Ever since I've been in therapy, something my therapist has instilled in me is the importance of staying present through small, daily acts of gratitude and self-care.
So, recently, I polled the BuzzFeed Community, my coworkers, and my Instagram followers to tell me the little ways they romanticize their lives. And just as I anticipated, they came through with some of the happiest, cutest, and most unique answers I could've hoped for!
Hopefully, you can find some inspiration in them, and maybe even incorporate some into your day-to-day life! So, without further ado, here are 46 of my favorite submissions:
1. "I put on whatever music matches the cuisine I'm cooking that night."
"For example, if I'm making pasta for dinner, I'll put on an Italian countryside playlist. Or, if it's French food like sheet-pan ratatouille, I'll put on, like, Paris coffeehouse music. It just sets the vibe, and it's a pretty fun way to discover new artists and different genres."
—SA
2. "I put on rainy day coffeehouse ambience videos whenever I work from home."
"The videos always make me feel so much more relaxed, and they satisfy my itch for mid-workday escapism. I also highly recommend fireplace videos, "rain on window" videos, etc. YouTube literally has any vibe you could want!"
—SR
3. "I use the 'good' honey or 'good' tea now instead of saving it 'for some special moment.'"
—KR
4. "When I'm working from home, I fill up a pitcher with water, ice, and some cut-up lemons in the morning."
"It makes refilling my water glass throughout the day feel so much more luxurious, and it incentivizes me to stay hydrated. Using a cute cup and a glass straw helps, too!"
—SW
5. "I call in sick every year on the first day it's above 60ºF in spring."
6. "When doing chores around the house, I play K-drama soundtracks."
"It makes me feel like I'm in a montage scene instead of just doing some monotonous task."
—Anonymous
7. "Once a month, I take myself on a date."
"I'll buy myself flowers, I'll get all dolled up, and I'll have a reservation for one at a restaurant and order whatever I want."
—EG
8. "I started using the app 1 Second Everyday."
"1 Second Everyday is basically a video diary where you insert clips from your phone, the app helps you cut it down to a one-second snippet, and then mashes them all together to create a personal film of your life. Whenever I'm feeling down on myself, I enjoy going back and watching my last few weeks as an on-demand dose of gratitude."
—DH
9. "I take lots of pictures of your adventures and print them out and keep them in an adventure journal."
"I use an HP Sprocket to print out my favorite camera roll photos quickly and easily."
—TB
10. "I love when it rains because I'll turn off all the lights, put on twinkle lights or candles, and play my Switch on a giant pillow."
11. "If I'm not treating myself to Starbucks, I'll make myself a fancy iced coffee at home."
"I infuse the milk with vanilla syrup, pour it into a cute glass can (you know, the trendy ones that are everywhere lately), and sip on it out of a straw. You better believe I'm snapping a pic of it for my IG story."
—HB
12. "When I run a small errand, I like to dress up in colorful outfits."
"I wear blue daisy platform shoes, a purple glittered bag, a black and white checkered dress, and red heart sunglasses. It makes grocery runs fun instead of a total drag!"
—KY
13. "I take an afternoon walk and listen to my Spotify Discover Weekly playlist."
—GC
14. "I use my lunch break to have a quiet coffee and art hour."
—TB
15. "This is definitely niche/cultural, but I love wearing henna!"
16. "I love taking morning baths on the weekend."
"They set a nice calming mood for the day."
—RI
17. "I put on a light floral perfume after my evening shower, even though I live alone."
"Best paired with a steaming cup of lavender chamomile tea and soft music."
—Anonymous
18. "I sit street-side in big sunglasses with a book and a glass of wine like a post French lady."
—ER
19. "During the summer, I go to the park or a nearby lake and do art outside."
"It's honestly not weird to see me and my easel for a few hours on the weekends."
—TB
20. "On Sunday mornings, I drink tea out of a nice teacup and saucer."
21. "I carry a little notebook around and jot down interesting things I see and hear and smell."
"People, animals, funny signs, food...whatever! It adds magic to the everyday."
—Anonymous
22. "I use my silly little film camera like an ~artsy~, ~nonchalant~, ~aesthetic~ girlie!"
—EH
23. "I buy myself cute pajama sets."
"Doing so makes me feel cared for, and being put together also helps me feel more productive. I feel less guilty staying in my pajamas all day on weekends and days off, and I actually get more done than when I'm in a big T-shirt and sloppy sweats."
24. "I walk my dog to my favorite coffee shop, get an iced latté, and walk her back home through the park."
"We always take the long way."
—SR
25. "I have a playlist of calm sounds (rain, snowstorms, etc.) that I play at the end of each day."
26. "I take myself out on picnic lunches."
—TB
27. "I write one sentence about something that made me happy each day in a one-sentence-a-day journal."
"I’ve been doing it for years which means I get to see what's made me happy on that same day over the past few years."
—Anonymous
28. "I always keep a pine-scented candle burning."
"The smell instantly makes my room feel like a little cozy cabin tucked away in the woods!"
—SR
29. "I love drinking water from a nice wine glass."
—Anonymous
30. "I sit in my yard without my phone or any other distraction and watch my dogs play."
31. "I always plan little 'watch parties' at my place with friends when a new show drops!"
—ST
32. "I always have fresh flowers in my apartment."
—AJ
33. "I splurge on getting my nails done."
"There's nothing like the feeling of getting a new set. It makes me feel hot and put together, and I love scrolling through Pinterest and figuring out what design I want to do next."
—HB
34. "I listen to 'Bette Davis Eyes' by Kim Carnes as I'm getting out of my Uber on the way to events (especially dates)."
—KH
35. "My roommate and I have Waffle Wednesdays where we always have waffles for breakfast!"
36. "I have a curated playlist for EVERYTHING. Having the perfect soundtrack elevates life."
—DS
37. "Every Sunday night, I go to my local bar by myself and listen to live jazz."
"It’s so relaxing and peaceful and a nice way to end the week. I prefer going by myself so I can let my thoughts wander."
—Anonymous
38. "I take myself on what I call 'Date Me Days.'"
"I'll take the day off work, get a coffee, go thrifting, eat at my favorite restaurants. ... I do whatever I want to do for as long as I'd like to do it since I'm alone with no one to rush me."
—SR
39. "I take pictures of the sky and pretty buildings!"
—AJ
40. "I always make sure to walk on the sunny side of the street."
41. "I give random strangers completely truthful compliments on seemingly little things, like telling them I like their shirt or car or something."
"Most of the time, I can see it light up their face. It makes me smile, and I hope that if they have a rough spot during the day, they think of a stranger who acknowledged them and gave them a compliment and it helps them through it."
—Anonymous
42. "I put on fancy sweats and pretend I'm in a Nancy Meyers movie."
—BP
43. "I make a hot cup of earl grey tea whenever it rains to optimize coziness."
—SR
44. "I drink tea from aesthetic mugs."
—SW
45. "I always choose to use my favorite mug/hair clip/jewelry."
—AJ
And lastly:
46. "At night, I tell my cat about my day."
