Many teens today experience excessive pressure from school, social media, and future plans. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle-and-bustle of life and forget to take time to appreciate it. But there is a growing online community promoting a refreshing approach to life. That movement is “romanticizing your life.”

At first, the phrase may seem too good to be true. How can you romanticize homework, chores, or an average day at school? Romanticizing your life doesn’t mean that everything is ideal; it means that you recognize and find beauty in ordinary, everyday events. This includes taking notice of the little things in life that create beauty —the sound of rain, the smell of freshly brewed coffee, or watching a sunset after a long day of classes.

Ultimately, romanticizing your life is about being mindful of your life. Mindfulness creates intentionality in the way you live rather than going through each day mindlessly. You can begin to romanticize your life by making small changes to your daily routine, including journaling, taking short walks outside, or listening to music that you love while you complete your studies. In focusing on these small pleasures, your daily routine will begin to feel more fulfilling and less stressful.

This type of thinking can also greatly affect mental health. When you stop comparing yourself to others through social media and begin to see beauty within your own world, you become happier. You realize that you’re living in your own unique story, and your life is something to appreciate rather than continue to improve upon. Romanticizing your life is a reminder of this fact.

Teen years pass very quickly. You won’t have the same friends, routines, or feelings forever. Romanticizing your life allows you to cherish your current moment and memories, even before they become memories. You don’t need money to buy expensive items or a perfectly posed photo to romanticize your life. All you need is awareness and appreciation for the beauty that surrounds you.

It is not about escaping reality. It is about recognizing it. By recognizing the importance of the small moments in your life, you transform the mundane into something that you will want to notice. And that small transformation can make all the difference.