I’ve Decided to Start Romanticizing My Life — & Here’s Why You Should Too.
There’s a reason why I’ve often been compared to Dory from Finding Nemo. (Hint: it’s not because of her positive outlook on life.)
I was diagnosed with ADHD at 28 and suddenly everything made sense — from the forgetfulness to the inability to concentrate on anything that didn’t interest me. It was as if a dark cloud was lifted and I could finally see the sky. Don’t get me wrong — I still struggle with concentration issues, anxiety and depression. But at least, now I understand why. I have been medicated for my depression for about 5 years now (shoutout Prozac and Wellbutrin) and I’ve been taking Adderall since 2019 but I know that there isn’t a magic pill that can solve all of my problems. I have also decided that my body needs a short break from the Adderall, so my Wellbutrin (along with other healthy coping mechanisms) will have to do all the heavy lifting to get me through the day. What are healthy coping mechanisms? Eating healthy… exercising more… planning out my day through my calendar… time management tools… the list goes on.
A recent study published in Personality and Individual Differences gave me the inspiration and reassurance to start looking at life through a more optimistic lens. One highlight from the article— they found less anxiety and more positivity to be directly linked to less subjective memory complaints in young adults (18–35y). So ~science~ says that if I’m less anxious and more positive I will have less concerns with memory loss? Thank you, Science, but how will I manage to do what I haven’t done in 31 years?
This is where the idea of ‘romanticizing my life’ comes in. I have always been fairly self-conscious and worked incredibly hard to make myself as invisible as possible. I never thought my life or anything about me merited admiration, or even acknowledgment. However, as I said in my About Me, I AM the main character now. At it’s core, that’s what romanticizing your life is all about. It’s about knowing that even though you’re just a speck in an infinite universe, you are one adorable and interesting little speck. I am a 31 year old Salvadoran-American woman who managed to build a career in HR without a degree and with tattoos & piercings. I am finally getting to the finish line for my bachelor’s degree, and plan on running right into a grad program — all with a full-time job and responsibilities. I am doing the damn thing, and that’s one HELL of a story right there.
Here are some of the ways I will practice self-love and romanticize my life:
- Find fun ways to exercise and get healthy. I tried pilates at a studio and LOVED it, but $200 a month was definitely out of my price range. I found a pilates bar kit and I have found workouts on Youtube.
- Create a space at home that perfectly encapsulates my personality. My bedroom has always been my ‘safe space’ so it tends to mirror my mental health. When I’m really depressed, my room is a complete mess — so I’ve been picking up more often and trying to stay organized. I am in the middle of re-arranging my closet since I have more clothes than fit in my current space. I found the most adorable sunset lamp on Amazon, which always helps my mood and definitely makes me feel like the main character. All of this is a work-in-progress, but it’s a project I’m very excited about.
- WRITE MORE. I plan on keeping up with my blog here on Medium, regardless of whether anyone reads it.
- Go for Hot Girl Walks during my lunch break, whether I’m in the office or at home.
- Try different ways to make my coffee at-home. I’m currently looking for an espresso machine, and I may post about it once I have found something that works to my liking (and is relatively affordable).
- Take more pictures and record more videos when I’m out and about. I have been talking about carrying around my 35mm camera more often and I need to follow through with that goal.
- Go to estate sales and flea markets on weekends. I always found those to be really fun — and you always find the most unique things at estate sales.
- Talk more openly about my work. I work for a huge entertainment conglomerate and my office is on the fifth oldest surviving film studio in the world— I should be proud of the work I’ve done to get here.
- Practice gratitude. Gratitude is something I have been practicing organically in the last month, but I am making it my goal to do this daily. Whenever something happens that is pleasantly unexpected, I thank the Universe and my ancestors for granting me that privilege. I am thankful for all of the little things — my family, my friends, my job, my cat…. all of the people and things that bring light into my life (one way or another.)
- Daily routines — I have daily exercises I have made a habit. When I’m showering, I imagine the water is cleansing me of any negative energy — whether from an outside source or self-inflicted. I also made it a habit to put a dab of Florida water on my forehead, throat and heart as a form of protection. If these habits are strange to you, there are other daily exercises you can do. Such as positive self-talk in the mirror as you’re getting ready or listening to affirmations.
- Make travel plans to places I’ve never been to (or haven’t visited in a long time). I have a trip to El Salvador planned for November with my cousins and I can’t wait to explore the motherland. I also hope to research my family lineage and heritage while I’m there because I want to know more about my ancestors. I also have a trip to New York for work — which I plan to take advantage of by extending my trip for the weekend! If traveling is outside of your budget, plan a road trip to somewhere nearby and make a playlist to listen to during the drive.
These are just some of the ideas I have in mind… I may do a longer post with ideas to romanticize your life at a later time, we’ll see how it goes. Right now, I just plan on continuing to epitomize Dory, optimism and all.
References
Mariola Zapater-Fajarí, Isabel Crespo-Sanmiguel, Vanesa Pérez, Vanesa Hidalgo, Alicia Salvador,
Subjective Memory Complaints in young and older healthy people: Importance of anxiety, positivity, and cortisol indexes,
Personality and Individual Differences,
Volume 197,
2022,
111768,
ISSN 0191–8869,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2022.111768.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886922002732)
