pov: you're the main character!
Because duh!
I’ve recently discovered the art of romanticizing my life, and it is one of the best things I’ve ever done. It’s a bit delusional, but what’s life without a little harmless delusion, especially regarding your actual life?
Before my mornings were painfully predictable, like in the most boring way: wake up, check my phone, drag my eyes through Twitter and Instagram to see what’s currently trending, drag myself out of bed, brush, bathe, and do all that’s necessary, and before you know it, the day is over. Rinse and repeat.
You start to feel like you’re just existing but not living. I mean, I do feel like that. Like I’m some robot working through a system designed for me.
But instead of doing all that, I’ve tweaked my routine a bit by finding joy in the little things, even if it’s just standing up from bed. I’m not a morning person, but like they say, the way you start your day determines how the rest of that day will go. (Another win for the perspire to aspire people ugh)
I take joy in starting my day with an R&B playlist or a gospel playlist, depending on how the spirit leads, and it sets the mood for me. Weird, but hear me out. Imagine listening to a soft playlist about love and the beauty of life while taking a bath or dressing up on a Tuesday morning. Even though you had a bad night, you suddenly feel lighter, like a little warmth and love just seeped into your soul. It’s so beautiful. So magical!
Romanticizing your life isn’t about pretending everything is perfect. It’s about deciding that even the most mundane/simplest moments deserve attention. It’s about seeing yourself as the main character, not in a delusional, "I'm better than everyone" way, but in a this life is mine, and I’m going to make it worth something way.
It’s always in the little things. The moments!
It’s in the art of making breakfast and feeling like a chef even though the food tastes like nothing a chef would make.
It’s in the art of curating your playlist to fit every vibe and moment.
It’s in documenting your life (I’ll always preach the sermon of journaling. That’s the first step to romanticizing your life). It’s in taking pictures of the sky, the sunset, and the rain. Capturing moments like they matter, because they do.
It’s in being in the present! Living in the present and taking notes of everything around you: how the wind feels on your skin, how the rain smells, what the sky looked like today.
It’s in admiring the trees, in feeling the warmth of the earth under your feet and the softness of the rain on your skin.
It’s in eating on nice plates, even if it’s just bread and eggs, and putting a little effort into your food plating.
It’s in wearing your best outfit on every outing and not just waiting for a special occasion. And wearing perfume when no one is around. It’s in dancing and singing your heart out to no one but yourself.
It’s in treating yourself like you’re someone important because you’re important! Speaking to yourself kindly and feeding your body only what’s healthy. It’s in living your best life.
And finally, it’s about falling in love deeply with yourself. Everyday!
Romanticizing your life makes you the audience and the performer.
Some people might call it corny. They’ll say it’s silly to act like your life is a movie. But that’s the thing, your life is literally a movie. It is your movie. You’re the actor, the director, the producer, and the audience. It’s up to you to decide what story you want to tell.
For them, they’re just passing through life, waiting for it to start. Waiting for that “el click” to give them a go-ahead while you’re already living it. Living in the little life you’ve created for yourself.
So, romanticize your life. Make even the smallest moments feel like they mean something. Because when you look back, those small moments will be the ones that mattered the most. Besides, you feel better when you do.
Oh, and since romanticizing life is at least 50% about the right soundtrack, I made an R&B playlist to set the mood. Play it while doing your chores, taking a bath, sipping your tea, or gazing dramatically out the window, on a rainy day like you're in a music video. Enjoy!
QUICK STOP - I almost didn't write this week, but thank Jesus I pulled through. Also, I’ve been working on something new—another space where I’ll be sharing a curated take on entertainment news and pop culture (without the gossip, obviously). Can’t spill all the details yet, but you’ll get the vibe once it drops. Stay tuned!
ICYMI: Read my last post here
Someone Unsubscribed From my Newsletter
Seven hours after posting my last newsletter, my subscriber count went from 109 to 108. (Yes, I noticed it.) Naturally, I thought it was Substack tweaking as usual, so I kept refreshing to be sure someone didn’t actually unsubscribe because—what am I writing that would make you want to stop reading my work?
I have a playlist called “calm” and that’s my morning dose. It keeps me serene and makes me feel like the morning. You know how dreamy movies show mornings, the birds chirping, the bright sky, the sun that gives you vitamin D, with the entire saturation on a 100, yeah that. I curated that playlist with that vision in mind. From Asa’s eye adaba to Mandy Moore’s only hope, David Archuleta’s glorious. Love it for me.
PS: Don’t ask for the playlist, I have it on Apple Music and you use Spotify 😒