How to romanticize your life, live like the main character, slow living, and findinding joy in the small moments. There’s been a lot of talk recently about the idea of ‘Romanticizing your Life.’ This practice helps you appreciate the moment and appreciate the little things. I’ve found myself identifying with this conversation because this is something I’ve been practicing my whole life, and have really, deliberately been practicing in a very intentional way for the last few years, specifically when I moved down to the english countryside in Devon. So what is romanticizing your life? Viewing and moving through your life as if you were the main character in a story, living from moment to moment, and taking pleasure in the small details of your life. In a way it’s a form of mindfulness, being aware of what you’re feeling and sensing in the moment. It allows you to appreciate each moment for what it is. It is intentional - something you are actively making happen that helps you see/appreciate what you have.

I’ve always been someone with a very big imagination. I’ve been imagining that I’m the main character of a story no one else knew since I was kid. As a kid this was almost a passive act- part of being a kid, but as I’ve grown older it’s been more deliberate an act. When I moved to Devon I struggled to feel at home. How can this be? It’s a beautiful area and so ripe for embodying this kind of fantasy. Even still I was moving somewhere I had never been before, with the decision being made quickly. In the city, romanticizing my life involved going to museums, taking myself out to lunch at new restaurants, seeing a production at shakespeare's globe. Moving to the countryside was such a different way of life to anywhere else I had found myself. So out of my depth, and with no friends or anchor point, I set myself to actively embody my surroundings and my new life.

When I go about romanticizing my life I start my day with coffee and a biscuit. This is a simple thing you likely already do, like choosing a mug that makes you happy. Doesn’t have to be this super aesthetic life. Enjoying the moment of silence by reading a short story or poem with breakfast. Journaling. Next I go about getting dressed. This is a very important step for me. What I love about fashion is the power a change of clothes can have. You get to decide who you want to be that day, how you want to face the world. I try to get outside every day I can. It’s so important to get fresh air and appreciate your surroundings. Most days I like to go on a walk, bring a snack, and sit outside and draw. Coming home I like to have a moment of rest, spend time reflecting on my day and letting my mind wander.

So what happens when life isn’t quite a fairytale? I’m someone who has struggled with their mental health so I really know that sometimes things like this sound easier said than done. Even still when I’ve been at my lowest points, this idea of romanticizing my life is something that I’ve clung on to. In fact it was the only thing allowing me to maintain even a semblance of myself when times were really tough. Focus on what you have control over, this goes for everything in life, but especially when trying to get through things or situations you might be unhappy with. Even when things are tough I know I can find solace in the small moments, and those small moments can build up. So even when you’re having trouble with your mental health, or working a job you’re unhappy in, or going through a really stressful time in your family, you can still have those moments where you have created a bright spot. And when things are good, well… then this practice is absolutely everything and allows me to live life to it’s fullest.

Contents:

0:00 - Background
0:57 - What is it
1:47 - Why Do it?
2:05 - My History Doing This
3:21 - How I Romanticize my life
7:28 - When Times are Tough
8:20 - Reflections
9:23 - Bloopers

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