even the smallest moments with meaning.
Curious about ways to romanticize your life? Here are some
tips to keep in mind:
START WITH WHAT'S
ALREADY THERE
Romanticizing your life is not about making big changes: This is
not a practice that asks you to overhaul your routines, buy a new
wardrobe or become a different person altogether. This is about
finding ways to make the things you are already doing all the time
become more enjoyable.
What do you do every day? Make a list of what makes up
your typical day, starting with your wake-up routine. Then begin
to think about small shifts that could make each activity more
pleasant - these should be easily accessible changes! This is not
about creating challenges for yourself, but making the mundane
just a little more magical.
I like to have some time to myself before the morning rush of
getting my daughter ready for school and myself ready for work.
Even just ten minutes to let the dogs out and drink my first few
sips of coffee in the early quiet is enough. If I can, a full hour to
myself so I can read, write or even sit by the fire (or on the porch,
depending on the season) to let my mind wander and not be doing
anything can feel like the most delicious luxury.
Adding a few minutes before or after a busy time of day is a
simple, free place to start.
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The Roanoker March/April 2024

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