Romanticize Life, Even When It’s Boring

I’m not gonna lie, sometimes I do the most for absolutely no reason. Like, I’ll throw on a cute top just to sit on my bed and open a million tabs I’ll never finish. Light a candle and just stare at it like I’m in some kind of ritual. Spray perfume even though I’m not leaving the house, just so the air around me feels soft and nice.

It doesn’t make sense, not really. But somehow, it makes me feel okay. Like I’m still holding onto something, even when everything else feels like it’s falling apart.

Some days, I straight-up pretend I’m the main character. Not the perfect, got-my-life-together kind. Just the tired, confused, barely-getting-by version. And I act like she’s still worth rooting for, you know? Like her messy vulnerability is something worth seeing. Like the quiet moments are cinematic. Like the fact that I’m still here, still surviving (barely), still finding little bits of joy is enough.

The other day, I was talking to a friend, an ex who’s now just a friend, the kind who used to drive me up the wall with how he’d joke about everything, even the serious stuff. Back when we were together, that unserious vibe, laughing off big questions like they were nothing, was why we didn’t work out. But now, just chilling as friends, I asked him why he’s always like that, and he just shrugged and said, “Life is not that deep.” He told me you sometimes gotta laugh at the overwhelming crap so it doesn’t chew you up inside. And honestly? It clicked. Because when you look around, the people who take life way too seriously are usually the ones who seem the most miserable.

So yeah, I get it now. Sometimes you survive by not taking every single thing personally. By laughing at the stuff that doesn’t make sense. By softening the weight of reality with a bit of imagination. Because when life stops making sense, that’s sometimes the only way to keep going. You make your own meaning. You pick your own softness. You turn tiny things into big moments: fresh bedsheets, cold juice in your favorite cup, a playlist you’ve played 200 times, a mirror selfie you’ll never post. The small stuff that doesn’t fix anything but still keeps you going.

And please, go on that karaoke date with your unhinged alcoholic friend. Talk to that guy who’s out of your dating league (you’re probably out of his too, TBH). Try that dish that’s been overhyped on every app. Take that risk just for the story. Hop on that long, sweaty bus road trip. Post that picture that’s been rotting in your drafts forever. Write that book you’re scared people will hate. Do the random, extra, totally unnecessary things just because you feel like it.

Because that’s what romanticizing life is. Not the Pinterest version. The real one.

The truth is, romanticizing life isn’t some aesthetic lifestyle. It’s survival. It’s waking up and finding reasons not to hate your reality, even when it’s boring. Even when it’s hard. Because sometimes life doesn’t hand you magic, so you gotta make your own. And even if it’s small and stupid, it’s yours.

Okay, real talk, it’s not like this makes life suddenly easy. You’re still gonna overthink every dumb decision you made at 2 a.m. Still spiral when you’re staring at the ceiling, wondering why everyone else seems to have it figured out. You’ll still scroll through socials and feel like you’re failing at life because someone’s posting their perfect vacation while you’re eating cereal out of a mug. But here’s the thing, somewhere in all that noise, there’s you. You’re still out here, throwing on that ratty hoodie that’s seen better days, just because it feels like a hug. Or blasting that one song that’s been your vibe since high school, even though you know every word and it’s kinda embarrassing. Or taking a selfie in your messy room, not to post it, but just to remind yourself you’re still cute, even when you’re a wreck. Those little things? They’re not fixing your problems, but they’re like tiny middle fingers to the chaos, saying, “I’m still here, and I’m gonna make this moment mine.”

So yeah, keep romanticizing your life, okay? Not in that fake-ass “matcha latte and aesthetic journal” way. I mean the real stuff, like when you’re walking outside and your favorite song hits just right, and suddenly you’re in your own little movie. Or when you laugh so hard at a stupid TikTok that you forget you were stressed for, like, five whole seconds. Or when you rewatch that one scene in a show just to yell the line out loud because it makes you feel alive. That’s your story. That’s you being the main character, not because everything’s perfect, but because you’re still kicking. Still showing up, even when you’re tired. Still finding ways to make the boring, messy, overwhelming days feel like they matter. Because they do. Those little moments, the ones that feel so small they’re almost dumb, they’re gonna be the ones you look back on and smile about. And that’s enough. That’s what makes it worth it.

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This is my first article.

I know my style looks simple, but I just want to sound like your friend sending you a voice note, nothing curated, nothing deep-deep. Just me, rambling about life and hoping it lands in a soft spot in your chest.

Please let me know how you feel about this in the comments.