for such a long time, i thought something special had to happen for my life to feel beautiful or interesting — a vacation, a birthday party, some big milestone.
all my days felt the same, same routine, same mornings, same everything.
time flew by so fast i didn’t even realize another year had passed.

i was 16 when i started realizing this is not how i want my life to be. rushing, repeating the same days, and only remembering the “big” moments.

and since every day looked the same, i was constantly exhausted and demotivated to do literally anything.
it was terrible. i felt like a zombie, just surviving as the days went by, half asleep the whole time, wishing it was friday already.
i knew i could change it… i just didn’t know how.

one day i was randomly on youtube and found a video by a 17yo boy, Timofey, called “how to make your summer awesome.”
it was the beginning of july, i was sitting in my room watching it, and i had no idea that one video would genuinely change my life. you might ask, why was it so special? one word:

“stories”

what i mean by that is, all throughout the day, there are so many beautiful little things most people miss.
for me, it’s things like:

– driving in a car and seeing deer pass by
– watching raindrops fall down the window
– sitting with friends by a bonfire, watching how slowly my s’more melts
– the way i feel lighter and safer every time i hug my mom
– or being with someone you love with your whole heart, knowing it’s the last day you’ll see them for a long time
– watching snow fall at night under a streetlamp
– walking home during golden hour with music in your headphones
– when your dog curls up next to you without being asked

and that’s what i write into my notes before bed — just a few sentences i remember from the day.
and yes, it was hard at first.
like… who even remembers what they did in the morning, right?? :DD

but after three months of doing this consistently, my mind started noticing WAY more things than before.
the smallest moments suddenly felt more special.
today, i often catch myself in the middle of the day thinking,
“damn, i already know i’m gonna miss this moment,”
or
“haha, i’m definitely writing this down tonight.”

and you know what’s the best part?
once you have your whole day written down, and you do it consistently, you can go back to ANY day you want.

for me, the one i’m most grateful for is the day i met someone so special — even though i didn’t know it at the time. or how much i miss them.
when i read it now, i can literally feel how much i’ve changed since then.

so here’s my challenge for you:
try it for a week straight.
i swear, even on bad days, you’ll start noticing the tiniest things, and it makes the day feel just a little softer, a little prettier, a little better ♡

love,
hana