It’s taken me years of practicing gratitude to reach an outlook on life I consider to be genuinely optimistic. I’m content with the life I’m living, largely because I consider myself easily drawn to noticing the beauty in the mundane. It now comes naturally to me, but after sitting with myself, I’ve noticed patterns in the way I live and the perspectives I have that help me to consistently lead my life with a sense of love for it.
1. Take pictures of everything
Whatever I’m doing or wherever I may be, I’m always ready to snap a picture on my iPhone (or my film camera, if I have it on me). I take pictures of anything and everything that catches my eye, whether it be the same view I see everyday on my walks to class, a candid of my friends, or a poetic quote vandalized on the side of the road. Capturing the beauty in life not only keeps you looking for it, but gives you documentation of all the good that’s out there to look back on.
2. Listen to music all the time
There’s nothing better than having a good walk-to-class song on repeat that fits the vibe of the day perfectly to put some pep in your step. Playing music and having a plethora of playlists for the various scenarios and moods of life allows you to really feel the present moment you’re in. It grants you the power to tap into the different emotions that music can call upon, or shift your outlook by giving it a good vibration.
Music also links songs to memories. I’m always looking back fondly on my past when I hear a song I associate with a period of my life, romanticizing times that weren’t that great in the moment, but I still hold an emotional connection to.
3. Find an artistic outlet
Speaking of music, engaging with art of any kind directly exposes you to beauty in life (or allows you to create it!). I personally love writing, journaling, scrolling on Pinterest, reading books and Substack articles, or scrapbooking from time to time. Grounding my life through various artistic mediums helps me frame my life in an artistic way.
4. Embrace all sides of yourself through your friends
One of the best parts of my college experience compared to high school is that I have friends that speak to the various elements of my life. Rather than only being friends with people in my sport, I’m able to tap into each of my personalities and interests around different groups and individuals. I can go on an early morning run with a friend while we catch up on life, chat with my friends in class with the same major as me, text my friends who I know will come study and chat with me at Strada in the middle of the day, spend cheer practice with friends I consider more than just teammates, and end my day laughing on my couch with my roommates. And the list goes on! Outside of feeling like I can express all parts of myself with different people, expanding my circle also introduces me to new hobbies and perspectives.
5. Explore
Intuitively, seeing more of the world allows you to see more beauty. Exploring doesn’t have to mean travelling though (while that is also a way to see all that life has to offer). Coming to Berkeley and having spent the past four years in a new town has taught me how much getting outside and seeing new things can change your perspective on life (no matter how mundane the excursions are). When I first moved to college, I hated Berkeley. But then, I realized that there was so much beauty right in front of me. For me, going on runs is a way for me to explore the quaint areas around me by foot, finding neighborhoods that I wouldn’t have otherwise explored with eclectic houses that contrast the cookie-cutter ones of my own hometown suburbia.
Another way I love to get outside and see the world is by watching a good sunset. Finding lookout spots with a view of both the painted sky and the world from higher ground allows you to truly feel just how large and full of abundance the world is.
6. Find your own personal style
Finding signature things that feel like you and that other people associate with you helps you feel like a “main character” (for lack of a better description), which goes hand in hand with the idea of romanticizing life like a character in a book or a film. Wearing my favorite colors often and using the same tote bag for all occasions brings me joy because it helps me distinguish myself as an individual with my own unique taste. I used to try to hide in the background of my own life, avoiding attention and living vicariously through the ongoings of my friends’ lives. But in order to love your life, you need to have one that truly feels like your own!
“But in order to love your life, you need to have one that truly feels like your own!”
Kate Corlew
7. Maximize your day
I often struggle with finding that sweet spot between planning and spontaneity. But upon further reflection, I think this balance can go hand in hand with the idea of maximizing your time. Creating a calendar or to-do list allows you to budget your time and decide exactly how you want to spend all hours of the day, all days of the week, and so on. It’s making the most of it! While doing so, saving room when you can for anything that life throws at you grants you the perfect opportunity to either take a break to be present or say “yes” to new things!
These are just some of the practices in my life that I’ve noticed pair hand-in-hand with the perspective I have. I live with a desire to engage in life in all its capacities, with all the accompanying emotions it can spark. My goal is to experience it all so I can find the beauty in it all; and with that, optimism comes naturally.