You only live once. This is a saying that I have heard time and time again throughout my almost 21 years of life. While I have heard this saying many times, I have never truly understood the significance of these four words. It wasn’t until recently that I started to fall in love with the idea of “romanticizing life.” So let’s talk about it, shall we?
I think it’s important to start off with a definition of what romanticizing life is all about. According to The New York Times, experts say that romanticizing life is a new kind of way of focusing on your mind. It is a way to concentrate on the present moment and become aware of your physical sensations.
It has been said that the “romanticize your life” trend began during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. This pandemic created such a scary and uncertain environment for many, that it was honestly difficult to look at the positives in life. I know for myself that I found it very tough at certain points to look at all of the good in life, it seemed like I was surrounded by so much sadness.
As the pandemic progressed, I really started to take in the small things in life. I began to go on walks, bike rides and drives where I could take in all of my surroundings. One thing that I enjoy doing in my spare time is listening to music. As simple as this is, whenever I listen to music I feel as though I am able to focus more on everything going on around me. Blasting music in my car while taking in the pretty sunsets and overall nature is something that I would not trade for the world.
If you’re anything like me, then you know that this whole idea of “romanticizing your life” can definitely be tricky at times. As complicated as it may seem at first, some great ways to get into the practice of it can be to do things such as going on a picnic outside, explore therapy, start daily routines, make a list of simple pleasures, take a drive, get off of electronics for the day and so much more. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy, but as long as you are taking the necessary time to appreciate yourself and everything around you then that is all that matters.
While there are many great ways to practice romanticizing life, one of my absolute favorite ways is to thank yourself aloud. Now, this may seem very odd at first, but trust me that it is worth it. Nowadays, I feel as though so many people, including myself, talk down on themselves. And most of the time we don’t even know we are being hurtful to ourselves when we are speaking. Something healthy to get into the habit of is to say “thank you” to yourself. Thank yourself for nourishing your body, thank yourself for working out, thank yourself for getting a good nights rest. Give yourself the credit that you deserve.
Some people think that in order to have a happy and fulfilling life, you need to be financially stable and healthy in all aspects. While money is great, this is not the case to enjoy life. Romanticizing your life is all about the mindset you have. If your mindset is poor, you are not going to enjoy life as much compared to the person who has a positive mindset. Learn to live in the moment and elevate your life to the fullest.
Life is not always going to be easy, but it is all about how you deal with both the small and the big things in life. Appreciate the beautiful sky, the cool breeze and the birds chirping. Talk to yourself positively. Blast your favorite songs. Eat your favorite sweets. Take in all that you can. You only live once.