Life Hack 101: How to Romanticize Your Life

A year ago on a 1.5-hour commute, I showed some of my blog posts to my younger sister, all labeled under “Personal”, to which she replied that I had always had the air of treating life like I was the ultimate main character. I, true to her words, took it as a compliment that was legit awesome. How else could I describe it more accurately? I mean, I remember the times I casually strolled the street, confidently feeling like I was a protagonist in a romance-comedy movie, much like Kate Hudson with her infamous attempt to woo and lose Matthew McConaughey in only ten days, or Emma Roberts with her “f*cking holidays” groan before she met her soon-to-be partner-in-holiday Luke Bracey. Such confidence, if you let me testify, evokes one of the best feelings in the world.

It was not until a few days ago that I found out about the reason it was such a good life hack and the proper name for the 101. Thanks to the trend promulgated by Gen Z all around the world, I finally get the “it’s normal” validation for secretly acting like the main character of my own life. Celebrating yourself and the little things you do is not the same as narcissism, thus it’s really important to romanticize your life to make the best out of the minutiae since you’re only living it once.

In the spirit of making everything romantic, here are some guaranteed passes you should try that I myself have done beforehand, my life hack 101 that will hopefully do all of us better if not great:

1. Early Bird Catches the Worm

If someone argues that morning air is not the root of a better lifestyle, I will have to agree to disagree. Early breeze has this distinctive touch to it that makes life feel even more peaceful. I have now come to a conclusion that when morning seeps, it thoroughly seeps—through the distant sound of birds chirping coming from the door wires, through the less sound of cars barking, and through the most intangible thing: the ability to get ready without being rushed.

Now that I have accustomed myself to waking up at 6 every morning, I find it really hard to believe the chances of being an early bird that I missed all this time before. Side note: worry not! If you’re working in shifts and doing so sounds impossible, you can save this one for a phase much later in life.

2. Make a Cup of Something Good

Lorelai Gilmore once said, “Nothing says coffee like 6 in the morning!”. And while I do agree with the acclamation from our favorite Gilmore, it’s also a tragedy to admit that I’m not a coffee drinker.

I drink coffee casually—will avoid it so long as I can. But of course, I won’t miss a chance to fill my cup with something good! Since I’m aiming for a healthier lifestyle, I’ve been making a tumbler of infused water first thing in the morning. While the beverage energizes me, the simple process of cutting the fruit puts me in a good mood. In case none excites you, you can opt for tea instead with a variation of cinnamon, ginger, or anything you like.

3. Dress Up Like You’re Going on a Date

I have always envied Alicia Silverstone’s fluffy hair and her “A dress. Says who? Calvin Klein!” wardrobe as Cher in the 90’s. She goes everywhere like she owns the world, so ahead of her time.

It's now 2023 and we still own no technology exciting enough as Cher's closet app. With that said, we just have to trust our gut in deciding what to wear, and I think it's important to care in this regard. I, too, like to dress prettily like I'm about to go on a date, an attempt to satisfy no one but myself. It sets the whole mood and certainly makes my day. Remember: it's not about something fancy. It's about wearing what you feel the most confident in while still rocking those ordinary jeans or pretty plain blouses!

4. Go for a Walk in the Early Morning or at Night

Tell me a more brilliant idea of romanticizing life than taking a slow, long walk while enjoying mother nature. Imagine this: strolling around the park with the wind blowing gently like it's playing with your ponytail but it's your lucky day because you bring your hat; the row of trees you're passing looks so tall and multicolored: some are green, some are orange, and some are borderline yellow; while people around you minding their own business: a few look tired after running several laps, some throw their head back laughing, and the other look lost in thought.

One word to sum it up: picturesque.

5. Make Your Night Fun with Comfortable Pajamas and a Nighttime Routine

If there are two things I cannot wait to do at night, that would be taking a shower so I can change into my comfortable matching jammies and have a nighttime skincare routine. I will always advise you not to save too much money on cute sleepwear. Is it not one of the greatest feelings in the world to be able to dress at night like you're about to join Blair Waldorf's ultimate sleepover?

Not that these jammies would land me an invitation to the Waldorf's headquarters, but be honest: wouldn't you love having this one (and my plush toy called 'Puddle') for the night too? Just a tip: watch out for those sateen and milk fabric pajamas! I'm currently so into them.

6. Don't Let it Mess You Up: Tidy Up Your Room

I have just figured out that having a cozy room to go home into is something you should take further notice of. I don't know how the math is mathing, but a tidy room manages to raise the satisfication line higher in the graphic chart. After making my room tidier by ordering more shelves to organize my things on, everything is the same no more. Life is somehow more... beautiful? (Insert a stupefied emoji).

7. Go on More Dates with Yourself

If Reese Witherspoon could easily win a murder trial case and graduate from Havard Law School as the valedictorian in Legally Blonde, I don't see why you couldn't go on more dates with yourself. Curious about what the library in town has in store for us readers? Register yourself as a member there! Wanna try the newly-opened steakhouse praised by many in TikTok? Dress up and go try it yourself! Getting restless because of how hard it is to align your schedule with your friend's when it comes to going to the cinema? I think you owe it to yourself to go on a solo movie date.

Like what our favorite valedictorian once said, "You must always have faith in people. And, most importantly, you must always have faith in yourself." Have faith that you will enjoy a date night with yourself more than anything else. You go, girl!

8. A Grown-Up Thing to Do: Grocery Shopping!

Believe it or not, last week was the first time I went grocery shopping sans company, and I was giddy because of how very grown-up the experience felt. I took my time strolling around the shelves, picking up the best lemon based on its zest, and looking at vegetables for inspiration (sounds crazy, I know).

I suppose this one hack will not be for everyone, but if by any chance it becomes one of your favorites, do let me know :)

9. Have a Playlist of Your Life

When I was still in junior high, I once told a friend, "It must be cool to have background music for everything we do in life". Last I checked, reality is not a movie, but thanks to the invention of wireless earphones, we are now main characters with bluetooth-equipped smartphones. Go set up a playlist of your life and let the music blare heavenly to your ear, then.

I will not dictate what music you should listen to, but I suggest that you pick something more upbeat to liven up the mood. If you're curious, mine is a random jump from 'GUTS' to 'emails i can't send fwd:' to 'Midnights (The Til Dawn Edition)', whichever suits my feeling best at the very moment.

10. Read a Chapter or Two Before Bed

... Do I have to elaborate more about this? Really?