Romanticizing the ordinary 💌

Favorite everyday moments that carried me through January

Today’s post centers on one of my recurring themes, romanticizing the ordinary. This is a collection of recent everyday, “boring” moments that sparked joy in the midst of working and momming and getting through a hell of a January.

Being present enough in my life to appreciate little, ordinary joys is my antidote to stress and overwhelm. It’s not perfect, and it isn’t a total cure, but it certainly helps.

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Here, in no particular order, is a list of recent, ordinary things that sparked contentment and gratitude:

• Dropping something breakable but, somehow, not breaking it

• Really embracing soup season

• Snow days

  • Enjoying the snow from inside, in your comfies

• Being taken care of when you’re sick

• A new sweater

• Deciding 80% is good enough right now

• Making a simple cocktail at home (with good gin)

• Crushing my to-do list

• Best friend dates, after 3 reschedules

• Reading—fiction is medicine for the soul

• Always prepping my lunch/coffee/outfit the night before for less morning chaos

• Aquaphor in that little tub (perfect winter dry skin and chapped lips)

And regarding the intersection of small joys and writing—the process of it takes a mess of thoughts and provides clarity. That’s what I’m doing here—twice a month, I’m sifting through what’s in my mind and seeing what rises to the surface. Often, what rises to the surface is something quite similar to what I wrote last time, or last month, or a year ago. This has made me think that perhaps I should take a break from writing. Free up that time for, I don’t know, sleeping, perhaps?

Because so much of the writing you find on the internet is all, look at me, look at me! Here’s a hot take! Here’s a life hack! Here’s THE SECRET you need to know! (Take my class!)

But anymore, I scroll right past those things and instead hunt for posts about everyday things—kids, motherhood, musings, wonderings, worries. A late-night Amazon buy. A podcast recommendation. A week in outfits (inspired by Pinterest). That’s what I want more of. Just… humanity. Are you listening, algorithm?

I close with no hot take, but the observation that we often say the same things over and over again, with small differences. We have the same conversations repeatedly. That’s how we inch into new understandings and perspectives — not always with a sudden flash, but with a slow evolution. That’s what I’m embracing these days. ♡

The makings of a great soup.

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📓 If you enjoyed reading this, you might also like my first post on romanticizing the ordinary (one of my most popular)

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