The Art of Feeling More Alive
FEATUREDAGING GRACEFULLYINTENTIONAL LIVING
Tammy Renée | Creating the Beautiful Life
5 min read
Give Your Body the Care It Needs
Sometimes what feels like a loss of vitality can also indicate that some part of our physical well-being needs our attention.
Maybe you need more consistent sleep, more movement, more nourishing meals, or to schedule an appointment you’ve been postponing.
Taking care of our bodies isn’t about trying to turn the clock back. It’s about supporting the kind of life we want now and in the years ahead.
When we feel stronger, rested, and well cared for, we have more energy available for the relationships and experiences that we value.
Attend to one aspect of your health this week that needs your attention.
If you have spent any time in midlife already, you’ve probably experienced times when life seems to have lost some of its color—or when a vague sense of ennui settles in: a weariness, restlessness, or boredom with your day-to-day routines.
Now in my late 50s, I’ve become better at recognizing what tends to bring on that feeling—and what renews my energy once again. Today, I’m sharing a few of my favorite practices.
A Gentle Note: This article is about the natural periods of weariness many of us experience. However, if sadness, hopelessness, or a loss of interest has persisted or is interfering with your daily life, please reach out to a qualified medical or mental health professional.
Remain Curious About the Changing World
Learning something new reminds us that we can still surprise ourselves with how much we’re capable of.
Technology changes so quickly that it can be tempting to avoid anything that initially feels confusing. Some may decide that artificial intelligence, newer social platforms, or the latest features on our phones feel too unfamiliar to be worth exploring.
But avoiding the unfamiliar can gradually make our world smaller.
Ask a family member or friend to walk you through it. Watch a beginner’s tutorial on YouTube. Experiment with a new tool. Take a short online class or learn a skill you’ve quietly wished you understood better.
You’ll be amazed at how empowering it feels to learn something you’d previously avoided.
Choose one thing you’ve been hesitant about and give it a try this week.
Keep Adding to Your Life
There's nothing wrong with returning to the songs, movies, and traditions we’ve always loved. They hold memories and connect us to special chapters and people in our lives.
But we should also keep making room for new discoveries
One of the ways I add newness to my life is by continually searching for music artists I’ve never heard before.
I don’t want the soundtrack of my life to end in an earlier decade; I want to keep adding fresh music to it.
My favorite music has always been old jazz standards by artists like Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra. Their music belonged to an era before my own, but because older members of my family played those songs throughout my childhood, they became a major part of my story too. Even now, hearing one of those familiar tunes makes me happy down to my bones.
However, I also love discovering music I’ve never heard before. One of my recent finds has been “Beautiful Life” by Betterment. I love the message, and it’s such an upbeat summer song, and I’ve loved listening to it—and other songs like it—while running errands around town and taking road trips.
Make a point of discovering something you’ve never heard, seen, read, tasted, or experienced before.
Listen to a new artist. Watch a film outside your usual choices. Visit a part of town you’ve never explored. Read about a subject you know nothing about.
It doesn’t have to be new to the world—only new to you.
Choose one new experience to explore this week.
Give Yourself Something to Look Forward To
Earlier seasons of life seemed naturally filled with anticipation. We made plans, tried new things, imagined possibilities, and celebrated new beginnings.
As our lives became fuller, making plans for our own enjoyment may have gradually become less important
But anticipation creates energy.
It gives us a reason to look beyond our day-to-day routines.
Put something on the calendar that excites you—something you would love—and maybe haven’t done for a long time: lunch at a restaurant you keep hearing about, tickets to a concert, a weekend with friends, a seasonal outing, a class, or a trip you can start planning.
It doesn’t have to be extravagant. It simply needs to make you think, I’m so looking forward to that!
Before the week ends, place one enjoyable plan on the calendar.
Invite More Joy and Beauty Into the Ordinary
When was the last time you laughed until you could barely catch your breath?
Joy keeps us connected to life. It may arrive through a funny conversation, music playing in the kitchen, dinner with family, or a movie that leaves you feeling lighter.
Beauty can help, too.
Buy some lipstick in a new shade. Schedule a manicure. Wear perfume on an ordinary day. Bring home flowers, dress up just for the fun of it, or play music while you prepare dinner.
These small choices may not solve everything that weighs on us, but they can bring beauty and joy into an ordinary day, reminding us that those days are still worthy of our attention too.
Choose one small thing that would make tomorrow feel lighter, lovelier, and more enjoyable.
A Return to Joy
Feeling more alive doesn’t require a dramatic change. It begins with small choices that awaken our interest in life again: a new discovery, something to look forward to, taking better care of our well-being, or a little beauty brought into an ordinary day.
These practices can enliven us and keep us connected to the world around us. Sometimes, the way back to joy is by noticing that life is still offering us something beautiful.
I'll end by giving you two fun recommendations: Here's a song that perfectly encapsulates this post. And for a joyful change of pace, watch Bringing Up Baby, the classic screwball comedy from 1938 starring Katharine Hepburn as Susan Vance and Cary Grant as the thoroughly bewildered David Huxley. Susan is impulsive, daffy, and gloriously over-the-top, and her chaos turns David’s carefully ordered world upside down. This film is a reminder that sometimes we need to laugh at the absurdities of life.
