There’s a lot of controversy around romanticizing your life. A few years ago, a small movement began around the topic on social media. People found ways that could romanticize the little things that would make their day-to-day better. But as the movement grew, it become more about materialism and less about shifting your mindset. Last week, on the Do the Damn Thing Podcast, I talked about how I’ve romanticized certain aspects of my life and how that romanticization has shifted my perspective on things. As I was recording, I realized how much I had to say on the topic. The social movement to romanticize your life has left some with a bitter taste in their mouth. But even so, I think the premise behind the movement is powerful. Practicing romanticizing your life with mindfulness is how we shift our perspectives and ultimately invite (or manifest) new opportunities into our lives.

I think the act of romanticizing has left a bitter taste in some people’s mouths because the premise behind it is good, but the execution feels surface-level. Some people may argue it’s another way to brag about what you have or remind people of what they don’t have. But the truth of the matter is you can spend your time, your money, and your effort however you please. But, when you bring Intentionality into the conversation, the act of romanticizing transforms from materialism to mindfulness.

How Romanticizing Your Life Turns Into Manifesting

The social media movement to romanticize your life eventually grew into more materialism. Creators with a “day in my life” video would talk about buying themselves flowers, treating themselves to a mani/pedi, or perhaps a nice lunch. And while all of that is wonderful, the act of romanticizing doesn’t have to cost you a penny. Instead of materials, you’re practicing Intentional Living, and the romanticizing happens in your head, helping you shift your mindset. Because what if romanticizing turns into a habit, and habit turns into a mindset shift, and the mindset shift turns into a new opportunity? The act of romanticizing isn’t about adjusting your immediate environment; it’s about shifting your mindset and practicing mindfulness for the present moment.

Romanticizing = Mindset Shift

Romantizing is about using your imagination. Think about something you do daily, like making your breakfast. If you’re making the same thing every day, eventually, the habit of making your eggs or putting together your avocado toast becomes mundane. But what if you could spice up the moment just a little bit to add some mindfulness into the daily routine? What if instead of making your avocado toast, you’re making the fuel for your day? Or perhaps while making the toast each day, you’re imagining you’re making it in the most beautiful Air B’N’B you’ve ever seen in Italy? What happens if you let your imagination run wild? Perhaps you’re picking the avocado from a lovely little farm with the most beautiful mountain views. Or you’re making the toast while the waves are crashing on a beach from someplace on your bucket list?

What happens if the act of making your toast each day becomes your moment to imagine your future? Eventually, the habit of practicing mindfulness becomes something you look forward to each day. You wake up, excited to make your breakfast, and imagine what place you’ll travel to in your mind. Perhaps, you’re imagining the same place every day. And each day, you’re giving the space more and more detail. Eventually, it becomes so real it’s like a place you’ve already visited. You’ve shifted your mindset from the mundanity of “making breakfast” to the moment you travel to your dream location each day. The act of making breakfast is no longer boring; instead, you’re creating fuel for your body and manifesting your dream vacation.

What you Imagine, you manifest

Here’s the amazing things about our minds: what we think about or focus on, we attract. That’s why positive people attract positive things and why negative people attract chronically negative scenarios. Our mind is our most powerful tool. So what if we spent the next year of our lives imagining the avocado toast we’re making in our kitchen is actually being delivered to us by a waiter in our dream restaurant at our dream location? Your mind will latch onto the idea that you want to travel to this place or even travel in general. The power of romanticizing your breakfast will translate somehow into the real world. Perhaps you’ll start seeing signs to travel. Maybe you’ll win a vacation at work or receive a bonus for the exact amount this trip would cost.

When you’re open to change, you attract change. There’s no harm in romanticizing the five minutes it takes you to make your toast in the morning. It doesn’t cost you anything and makes the mundane act of making breakfast a brief journey in your mind. Romanticizing your life doesn’t require a lot of effort and requires no spending. It’s the act of being more mindful about something that’s become mundane, boring, or something you don’t want to do. It’s a powerful practice to help you shift your mindset and be more present in the moment. I think materialism, as in shifting your environment, can help. It’s nice to buy yourself flowers or splurge on a nice house robe that makes you feel like you live in a spa. But it’s not only about materialism. It’s about shifting your mindset (and your environment) to change your life.