Simple Ways to Elevate Your Everyday Moments
Most of the days that make up our lives are routine and ordinary. We wake up, go to work, eat mediocre meals, etc. But the reality is that there are so many magical moments hidden within those 12 hours, you just need to learn how to find them.
There’s numerous small components that make up our day, both tangible and intangible. And by far the majority of them are choices we make. We chose our homes, the clothes we wear, the foods we eat, etc. Almost everything is a choice. I truly believe you can chose joy. You can be very proactive in your own wellness journey by finding small ways to brighten your day.
In this blog post I don’t make suggestions for any major life changes, just small tweaks that can elevate those everyday moments. If you feel yourself stuck or stagnant, this little list may spark the change you need to get over the hump. As time passes these small changes can yield significant results.
Adopt an Attitude of Gratitude
Taking a couple moments everyday to appreciate and acknowledge all the blessings in your life is a very simple (yet effective!) way to uplift your mood. The happiest people you know likely don’t have more wealth or status than you, they just know how to live with gratitude. The trick to being grateful is letting go of a “grass is greener somewhere else” mentality and truly valuing what you already have.
Life is going to throw you curveballs. Often times the difference between being in good spirits and feeling disappointment is just the way you look at it. Perspective is everything when it comes to adopting an attitude of gratitude. You can actually train your mindset to automatically find the silver lining when unfortunate incidents happen. Taking the negative in stride will ultimately bring more joyful moments in your life.
Break Out of a Food Rut
It’s all too easy for our daily meals to become routine which may lead to a dreaded food rut. In fact you may not even realize this is happening. Ask yourself, did you savor your last meal or did you rush through eating. Are you excited about your next meal?
To break the cycle of boring food try some new restaurants or new recipes. It doesn’t have to any super fancy or foreign, just new enough that it will your tastebuds a surprise. Consider making it a personal goal to try a new every week. I’m sure you’ll discover some new favorites along the way.
Adorn Your Home with Art that Inspires You
Art is an excellent way to bring color, life and joy into your home. Great art evokes all kinds of feelings and preferably you can find artistic creations that make you feel cheerful and relaxed.
We moved into our new home a few months ago and I’ve been dying to find art to mount on the walls. I was super stoked to discover local Sacramento artist Sarah Golden. Her feminine and minimal aesthetic is exactly the style I gravitate towards and it matches my mid-century modern home perfectly. In our dining room we have the Blue Lines Plant with Brick Red Pot and Rubber Plant fine art prints hanging. It also gives me warm and fuzzy feelings to know I’m supporting a local artist in my community.
I’ve also really been loving using dried flower arrangements as decor in the house. It’s much more sustainable than having fresh flowers all the time, and quality-made dried flower decor lasts for a very long time. My favorite USA-made brand is Roxanne's Dried Flowers because they design modern and aesthetically pleasing dried flower arrangements as home decor. The lavender table bouquets will make your home smell amazing!
Dress Up for Everyday Life
In California we have a culture of wearing comfy athleisure almost daily, especially since quarantine life. But wearing yoga pants and t-shirts everyday could be considered a style rut that you may not even be aware of.
There’s something to be said about getting dressed in “real” clothes, even if you don’t have any major plans on the calendar. A great outfit can give you confidence and make you feel more prepared to tackle the day. At the very least it will put a spring in your step when you catch your reflection in the mirror. Make your routine work day and errands your very own catwalk. Meow!
Spend Time Doing What You Love
It’s easy to get caught up in labor and tasks throughout the day. Then before you know it the hours have slipped away from you and it’s time to wrap things up for bed.
Like many of my fellow boss babes I am a goal getter, but I don’t always have long stretches of time to dabble in my side hustles. Regardless, I always try to carve out a few minutes everyday to work on my projects. These are the types of endeavors I do just for myself simply because they bring me enjoyment. If necessary I’ll put it on your calendar to remind myself to have fun!
Simplify and Live an Uncluttered Life
There’s something so satisfactory about purging unwanted clutter from your space. Items such as mail, packages, trinkets, etc. tend to slowly building up over time. If you incorporate a small daily cleaning routine where you sort and toss out items, then you can avoid having to frequently do overhaul cleaning projects. Not only can clutter take up space in your home and office, being surrounded by chaos can unknowingly take up space in your mind. Simplify your life by cleaning out the clutter weighing you down.
Engage Your Sense of Smell with Aromatherapy
The body’s olfaction is often overlooked, especially when it comes to daily routines. But your sense of smell has an extraordinary ability to trigger happy memories and subconsciously lift your mood.
My own personal favorite way to use the scene of smell as a tool to create a pleasant atmosphere is with aromatherapy. In my home I have a diffuser which silently fills the air with aromatic essential oils. The most classic essential oil is lavender for calming vibes. But you can also choose energetic blends such as citrus, vanilla or ylang ylang flower. Around the holidays you can make your home feel festive with cinnamon, pine tree, clove and pepermint.
Spruce Up Your Daily H2O with Infused Water
We’ve all been told a million times that we need to drink water daily to stay healthy and hydrated. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun and doll up your H2O with some fresh fruit and cucumbers. A quick search on Pinterest will result in many fruit and herb infused water recipes. Let the fresh and fragrant bouquet of fruit in your water cup be a little moment that lifts you up on a particularly mundane day.
Upgrade Your Bedsheets
After a long day there’s something really comforting about slipping into a bed with fabulously soft sheets. You may have never given your bed linens much thought in the past, but once you’ve been spoiled with high thread count Egyptian cotton it’s very difficult to go back. It’s truly the perfect way to end your day.
My wellness nighttime routine consists of snuggles in bed with a hot cup of herbal tea in hand while watching re-runs of a favorite TV show. My goal is always to set myself up for a solid night of restful sleep so I can wake refreshed to take on the next day.
Allow Yourself to Indulge
We can’t be all work and no play all the time. Small indulgences are a necessity to keep us motivated and satisfied.
One of my favorite ways to treat myself is with a Ritter Sport chocolate bar. When the 3pm lull rolls around, you know I’m reaching for one of these bad boys to give me a burst of sweetness and energy. These are no ordinary bars of chocolate, no sir! They are rich and creamy gourmet European chocolate with a variety of flavor combos to chose from. My personal favorite is the Dark Chocolate with Marzipan Filling. My husband always opts for the classic Alpine Solid Milk Chocolate.
