Romanticizing My Alarm Clock (Because Something Has To)

Life can be… a lot. There’s always something going on—stressful days, endless to-do lists, and the constant need to show up for ourselves. Some mornings we’re waking up to drive kids to camp or school, other days it’s work, class, or a workout we promised ourselves we’d finally get done early. And that’s just the start of the day. After that, there’s a full 12+ hours of decisions and responsibilities waiting for us.

It’s so easy to fall into autopilot. Wake up. Shower. Change. Pour coffee. Go to work. Repeat.

And if I’m being honest, when my day starts robotic like that, the whole day feels flat and grey. So lately, I’ve been trying to romanticize my mornings.

For me, that looks like this: instead of shooting out of bed the second my alarm goes off, I take 30 seconds to lie there. I look out the window at the stillness of the world. Some mornings there’s sunlight peeking through the leaves, other mornings it’s still dark, and I can only make out the faint shapes of the branches. That tiny pause flips a switch in my brain—from ugh, it’s so early, I’m exhausted, into aww, look at the world waking up. All in 30 seconds.

Another way I bring this into my life is with work or school. Instead of forcing myself to be productive in a space that drains me (sorry libraries, you’re just too stuffy for me), I head to a cute coffee shop, put on a playlist I love, and make the moment feel special. It’s like intentionally reframing something mundane into something I enjoy.

Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying we should try to romanticize everything. Life is hard sometimes. Days can be heavy. Even whole months can be heavy. And it’s not healthy to plaster on fake happiness when that’s not how you’re feeling.

What I’m saying is: when you can, take a deep breath, look around, and find one thing—just one-that turns your “ugh” into “aww.”

If you want a definition instead of just examples, here’s mine: Romanticizing life is the practice of noticing the beauty in ordinary moments.

I know it might sound a little idealistic, but I don’t think there’s anything naïve about choosing to notice the good. The world can be heavy and overwhelming, but you’re still allowed to find joy in your day.

Everyone expresses this differently. For me, that might mean quietly smiling and soaking it all in—or sometimes literally jumping up and down because I’m so happy. (I know, not everyone my age reacts like that, but I’ve learned to embrace that side of me.) It’s not about making a big announcement like “EVERYONE, I’M ROMANTICIZING MY LIFE.” It’s an individual experience, unique to you.

So here’s my reminder: pause once in a while. Notice the beauty around you before the moment passes.

Until my next big life thought,

Xo, Lynsey

Moore, Kaitlyn. “Pin de Kaitlyn Moore en Vision Board en 2025: Diseños de Casas de Campo, Vida de Granja, Diseño Exterior.” Pinterest, 31 Mar. 2025, www.pinterest.com/pin/351912466230704/.