Soul Food: a random list of low-key things that spark happiness

Photo by Will Truettner 

Ah, summer. There’s something so freeing about it. It’s as if the world opens up a whole new realm of possibilities and adventures this season. I like to think that summer is nature’s way of telling us to relax and take a freaking break. The Lord knows we all deserve one, especially with how hectic and scary our world has become (I promise I’m not about to go on a political rant because you guys already know).

In my opinion, summer is all about embracing the easy life, indulging in a few things that enrich our soul and taking time to evaluate what really matters to us. One thing that really matters to me is feeling inspired. I want to feel inspired for most of the day. I want to feel joy at least a few times a day. And when you’re grinding away at a corporate job and then come home exhausted, you can start to feel drained and totally lose yourself in the mundane routine. That’s why I love making short lists of a few things I can do every day to add a little more joy into my daily routines. Here are a few things that have been making me happy lately.

1. Reading outside - I love grabbing a blanket and sitting in the shade in the park or reading along the waterfront or my apartment balcony. It's a great way to just escape and dive into a fictional world.
2. Watching Desperate Housewives - y’all this show is wild!! I grew up watching this show with my mom but haven’t watched it in like a decade so it’s basically like watching a brand new show. I’m obsessed, and I got my roommate obsessed, so now I have someone who I can talk about the show with.
3. Going on a random walk while listening to a podcast. This is my favorite thing to do when I’m feeling lonely. I love walking down a tree-lined street filled with brownstones or walking through a park. I get exposed to so many new and interesting ideas from the podcasts while also discovering beauty in NYC/JC home. (Mom Monde: Just be sure to keep your volume down a little bit, only walk when it’s light outside and be aware of your surroundings. It sucks that it even has to be said but rather safe than sorry, right?)
4. Getting ice cream from an ice cream truck in the park- it’s the best on a hot day and they only cost like $1.50.
5. Yoga - I recently started going back to yoga and I forgot how much I miss therapeutic, slow-paced yoga.
6. Taking "Me Time" in the morning before work. This is my favorite new ritual. I literally refuse to just hop out of bed and start getting ready for work now. I spend the first hour of my day doing things that I actually want to do and it’s been great! Yes, that means I wake up an hour earlier than I used to (on good days), but it’s soooooo freaking worth it. Tbh, I still hit snooze 3 out of 5 days a week when my alarm goes off at 5:15, but it’s my goal to start making 5:15 my “me time hour” and 6:15 my blog mode hour. There are so many things I want to do before heading into the office. Now I just have to push myself to do them.
7. Flipping through a glossy magazine, reading luxe blogs or spending time on Pinterest making vision boards. There’s something so relaxing about flipping through a lux magazine or curating pretty photos that transfers me to a different place - like a little free trip that feeds into my wanderlust. I firmly believe that some escapism is good for the soul - it allows us to dream a little bigger. 

What are a few things that bring you happiness? I really hope you take 5 minutes today to write a list for yourself. That way, when you're feeling blah and in a rut, you have a pre-made action plan that can help you have a little more responsible fun. We definitely all need a little more healthy fun in our lives. Feel free to share your list below! I'd love to hear what little luxuries make you happy! Thank you so much for spending a moment to read this post. Your support means the world to me. Until next time my friend.