What are some ideas for small ways that you can brighten up your life?
For me, recently, there have been a few changes that I’ve made to my daily routine that help add those little sparkles to my everyday life.
Fresh flowers
Either weekly, or biweekly, when I find myself on trips to the grocery store, I have started picking up either large bouquets of flowers or two small bouquets to combine into one larger bouquet. I was inspired by a recent gift where someone had sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers and for weeks, those flowers lit up my life in ways that I had not anticipated. The smell was so fragrant and livened up my living space. The colors were vibrant and increased my mood and morale. Everything about having fresh flowers in my space made life a little lighter and brighter. Now, I make a concerted effort to stop by the flower section for fresh florals every time I go to the grocery store. They make a difference in adding levity and beauty to your everyday routine and make quotidian life feel that much more elevated.
Dollar Oysters / Happy Hours
Another thing that I have been enjoying recently are the dollar / two-dollar oyster specials and happy hour specials at the upscale restaurants near where I live. Going out for a purpose, whether it’s to eat good food or otherwise, has been a great way to boost my mood. Sitting at the bar for happy hour with a friend is also a great way to flex your social muscles and get spend quality time with special people in your life. Being in New England and having “happy hour” or even dollar oysters at nice restaurants has been a treat. It’s something small to look forward to every week and break up the monotony and simplicity of every day life.
Candles
Finally, another lovely way that I’ve been brightening up my life has been through collecting candles. There’s nothing better than living in a space that smells good and feels “warm” from the coziness of a lit candle. A couple of my favorites are Bath and Body Works selections and Voluspa. All of the scents that I’ve tried have fit my personality and have been scents that I like to smell on a daily basis. They also come in beautiful packaging that add a touch of glamour to my living space.
What are some of your “little sparkles?” Comment them below.
I think that pretty much everyone is well-informed about what’s going on in the world right now. While I wouldn’t discourage anyone from keeping up with current events, I am also a proponent of the idea that everyone deserves the right to “unplug” every once in a while. Here are five powerful ways that I’ve found help me decompress and keep my mind off things when reality can be particularly distressing.
Taking a bath.
The most powerful activity that I’ve found to instantly change my mood has been to take a bath, particularly with epsom salt. I think that soaking yourself in a tub with any of your favorite additions like a bath bomb or bubbles or bath salts would work. There’s something about it that immediately releases any physical and mental tension, and I find that when I am particularly stressed out, nothing works like bathing for a long time in warm water. A close second to this, if you don’t have access to a tub, would be taking a long, hot shower.
Reading or watching something engaging and/or challenging.
There’s nothing like getting wrapped up in an enthralling novel, a collection of poems, or a compelling documentary that really makes you think and feel. Peruse the bestseller list for a highly recommended book, re-watch one of your good old comfort TV shows from the 2000s, or get into one of those Netflix documentaries that can keep you occupied for hours at a time. As a bonus, you can dig into your favorite comfort snacks while you engage in a zone out session. And, of course, watch or read something where you know the content will be stress-relieving rather than stress-inducing, but make sure it’s something that you know will engage you to your core.
Playing games.
I could get lost in a game for countless hours. Whether it’s a mindless game where you’re matching up exploding bubbles, or it’s a more engaging word game or jigsaw puzzle where you’re really stimulating your cranium, do something that you can do for almost a limitless amount of time. Watching people play games on social media likely comes at a close second to playing games yourself. For example, I love to watch people play old Nancy Drew strategy games or old car racing games or The Sims on social media. If you can find a good board game or crossword puzzle or book of word search puzzles, I would recommend doing that until you feel recharged, energized, and less stressed.
Doing something creative.
It can be incredibly rewarding to spend a significant amount of time painting a beautiful piece of art, working on a collection of poetry, practicing on an instrument, or molding a set of pottery. I have done all of such things to take my mind off of particularly stressful moments in my life, and I have always appreciated not only the distraction, but also the feeling of productivity that results from them. There’s nothing like creating something to make you feel like you have a purpose and that adds meaning to life. I always appreciate the sunnier side of things more when I release anxiety, tension, and energy in general (positive or negative) into the act of creation. Make something and see how free you feel once you’ve finished your creation.
Engaging in physical activity.
Playing a sport or doing stretching exercises or going for a long walk around a body of water are all excellent ways to relieve physical and mental tension. There’s something about moving your body with intention that really helps keep your mind off of the worst things in life and helps you appreciate what is great. Whether it’s the positive endorphins being released or simply the fact that you’re being distracted for a set period of time or both, being physically active is one of the best ways to forget about your worries and concentrate on other things like your form when you’re doing a yoga pose or the way the leaves swoosh together in the afternoon wind as you walk around your local river.
During challenging times like these, it’s always best to have a game plan and specific time set aside to do things that allow us to refocus and redirect our energy toward things that can be beneficial to our wellbeing. I hope that this short list helped give you ideas of how to distract yourself during tough times. Are there any other activities that you would add to the list? If so, please share them in the comments.
I’ve been implementing more things in my life recently that I think could fall under the category of self-care. It has been completely unintentional, but I already feel so much better about the new changes. It seems like these changes have coincided with my move from living in the city in a more urban setting and moving to a smaller town near the city that is a bit slower-paced and more community-oriented. With the change in scenery and living more in peace and nature rather than a concrete jungle, I’ve naturally shifted the daily routines and patterns and choices that I would normally make.
The first shift that I’ve noticed is that I’ve been so much more interested in cooking at home. I have caught myself getting excited about the new seasonal offerings at Trader Joe’s, the idea of trying out a new homemade recipe with items from the regular grocery store, and experimenting with different cocktails and mocktails at home. I have been ordering takeout and through food delivery services less, and it has felt both healthier and more freeing. I also get to be adventurous and try things that I’ve never tested out before, which adds variety to days that can sometimes seem routine. While I still do order from restaurants and visit them for fun moments outside of the house, I don’t feel as confined as when I almost exclusively went out for meals. That sort of lifestyle started to get a little repetitive and restrictive, so it has been fun to branch out and try something new, or even to reach for older recipes that I used to make before I shifted into the habit of mainly ordering out (which was generally due to convenience, living in the city, and not necessarily being near many markets or grocery stores).
Another shift I’ve noticed is my enjoyment in doing my nail care and skin care from home. Getting a manicure and pedicure was part of my monthly routine, and I would frequently rely on nail techs to be responsible for my skin care. Now, I’ve been experimenting with different nail polishes to see which colors look best on me for weeks at a time, which has been nice, since I don’t have to commit to a specific color for an entire month and a half. I also don’t have to worry about sitting in a nail salon for hours at a time. I get to do my nails to my liking, even though they don’t necessarily come out as perfect as they would if I were at the salon. I also feel like the health of my nails has improved since I’m more focused on the health of my natural nails and I’m just doing simple gel nails at home.
Speaking of skin care, I’ve been using different lotions, oils, and gels on my skin in an effort to combat the harshness of the cold New England weather. My skin can get really dry here, so I’ve also been trying different scrubs and exfoliators to see which ones work best to get my skin into tip top shape. I find that it doesn’t actually take anything too intensive or abrasive to get the job done, but I still appreciate the results of a solid pedicure.
Additionally, on the topic of body care, I’ve noticed that I have definitely focused more attention on my natural hair. Over the years, I’ve had different colors and lengths and styles, but now I am more focused on the health of my hair, using less hot tools, and seeing how fast and long I can grow my hair out. I’ve reached out for some tried and true products that I noticed helped my hair immensely in the past, while still trying out some newer, more trendy brands that I’ve seen people rave about on social media and in person. While I do still appreciate the occasional visit to the hair salon, it has been more freeing to rely on myself more for my routine maintenance and regular hair care, rather than going to the hair salon so frequently. This may change in the future, but for right now, I am loving getting to know what works best for me and the health of my hair.
Have you noticed yourself becoming more intentional about instilling self-care practices in your life and routines? If so, what self-care activities do you enjoy engaging in, and do you feel that they’ve benefitted you in any way?
Keeping my peace of mind is always top of priority, and I have a list of activities that I practice in order to maintain my internal stillness. Of course, I’m not perfect, and certain things can take me off track and cause irritation, a change in attitude, and frustration, but generally, I find that I can center myself when I implement these steps.
One of the main things that I love to do is meditate with music. I find it hard to meditate in complete silence, as I find that I usually get easily distracted, or simply fall asleep. One of the best things that I’ve discovered works for myself involves playing a spa music playlist on Pandora or Spotify and trying to clear my mind. It’s easier to fill that void and create a calm mind when there’s relaxing music playing in the background. I’ve done this with both headphones and my speakers, but I find that headphones work best when I’m really focused on clearing my mind. I’ve become so proficient at this that now I can clear my mind at will, but it has taken years of practice. Another fun trick that I like to use is to experiment with binaural beats. There are free apps that you can use for these brainwaves, and my favorite one uses brainwaves and allows you to play music from other apps in the background. Meditation helps me relax and calm things down especially when my mind, body, and life in general are really hectic and I need to center myself and focus.
Another thing that I love to do is practice pilates. I’ve fallen off with this practice, but any kind of low-intensity physical movement helps me focus on my body and doing the poses properly rather than focusing on anything that might cause stress or worry. I’ve also done yoga in the past, and I am hoping to pick that up again in the near future, but I prefer pilates because it seems that the movements go at a faster pace and the music tends to also go at a faster pace. Yoga can get a little boring and tedious for me, but still, it has always been rewarding in the end. For mindfulness and focusing on your breathing and techniques with posing, I would highly recommend pilates, yoga, or any other types of stretching exercises.
Affirmations are incredibly important to me. For years, I had set affirmations that I would repeat in my mind and write out for a certain number of times per day. Reciting affirmations mentally and by writing changed my life drastically for the better. I’m pretty sure positive affirmations are proven to help change your wellbeing for the better and that reciting them over and over can re-program. your mind in a beneficial way. Prior to reciting affirmations, I noticed myself falling into negative self-belief patterns unconsciously and being more pessimistic in moments when I should’ve been more optimistic. Now that I have trained myself to always inherently see things sunny-side-up, glass-half-full, and in a constructive manner, my life has been incredibly beautiful and opened up for me for the better. Although I have still faced challenges and “down’s” like anyone else, the “down” times seem not to last as long as the “up” times, and I find myself being more solution-oriented, rather than wallowing in sorrows. I also find that setting aside time to practice affirmations can help you clear your mind and practice mindfulness, as you have present-moment awareness while you’re focusing on a list of things that you’re repeating over and over to yourself.
Finally, daily walks in nature were critically important to me practicing mindfulness and were beneficial to my mental health. Of all of the tips and tricks that I’ve provided, I think that walking in nature is probably the main recommendation that I would give to anyone who would like to practice mindfulness and improve their mental wellness. You can also combine that with listening to calming / spa / “chill” music, or, if you’re in a beautiful natural place like a park, you can focus on the sound of nature like birds chirping and waves softly lapping up onto the shores around you. I’ve heard that walks in nature are proven to be incredibly beneficial for your physical and mental health, and every time I’ve gone out for a walk in a natural space, I’ve felt it has changed my attitude for the better and made me feel more conditioned physically. I was never in a better mental and physical space than when I took regular walks around where I lived in the city.
What are some activities that you like to practice to instill mindfulness in your life? Please share in the comments below. xo, brandy.
Relatively recently, I moved from the Boston to a really cute town outside the city. Whether for a temporary period of time, or for the long haul, I am planning to be far from the lifestyle that I grew to know and love over the past ten years or so. It was an unexpected move, and while there have been lots of benefits to the move, there are some noticeable differences in my life and daily routine.
In Boston, I lived an extremely healthy and active lifestyle. I lived in the middle of the city in a great neighborhood. I would go on long walks around the city, to the Charles River Esplanade, to meet with friends around my neighborhood and in the surrounding neighborhoods, to the Prudential Center to go shopping, around Newbury Street. I always rave about how conveniently small Boston is, and I took full advantage of living in one of the most walkable cities in the world.
Now, things are more challenging. While the town that I live in is nice and safe with great amenities and attractions nearby, it’s not nearly as walkable. There sidewalks are spotty – so even though I live near malls and shopping centers, there isn’t a very convenient path to get to those places. Also, public transportation is limited, so there’s not a super convenient way to hop on the T and go to a more walkable area. I’m sort of trapped where I live unless I drive to another destination. I am not used to such a sedentary lifestyle!
One positive aspect of my move is that we’ve moved to an apartment with a world-class fitness and wellness center on site, with additional access to its Boston location. With that said, at my own home, I can do yoga classes, pilates, run on the treadmill, play pickleball, swim, use the saunas, etc. without having to travel more than a stone’s throw from my apartment. Despite its incredibly convenient location, I am accustomed to building fitness into my daily life, rather than carving out time to visit a standard location in order to meet my fitness goals. For example, in Boston, I could naturally and effortlessly walk miles and miles every day, traveling from work to the mall to a cafe, and back to my apartment. At my new location, I would need to set aside a day and time to spend at the gym. Additionally, I loved the scenery of being able to walk in nature versus walking on a treadmill inside of a fitness center. While the gym here is beautiful, I miss fresh air and sounds of birds chirping and potentially running into friends outside spontaneously.
I think the moral of the story is that I need to adjust and create a new daily / weekly routine that fits my lifestyle. I do not plan to move back to the city anytime soon, so if I want to maintain my peace of mind and fitness, I’ll need to attend classes or figure out some other way to make a conscious effort to fit physical wellness into my lifestyle on a daily basis.
Have you experienced any lifestyle changes recently? If so, how did you adjust? Also, do you have any fitness/wellness routines that you would recommend? I’d love to hear them in the comments. xo, brandy
My mom and I have set the goal to start going to more happy hours. It seems like, although happy hour may not be official in Boston, there are still a ton of bars, lounges, and restaurants in and around the city that still entertain the idea of discounted food and well-priced drinks during a certain time frame, either daily or for certain periods of time.
One of our favorite deals that we’ve experienced so far hasn’t necessarily been a happy hour, but it has been discounted food. Specifically, dollar oyster nights. We love a nice restaurant that offers fresh oysters for $1 per oyster. We’ve seen them be time and space limited. For instance, one restaurant offered dollar oysters all month. Another upscale restaurant has offered dollar oysters for patrons in the bar and lounge space of the restaurant only, for two nights per week. Another upscale restaurant has offered dollar oysters all week from 5pm until they run out of oysters. Either way, dollar oysters have been one of the most exciting deals we’ve found recently, especially since we live in New England.
My mom and I have been making it our mission to also go out to restaurants recently and to hang out at bars, so that we can check out a lot of the new spots that have opened, and to socialize and make new friends. We have always been very outgoing and had numerous friends, but we’ve recently moved to an upscale, trendy town outside of the city, and we’ve been curious about making even more friends both within the city and in our new town.
I love going out to bars, lounges, speakeasies, and restaurants. When my mom and I go out, we tend to gravitate toward the more upscale offerings. We also tend to be attracted to establishments that might be described as “new,” “trendy,” or “hip.” Whenever we hear about new places opening up in the city, especially, we love to check them out to see what the vibe is like, how the food is, and if we can grab a fun / inventive cocktail or two. It’s always nice to get a change of scenery and a change of pace by exiting our usual routine and bubble and branching out to see what is new.
Growing up through high school, and then branching out to undergrad / college in my teens and 20s, I never had a problem making friends and being surrounded by large groups of people. Usually, the easiest ways I made friends were through people I was associated with at school or people I knew through work. As I got older, and people started moving away for grad school and jobs, I had to become more creative about the ways I met people, and make more of an effort. I could no longer become best friends with the guy or girl who reached out to me from Chemistry lab or Anthropology lecture. I wasn’t just thrown into a cohort of people around my age like I was at work where we had the same interests and liked going to the same neighborhood bars.
Now, as someone in her early 30s, I’ve found it more difficult to build a friend group, or even multiple friend groups, and have them “stick.” Whether it’s because it’s harder to find more centralized, regular activities where you’re constantly surrounded by the same people, or because once you hit 30, people start splintering off and moving away, getting married, having children, it is so difficult to meet new people, socialize with them on a regular basis, and form deep connections with them.
Some great ways I’ve found to meet new people recently, in my late 20s and early 30s, have been to join “girl groups.” What I mean by that are local, Boston-based groups that I’ve found on TikTok and Instagram that host regular events like picnics, floral arrangement parties, holiday parties, book club meetings, etc., where you can meet with generally the same group of girls in the same general age range (20s-30s/40s) on a regular basis. Some of the most adventurous and rewarding things I’ve done have been through these types of groups. I love trying new things and I love meeting other people who have similar interests, so it has been fun being a member of these types of groups.
Another great way that I’ve met people has been through a city-specific book club. I’ve been a member of multiple book clubs throughout my young adulthood, and I think that they’re a great way to meet with the same group of people on a regular basis with something to talk about. Having a central topic to meet and gather about is key to ensuring that the conversation can flow naturally and avoid awkward pauses. Of course, in these groups, conversation can naturally gravitate toward members sharing more personal and casual information about themselves, which lend itself to bond-building and friendship-building, too, but it’s nice to meet to talk about a subject where you can just read a book and come with material to share.
I’m pretty sure that socializing with other people is a large part of our health and longevity as human beings, so my mom and I are constantly striving to branch out and meet new people. I love hanging out with my mom, and she feels the same way, so we have that built-in social support, but we also see the benefit in having our own friends. We’re not part of the same age group, and we don’t have all of the exact same interests, so it’s nice to meet with people that we might be able to relate to in different ways.
What are some of your favorite places to go to socialize, meet new people, and engage in the hobbies that you enjoy most? I would love to hear you share in the comments.
bellflower beauty 