How to Romanticize Your Life:
Living Sweetly on Purpose

Firstly, a little context:

I was not always a positive person.

For a long time, the online spaces I occupied were cynical and deeply negative. Youtube videos full of the latest news and current pop culture events, Discord servers full of bickering, tone policing, and cancel crusaders, places where throwing insults was the norm. Over time it shaped me a lot more than I realized.

I made the decision to step back and unfollow, unsubscribe, and leave. Those spaces and people no longer felt good to inhabit and I wanted out. It took a while to curate my space and what I let into my mind, both online and offline, but slowly I began to feel much lighter. Warmer, kinder!

And now...I believe myself to be somewhat of a whimsical person. I like to surround myself with things and thoughts that make me happy. I want to live a happy, soft life¹. I am much happier now.

The world didn't change, but I did. Here is my guide to what I personally practice. I sincerely hope that my words can resonate with someone out there.

^{1: Not in the tradwife TikTok way lol, just a happy life filled with all the things that make me happy. I try to stay away from "ugly" things: negative feelings, negative people, etc, etc. I don't believe in "optimizing" my life, rather, I aim to live slowfully and purposefully, and doing what I like when I can, always.}

General Tips

♥ I do NOT care about trends or aesthetics. My room is a mishmash of vintage and antique decor, anime figures, pink, and cow print. I've been told that it's "a lot" or "gauche," even. But who cares? The only person that matters when it comes to your tastes is you.

♡ Don't live your life like someone is always watching. Be cringe, be free. Do what makes you happy!

♥ If you spend a good amount of time online (like I do!) it's important to learn how to turn the part of your brain that cares, off. It's easier said than done, but do not ever let the words of someone that does not know you effect you negatively.

♡ In online spaces, surround yourself with other lovely, happy people! The people I tend to talk to are wonderful and kind women, and are often dedicated to their craft or what makes them happy. I find myself inspired by them - whether it's by their happiness or their ability to create. If you hang around negative people, you too will be dragged down with them.

♥ One thing at a time! My work can often get crazy busy with tons of tasks that pile up. It's easy to get overwhelmed. Stop, take a breath, and tackle one thing at a time. Make a list if you need to! This also applies to hobbies or chores.

♡ Don't aim for perfection. Just do what you can! You made the effort, and that is good enough.

Start with a Feel-Good Morning

Your morning sets the emotional tone for the day! I typically do not start my mornings, even on week days, rushing or particularly productive. I start by being kind to myself:

♥ Drink my daily coffee/tea from a mug that delights me. One of my favorite parts of each morning is getting to choose which over-the-top cute or silly mug to drink my caffeine choice from. It makes the day feel special before it even begins.

♡ While sipping my morning drink, I take a few minutes to look out the window, at the rising sun, or at my garden and ponder my gratitudes. Think about what makes you happy or what you're excited to experience that day, whether it's a fun day of shopping or simply having a decent day at work and getting to relax on the couch later! It doesn't even have to be that, you can simply think I'm grateful for this quiet morning. And that can be enough to set the tone for your day.

♥ Dress with love, even if no one will see you. I put on a favoured accessory or piece of clothing, even if I'm just staying home for the day. For me, this means my favorite lavender scrunchy with bunny ears on it, or my teddy bear print nightgown. For the office, I wear my retro-styled glasses with tortoise shell (it almost looks like cow print!) Dressing with love doesn't mean dressing aesthetically - if you have a favorite hole-y t-shirt...wear it!

Make the Ordinary Feel Cherished

A whimsical life is built from everday moments treated with love!

♡ Light a candle while you read! Or clean! Or even watch TV. If you're like me, and stuck at the office most of the time, cozy lighting can really make your work day feel better. I use a candle warmer and a lamp in my office instead of the overhead fluorescent lights.

♥ Play music that matches the mood you want. Classical music, lo-fi, j-pop! On a walk around the block daydreaming? Why not throw on the soundtrack to your favorite film? If I'm sad, I put on happy music. Why wallow?

♡ Plate your food nicely, even if it's simple. I love using the china I've thrifted even if it's just for a turkey sandwich. I also bring my lunches to work placed in cute containers with seasonal napkins and colorful cutlery.

♥ Customize anything and everything! A lot of the things in my room that bring me joy are pieces of decor that I thrifted but customized myself to better reflect my tastes: paint, decoupage, adding ribbons or filigree details. I even decorated my weekly pill container with stickers, and it makes me smile every time I see it.

♥ Use "special" things. That lipstick your saving for special occasions? What about that fresh notebook that you have *specific* plans for but still have not touched? Use them! Don't wait until "the right time" or the "right occasion." YOU, my dear, are the occasion. ♡♡♡

Little Daily Rituals

Take the time to do something small, but meaningful.

• Read, work, or study in the sunlight.
• Nourish your body with whole fruits and veggies if you can.
• A small, shared sweet treat after dinner.
• An evening tea before bed.
• Writing one sentence about your day in a journal.
• Taking your time with skincare.
• Talking and singing to your pets or your plants.

Stepping Away from the Noise

(It's okay, I promise!)

No doubt about it, staying informed, especially in the current political climate all across the globe is important, it's also very important to let yourself breathe. You are not morally obligated to be constantly flooded by bad news and current events. This is not to say to cover your ears and ignore all that is going on - but PLEASE take a break every once in a while!

I've set a few rules for myself to stop the constant cycle of spiraling that the US news cycle had me constantly in:
1.) No news first thing in the morning.
2.) No doom-scrolling before bed.
3.) One check-in during the day, then step away.

In between the horrors, I like watching things that make me happy and remind me that the world can still be warm and full of love.

Movies & TV Shows that always perk me up:

• The Princess Bride
• Pride and Prejudice
• Amélie
• Tangled
• Stardust
• Pushing Daisies
• The Good Place

Youtubers & Content Creators I watch:
*I do my best to stay away from commentary channels as 90% of the time, they only cover negative topics or politics.

Lifestyle & Vlogs:

• annikasleaf
• Rachel Maksy
• nami's life
• Little Miss Macaron

Food/Cooking:

• Cooking With Dog (the older videos with Francis especially!)
• imamuroom

Video Games:

• eurothug4000 (cw horror games)
• tangomushi (cw horror games)
• Frankie Lollia