Romanticizing your life isn’t about having sharable photo-worthy moments, but creating a life you’re happy to exist in. It’s about taking the ordinary and the familiar and making it more beautiful, growing in intentionality, and exploring new experiences and mindsets.
It really is so much more than getting that extra pretty latte at a nice coffee house or buying a bouquet of flowers from Trader Joe’s. Romanticizing life means you get to be the main character in your own story instead of going on autopilot and letting life happen to you. Also, it’s such a great way to be more grateful for the good things you already get to experience on a daily or weekly basis.
And if you want to elevate the everyday and make life more beautiful, then I have a few ways you can incorporate a little more romance into your rituals and routines. Give a few of these ideas a try and enjoy this simple guide on how to romanticize your life.
In This Article:
- Romanticized Mornings and Daily Routines
- Romanticized Home
- Romanticized Dining
- Romanticized Self-Care
- Romanticized Outings & Activities
- Romanticized Social Life
- Romanticized Time
- How to Start Romanticizing Your Life (A Simple Reset Plan)
Romanticized Mornings and Daily Routines
1. Start a natural light ritual before grabbing your phone. Before checking any messages or notifications, make a hot drink, step into natural light (a window, balcony, patio, or doorway), and just stand there for one minute. Let your eyes adjust, notice the temperature, the sounds, and even the color of the sky. It helps you to start your mornings more gently and anchors the day in reality rather than algorithms.
2. Turn your morning drink into a bit of a ceremony. Instead of mindlessly drinking your coffee or tea, slow it down:
- Use a favorite mug or glass.
- Put on a good playlist.
- Sit somewhere pleasant.
- Take the first three sips without any distractions.
It’s a peaceful ritual that tells your brain the day has started beautifully.
3. Make your bed like you’re prepping a hotel room for yourself. Not just pulling up the sheets, actually smooth them, fluff the pillows, straighten the edges, and use some nice linen spray. You want things to feel like a quiet boutique hotel, not rushed weekday chaos. It’s a nice way to make your evenings feel more special and relaxed.
4. Build a slow start buffer instead of jumping straight into productivity. Give yourself 10-20 minutes of intentionally slow activity. This could be stretching, journaling, reading a few pages, watering plants, stepping outside, or drinking tea. This can help prevent cortisol spikes and makes your day feel more intentional rather than reactive.
5. Curate a morning soundtrack for the version of you you’re becoming. Choose one consistent playlist for your mornings. So something calm, elegant, and/or optimistic. It’s a simple way to get your mind to associate the mornings with your big and small intentions and goals. Think of it as an emotional shortcut to the identity your building.
6. Do one tiny beautiful thing on purpose every single morning. Not a big project, but just one intentional, beautiful action. So think wearing perfume at home, lighting a candle for breakfast, opening windows and putting on music, artfully arranging fruit on a plate, or maybe using china.
7. Step outside briefly (even if you’re not going anywhere). Stepping outside for a bit and taking in the natural daylight is a great way to help your circadian rhythm. So go for a 5-minute walk and look at the flowers, stand barefoot on a balcony with a hot drink, or breath in the fresh air and journal on your porch so you can keep life from feeling like an endless indoor loop.
8. Choose a daily theme instead of a to-do obsession. Instead of only tasks, give your day a mood or intention. So this could be:
- Calm
- Focused
- Lighthearted
- Elegant
- Curious
Let your big and small decisions align with that one tone. It makes the day feel more coherent and intentional, but not scattered.
9. Romanticize transitions, not just your activities. How you move between things matters. So close your laptop slowly instead of snapping it shut, wash your cup immediately instead of abandoning it, or take three breaths before switching tasks. These small pauses give your everyday life more rest and presence.
10. End each morning with one clear win. Before noon, complete one meaningful action like finishing a short walk, journaling for 5 minutes, tidying up one area, or sending one thoughtful message. This creates some momentum and emotional satisfaction early on which can help shift your mindset and change the rhythm of your day.
Romanticized Home
11. Open your windows like you’re airing out a villa. Even if you only crack them for just 5 minutes, let fresh air move through your space in the morning or late afternoon. Shake out your blankets, fluff pillows, and let sunlight hit surfaces. It instantly changes the emotional temperature of a room and makes your home feel more alive instead of stagnant.
12. Light or turn on something beautiful in the evening (even if you’re alone). Nice candles, a small lamp, or warm string lights make things feel a bit more special. So instead of harsh overhead lighting, create a softer glow when you cook, journal, or wind down. It changes the atmosphere and makes simple dinners (and other activities) feel like a small event and not just another task.
13. Curate one small beautiful corner (or corners) that exists purely for your enjoyment. It could be a chair and small table near a window, a tray with your favorite mug and book, plants plant on a windowsill, a vignette with your favorite perfumes and trinkets, or a thoughtfully arranged bedside table. This makes your home feel intentional and pretty instead just functional. Also, having at least one small curated space makes things feel a lot more designed and emotionally comforting.
14. Rotate small seasonal details instead of redecorating everything in the home. You honestly don’t need to make big purchases to reflect the seasons. Just swap pillow covers, display fresh, seasonal fruits and foliage, change your candle scent (and maybe colors), or adjust lighting tones. These subtle changes keep your home feeling responsive to time rather than frozen in one aesthetic per season.
15. Choose signature scents for your home. Choose 1-2 consistent scents that smell like comfort. So think citrus in the morning and something warm or herbal for the evenings. This could be from candles, essential oils, fresh herbs, or even brewed tea. And over time, your brain will begin associating those scents with feelings of safety, calm, and belonging. It’s a great way to make your space more emotionally grounding.
16. Open a window while something really nice is cooking or brewing. Let the scent of a good coffee, soup, or baked bread fill the air and drift out into the neighborhood. It kinda makes your home feel alive and inhabited. Also, it feels so nice to be able to let in fresh air and hear the noises of the neighborhood as your cooking.
17. Set the table like you’re Martha Stewart even if no one’s coming over. A linen napkin, a stemmed glass, a few flowers in a vase or jar, a candle or two, and a good playlist. It’s a simple way to show yourself that you deserve to enjoy life even when no one’s around. Also, a beautiful setting turns a meal into a nice experience and makes your evenings something to look forward to. So set the ambiance and enjoy an amazing dinner; you are the occasion.
18. Have at home “uniforms” that feel extra. So instead of old pajamas or worn-out shirts, choose soft loungewear that feels elegant, comfortable, and a bit elevated. This changes the mood of your evenings and makes things feel more special. So buy that nice knit set or beautiful housecoat; it’s a simple way to make being at home feel so much better.
19. Let natural light determine how you arrange your space. Look at where the light lands in the morning and afternoon and arrange chairs, plants, or reading spots that work with it. Then just sit and enjoy life where the sun hits. Doing this is a simple way to turn your home into a responsive environment rather than another static layout, and it makes everyday moments kinda feel effortlessly cinematic.
Romanticized Dining
20. Make one dish from scratch each week (or as often as you want). Over the last couple of years, I’ve had so much fun making my own homemade pasta, pierogies, gyoza, corn tortillas, and bao. Even though it’s a bit of a process, there’s something so ridiculously satisfying about making these kind of dishes from scratch. Also, you start feeling like you’re some expert cook and it makes things feel just a bit more romantic and beautiful when you sit down for a really good dinner.
21. Plate your food like you’re feeding someone you genuinely care about. Even a very simple dish feels elevated when you take the time to thoughtfully arrange it. So wipe that plate edge, add a sprinkle of chopped herbs, layer dishes with spices and olive oil, and pour drinks into nice glasses. These tiny changes transform eating into an experience rather than something you need to do. Also, it’s an easy way to practice self-love and show yourself that you’re worthy of beauty every single day.
22. Have themed meals. Whether it’s breakfast or dinner, pick an area of the world, or even a movie, and create a meal that revolves around that culture or a specific scene. So for instance, if you wanna feel like you’re in the Lombardy region in northern Italy, put on music from that area, find authentic dishes and drinks you can make, open up the windows (if possible), use the nice plates and napkins, and enjoy a nice dinner solo or with someone special.
23. Romanticize your drinks as much as your meals. Use the nice glassware for your water, slice citrus into sparkling drinks, blend and brew your own teas, and use frozen berries instead of ice. Beverages are an easy (and nice) way to make your day feel a bit more special.
24. Make one dish each week that feels extra or nostalgic. Whether it’s a childhood favorite, a dish from a place you really love, something slow-simmered or beautifully layered, make something you’ll look forward to. The anticipation, the smell, the memories, and the process of prepping it makes your evenings feel so much more romantic (not just another thing).
25. Eat near natural light whenever possible. Have your breakfast by an open window, lunch on a balcony, and dinner with the curtains open. Daylight or the golden hour is a great way to set the tone for your meal and just enjoy the moment.
26. Have your own solo film festival and dinner. Choose the movies you wanna watch and then make appetizers, snacks, drinks, and full on meals to go with the viewing. These dishes could be on theme with the movie or not. Also, set up your living room with candles, maybe use some nice serving trays and plates, and grab anything else to make the night feel a bit more special.
27. Occasionally turn a normal weeknight meal into a themed moment. So put on some Italian music while cooking pasta, light pretty candles for a quiet solo dinner, open up a bottle of sparkling water, or serve dessert on your nicest plate just because. It’s an easy way to put a bit of romance into your routine.
28. Linger for five or so minutes after finishing instead of leaving right away. Enjoy the last of your drink, stretch in your chair, and notice how satisfied you feel. Let meals end slowly rather than abruptly. These small pauses helps your day feel more intentional and paced instead of constantly rushed.
Romanticized Self-Care
29. “I like to find little pauses in my day to day to take a deep breath and look for the beauty in my surroundings. It sounds very corny, I’m aware. I literally look at my environment and try to find beautiful things. Maybe it’s a tree I can see through the window, maybe it’s seeing someone doing something fun or they’re chill, maybe a little kid, maybe it’s a sound. On the subway it gets pretty hard sometimes, maybe a color, someone’s hair or clothes look nice or maybe I play a song I like and that becomes the ‘something beautiful.'” – LisaMarieCuddy via Reddit
30. Make your bath time feel extra. If you need an excuse to pamper yourself, then this is it. Light the candles or turn on a warm lamp, put on some French music, use the nice bath oils, grab a book, and maybe enjoy a cold or hot drink. And then just spend as much time in there as you want.
31. Mindfully apply your skincare and body care. Massage lotion into your hands instead of rushing, notice the textures and scents, and take a breath in between each steps. This small habit changes up your self-maintenance routine and makes it more of a peaceful ritual of taking care of yourself.
32. Wear a fragrance at home, even when no one else is gonna notice. A bit of perfume, scented oil on wrists, or a favorite high-quality soap is such an easy way to elevate the entire day.
33. Create an evening wind-down ritual that you love (and protect). The evenings are such a great way to practice self-care. So enjoy a specific tea, use a candle you only light at night, read a book reserved for bedtime, and do some gentle stretching. It’s a great way to do a bit of a reset and make your evenings something you look forward to instead of collapse into.
34. Go to bed as if you’re prepping a beautiful guest room for yourself. Speaking of bedtime, smooth the sheets, dim the lights, clear your bedside, refill a water carafe, spray pillows with a calming scent, and maybe open a window slightly (if weather allows). You deserve good things, so make you sleep time feel like you actually care about yourself.
35. Have at least one beautiful self-care object that feels special. Whether it’s a carved comb, ceramic mug, silk sleep mask, or a pretty journal, always have something tactile and beautiful that you use daily. Beauty in small personal objects helps give you a sense of refinement and care without spending a lot of money.
36. Write small personal notes to yourself in a notebook you really love. These could be reflections, things you’re grateful for, observations, or kind thoughts. This isn’t productivity journaling, just you taking time to be mindful and even practice self-love. Also, over time this can become a kind of archive of your inner life and growth.
37. Start having unhurried and beautifully slow mornings or afternoons. Find days where you don’t have to rush or multitask and there’s no pressure to optimize. Just take the time to move slowly and enjoy your coffee, read something good, do light movement, and enjoy sunlight and nice music. These are the days that’ll help you reset and feel more like you. And remember, no doomscrolling!
38. Stretch or lie on the floor for a bit of a reset. Gently spread your arms and legs, breath deeply, and release any tension. There’s no pressure to feel something specific, it’s just a nice way to restore your calm and get out of your head.
Related: Here are 50 self-care ideas real people are (actually) enjoying.
Romanticized Outings & Activities
39. Do a bike ride with a coffee stop. Take a bike ride through some historic neighborhoods and pretty bike trails and find a cute coffee shop to stop at. Then either have the drink there or take it on the road and enjoy it at a scenic spot. Simple, but a nice way to spend a pretty afternoon.
40. Dress a little more beautifully than the occasion actually requires. Wear that coat you really love for a simple errand, put on some nice earrings for a casual walk, or spray perfume for a grocery run. Elevating small outings is such an easy way to make your week feel more special and less monotonous.
41. Schedule small solo dates with yourself each week. Go to an art exhibit, do a pastry and coffee stop, enjoy a quiet hour in a beautiful place, or have dessert at a historic and/or high-end hotel. Legit one of my favorite things to do.
42. Let the weather shape your plans instead of being frustrated with it. So think rainy walks, sunny picnics, and foggy mornings cafe runs. Leaning into the mood of the day makes life feel more spontaneous and seasonal rather than controlled. Also, the weather becomes apart of the story.
43. Look for beauty on purpose (even in ordinary neighborhoods). Look for pretty gardens, old building, carved doors, cool street art, hidden views, and tree-lined streets while on a walk. It’s a great way to train your eye to notice beauty no matter the location, and it just makes life a bit more enjoyable.
44. Books + picnics. Grab your favorite books or some new ones, pack up a blanket and some snacks and drinks, maybe invite a friend, and head to a park or scenic spot. Then romanticize the afternoon as you drink something nice under the shade and read a good book.
45. Head to a beautiful park or gardens early in the morning. It kind of makes you feel like you’re the owner of a grand estate with no one there. Also, when you’re there alone, it makes the pretty grounds so much more peaceful and enjoyable.
46. Go to the opera. Going to the opera is legit one of the easiest ways to romanticize your life. It’s usually not expensive, you get to take in the incredible atmosphere of a historic building, and you can dress up (if you want to, it’s not required).
47. Find events happening in historic buildings. Speaking of pretty, old building, find a cool event that’s happening in one. Last year, my husband found a jazz concert happening in an incredibly beautiful building from the 1800s.
48. Plan out your best day ever (and then make it happen). Start planning out what the perfect day would look like for you, and then set a date to make it happen. So for instance, it could be taking a day trip to a local seaside town with friends, eating at a specific cafe, hiking up to a pretty scenic spot and having a picnic, and then heading back home to have a sleepover with said friends.
Side Note: Here are some girl’s night ideas if you want to plan out more fun evenings with friends.
49. Go somewhere nice and then do something simple and unremarkable there. Read a paperback in a beautiful cafe, answer emails on a terrace, or write a grocery list on a museum bench. Just let elegance coexist with normal life instead of saving it for special occasions. It’s an easy way to romanticize the ordinary.
50. Choose one ordinary (or not so ordinary) place and then get to know it across different moods. Visit the same park, street, cafe, or neighborhood on a sunny morning, a grey afternoon, and at blue hour. Experience it and let new details and feelings show themselves as you see it in new lights and moods. It’s almost like reading a favorite book in different seasons of life.
51. Explore new music genres and music from other countries (no really). These last few months, my husband and I have been listening to Ethiopian jazz, 1970s bossa nova, Swahili music, and music from Cuba. It’s legit been one of the funnest and most enriching things we’ve started doing. Also, it’s just a nice way to romanticize your time whether you’re cooking, reading a book, drinking coffee, or working on your computer.
Romanticized Social Life
52. Invite friends into the ordinary moments instead of waiting for perfect plans. Whether it’s a simple walk, a cup of coffee, or a casual meal at home, shared normality is a great way to cultivate a deeper relationship. Let connection grow in everyday life, not just the special moments.
53. Start writing thank you letters. I recently read a book called 365 Thank Yous and it really changed my perspective on showing gratitude. The author talked about how
54. Occasionally host something small and beautiful. Choose just one nice dish, one special drink, put on some soft lighting, turn on a quiet playlist, and pull a few chairs close. The atmosphere matters more than having a big spread, and intimate gatherings can sometimes be a lot more meaningful than big ones.
55. Meet somewhere beautiful just to sit and be together. So think a bench with a view, a quiet cafe corner, or a sunny terrace. There’s no agenda and no rush, just time shared in a place that feels really nice. These kind of moments are a great way to have good conversation and good memories.
56. Do something kinda old-fashioned together. Pick some old-fashioned activities together like writing postcards, browsing a cute bookstore, visiting a museum, watching a classic film, embroidery, or sitting in a pretty garden. It’s a nice way to naturally encourage slower conversation while doing something out of the ordinary.
57. Create a recurring ritual or hobby you only do with good friends. Whether it’s a monthly walk, a Sunday coffee, or a seasonally inspired meal, the repetition helps build emotional continuity. These rituals are a nice way anchor friendships and make life feel consistent and consistently romanticized.
58. Cook one simple dish together instead of hosting a full on meal. Chopping veggies, stirring a pot, tasting as you go, and good conversation and music is an amazing way to start the evening. And while it’s optional, I’d say make plans for it to last late into the night.
59. Explore a movie genre or a specific producer’s work with a friend. I once did this with a really good friends and we had so much fun exploring Stephen Chow’s movies. It’s a great way to get familiar with someone’s work and maybe you can make dishes that work with the themes of the movies.
60. Dress up nice with a friend for something simple. Getting a little dressed up for a walk, lunch, maybe errand running, or casual outings elevates the mood without needing an event.
61. End your time together intentionally instead of letting it just fade out. A final walk, a lingering goodbye, or a kind closing thought are sweet ways to end a really good hang out. It makes your time together feel more cherished and meaningful while romanticizing your friendship.
62. Talk about the things you love instead of only what’s happening. So think books, places, ideas, memories, travel plans, and dreams. It’s such a nice way to build emotional richness in your relationship and get even closer. Also, it feels a lot more nourishing than draining.
63. Head to a specific neighborhood and only try new things. This could be a Chinatown in your city, an Italian neighborhood, or an artsy place with cool sidewalk cafes and pretty murals. Just choose one and take time to explore with a friend and only try things you’ve never had before.
Romanticized Time
64. Leave small moments of your day intentionally unplanned. Not every single hour needs a purpose, so allow space for your wandering thoughts, slow coffee, or staring out a window. It creates some breathing room where your life can gently happen instead of feeling overly managed.
65. Do one thing each day just a bit slower than necessary. It can be walking, washing dishes, making tea, or getting dressed. And just choosing slowness on purpose reminds you that time is something to experience, not rush through.
66. Anticipate things with enjoyment instead of trying to get to the end point quickly. Let yourself enjoy the waiting before a trip, a nice meal, a visit, or a fun event. Anticipation helps to stretch your joy across a longer amount of time instead of confining it to just one single moment.
67. Mark the end of the day with a small, consistent ritual. Whether it’s blowing out a candle, closing the curtains, or making a calming tea, it helps to signal closure. It gives your day a more gentle ending and it can kind of feel like something the main character in a movie or series would do at the end of their day.
68. Notice how light changes throughout the day. The idea is to use light as a clock, a mood-setter, and a way to feel time passing in a pleasant, relaxed way instead of a stressful way. And whether it’s the morning brightness, the early afternoon glow, or an evening softness, you can let that determine how you want to feel and spend your time.
69. Allow certain activities to take as long as you want. This can be reading, conversations, meals, or walks, but you need to resist the urge to time block everything. Some of the most beautiful moments can happen when you stop watching the clock and just pay attention to the experience.
70. Revisit places, songs, or rituals from earlier seasons of your life. Returning to familiar things creates some continuity between who you were then and who you are now. It makes time feel a bit more like story instead of a series of disconnected chapters. Also, it’s just a nice way to have nostalgic, enjoyable moments.
71. Create weekly rhythms instead of disconnected and constant changes. A Sunday ritual, a midweek walk, or a really nice Friday meal can give a comforting repetition to your life and make time feel more steady and stable.
72. Have just one day a week feel slightly different than the others. Wear something you don’t normally wear, cook something you don’t ever make, take a different route when you’re out and about, change up where you sit in your home, or play music you’ve never listened to before (may I suggest Ethiopian Jazz?). A small, intentional shift gives your week more shape and helps keep days from blending into each other.
73. Let yourself do nothing without guilt every so often. So think sitting, lying down, or watching light move across a room. Rest without justification can help to restore your sense that time belongs to you (not the other way around) and it gives your brain a breather.
74. Observe each season intentionally instead of just letting them pass by unnoticed. Notice the first warm day of the year, the first cold morning, the way air smells different, and even how the light changes. This awareness makes you so much more present in each year and helps you to appreciate each month so much more.
75. Have certain hours of the day become “untouchable.” Choose a small window of time and stay away from errands, answering messages, and anything productive. So for example, this could be the first 20 minutes of the morning, the last half hour before bed, or a quiet stretch in the afternoon. When a part of your day is just reserved for existing and slowing down, time starts to feel a lot more abundant instead of scarce.
How to Start Romanticizing Your Life (A Simple Reset Plan)
Now you probably don’t struggle to understand what it means to romanticize your life. But what you might find hard is to know where to start without it turning into yet another project or checklist.
So the goal right now isn’t to change everything at once. It’s to just change how you experience a few small parts of your day or week, and then let that feeling spread naturally.
Here’s a nice, calm way to begin:
- Choose just one category from this article that feels the easiest and most appealing to you right now. Romanticizing your life really works best when it feels inviting and not demanding.
- Pick only one idea that takes less than 5 minutes. You’re not picking one that feels the most impressive or aesthetic, just one that feels almost too simple.
- Repeat it daily for just one week without adding any other romanticized activity. When you’re repeating a small, beautiful action, it starts to feel like it’s apart of you instead of something you’re trying to do.
- Notice how this action or activity changes the tone of your day. I’m not telling you to measure things, just pay attention to whether your day feels more calm, slow, pleasant, or intentional.
- Then add another ritual (or two) when it feels natural. You don’t need to romanticize everything at once, just let it grow slowly and feel organic instead of forced.
And remember: You don’t need to buy a ton of new things, rearrange your entire home, become an entirely new person, or create a life for photos. It’s about experiencing the life you already have more fully.
You want to carefully create and curate a life you love existing in.
Grace Moser is the author and founder of Chasing Foxes, where she writes articles to help women create a life they love in big and small ways. She's been a full-time traveler since 2016 and loves sharing her experiences and exploring the world with her husband, Silas. Her lifestyle and travel advice can also be seen on sites such as Business Insider, Glamour, Newsweek, Huffpost, & Apartment Therapy.