The Roanoker March/April 2024 - 84

Homes
BE YOUR OWN
ENJOYMENT CONCIERGE
Remember the timeless wisdom of Mary
Poppins: " A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine
go down. " Now that you have the list of
your daily grind, what are the metaphorical
spoons of sugar that would make each activity
more pleasant for you, specifically?
While I'm folding the seemingly endless
piles of laundry, I like to listen to audiobooks.
If I'm listening to something particularly riveting,
I will sometimes find myself looking for
more chores to do, just so I can find out what
happens next. Maybe you're a music lover, and
creating some playlists for doing the dishes
can make the chore feel more upbeat and fun.
Maybe saving a particular TV show for the
treadmill will help the run fly by.
Other ways to make ordinary moments feel
special can come down to the simplest details:
An at-home online yoga class can go from a
task on my to-do list to something I look forward
to all day if I simply take the time to
put on my favorite matching workout clothes
and to light a really nice candle. If I have a
day of emails ahead of me, maybe I paint my
nails before I get started so I can admire my
manicure all day. Instead of scrolling through
social media between meetings, maybe I take
a travel mug of my favorite tea on a short walk
around the block.
There isn't really a detail that's too small
here: Be particular about your pens, the surface
of your workspace, the vessels you use to
drink from all day. If you think about what
elevates an ordinary hotel experience to a
luxury one, it often comes down to these tiny
amenities. Think about your senses: The smell
around you, the feel of the everyday objects
you look at and touch, the sounds that bring
you the most energy or help to calm you
down. Keep a bowl of mints or hard candy
nearby, or establish a daily break for your
favorite cup of tea. If you have a bouquet of
flowers on your table, take it from room to
room with you so you can enjoy them all day.
You might be surprised how much these little
things can boost the quality of even the most
uneventful day.
STEPHANIE H. FALLON is a writer and artist originally from Houston, Texas. She has her BA in English and Studio Art and her
MFA in Creative Writing from Hollins University. You can check out her portfolio at stephaniehfallon.com or find her on
Instagram: @shlohbo.
84 MARCH/APRIL 2024
CALL YOUR ATTENTION
TO THE SMALL JOYS
Here is the part that is really important: After
you have taken the time to light your candles
for dinner, or given yourself a mini-concert
in your car, or sipped sparkling water with
cucumber in the sunlight, take notice of your
pleasure. This means pausing in the moment
to more fully enjoy it. Savor the sensations,
bask in them, even if for just a few breaths.
Romanticizing your life is about cultivating
gratitude and feeling alive, and this comes not
just from creating lovely moments but from
naming them and drawing your attention to
them.
I sometimes find that taking a photo helps
to solidify the feeling, whether I share it or not.
I might also write down the moment in my
planner or calendar, or even just remember to
tell my husband about it when we debrief our
days to each other later. However you find that
works for you, don't skip this step: As the great
cultural philosopher Ferris Bueller said, " Life
moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look
around once in a while, you could miss it. " I
TheRoanoker.com

http://www.stephaniehfallon.com http://www.TheRoanoker.com

The Roanoker March/April 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Roanoker March/April 2024