How do you slow down time when today’s world is characterised by the rush and the quick? When you were young, summers seemed endless, you could vividly remember all your December months and each year was made up of memories that made you feel truly alive. However, somewhere along the line this magic of youth appeared to be lost on you. Days started to blend together, weeks and months passed in the blink of an eye and even remembering what you did the previous weekend is difficult without your trusty calendar app. This isn’t the romantic life you envisioned for yourself when you were younger…
When time starts to blur…
Is this something you recognise? You are not alone. This is actually a quite common experience and, sadly, it is also part of growing up. Life and experiences become less novel and days resemble each other more once you enter the workforce. Over the past centuries, however, something else has changed as well: the pressure on optimisation and efficiency has crept into every layer of daily life. This constant pressure causes a flood of micro-frustrations: people get irritated when their coffee order takes too long, when the bus is two minutes late, or when their unrealistically long to-do list inevitably remains unfinished. It feels as though a day can never be perfectly right. Social media magnifies this even more, tricking you into thinking you are falling behind in life, that others are happier and taunting you with all the items you still do not possess, and possibly never will.
Even though this has become the reality for most in modern society, it is far from how human life was originally meant to be. Today, we are exposed to many times more stimuli than a human being 100 years ago. Our evolution has not kept pace with this acceleration and the effects are showing: anxiety, depression, and burnout have become household terms. Nearly everyone can name at least one person struggling with one or more of these.
A different way forward
Since we cannot rewind to childhood or reset society to the way it was centuries ago, and needless to say nor should we want to, we can instead adjust how we deal with modern pressure. To do this, we need to deliberately focus on the good things in life, train ourselves to live in the moment and to practise gratitude. In short: it’s time to romanticise your life.
“Romance is the glamour which turns the dust of everyday life into a golden haze.”
Elinor Glyn
This might initially sound like a superficial TikTok trend, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The phrase ” to romanticise your life” has been part of philosophical traditions and psychological insights for a long time and actually has many proven benefits.
Here are the top three reasons why you should start romanticising your life today and the benefits it will bring you!
1. Romantice your life to make you more stress resilient
All the pressure of modern life may result in a higher amount of daily stress or a more negative mood. Romanticising your life functions as a natural buffer against these feelings. Psychologists in the field of positive psychology have found that actively cultivating positive emotions works as a natural buffer against stress and even symptoms of depression (Madeson, 2017). Romanticising your life is essentially a way to do this and is described as an act of savoring; instead of rushing through your coffee break, you pause, notice the taste, the warmth and the comfort of your favourite cup in your hands. These studies show that people who savour small moments report higher levels of happiness and satisfaction, countering stress and negativity.
2. Romanticise your life to give yourself a stronger sense of identity, boosting your confidence
When you start seeing your life as a story with chapters, rituals and aesthetics that reflect who you are, you strengthen your sense of identity. Simple rituals such as lighting a candle before dinner or journalling with a favourite pen become markers of authenticity and form your self image. Over time, these ground you in who you are, which naturally boosts self-confidence. Instead of shaping your identity around social media images, you reclaim it through your own narrative, with the things or activities you truly value. I like to think about this as “painting a picture of your life in your head and living accordingly to it”. You will find that this boosts your happiness and confidence in the long run.
3. Romanticise your life to slow down life’s relentless pace and counter hustle culture
In an always-on world where “busy” is celebrated and free time is scarce, romanticising your life introduces elements of slow living into your everyday routines. By turning small habits into meaningful moments, you push back against the culture of rushing and you consciously give yourself permission to be present. Practices like mindful rituals or brief nature pauses mirror evidence-backed methods, that improve mental clarity and reduce stress (Solon, 2022; Taylor, 2024). But, most important of all, it provides you with a, quite literally, slower life. A life in which you can be conscious of every day and remember far more of it later on.
Turning the ordinary into something beautiful
So even though we unfortunately cannot stop the clock, we can change how we move through life. By choosing to romanticise your life, you become more resilient to stress, reconnect with your identity and authenticity, and gently push back against hustle culture. In doing so, time doesn’t just slow down, it becomes richer, more memorable, and truly your own. Reasons enough to give it a try! Watch how unexpected moments of joy will start to fill your day and how your mood slowly will follow your lead!
Sources and further reading
- Madeson, 2017 — The PERMA Model: Your Scientific Theory of Happiness. PositivePsychology.com
- Solon, O., 2022 — Taking It Slow: Why Slowing Down Is Good for Your Health. Harvard Health Publishing
- Taylor, S., 2024 — Living Slowly: How to Break Free from Hustle Culture. Psychology Today
