Sometimes life feels like a never-ending list of emails and meal-prepping and remembering your passwords. And while that’s all very adult and responsible of us, sometimes you just want to inject a little whimsy into the day. I’m not talking wearing a tutu to work of course (unless you’re into that? Idk where you work). I mean tiny, delightful oddities that make life feel like a storybook for a second.
So here are some specific ways to be more whimsical. Even if you’re a practical person with bills to pay and a Google Calendar that rules your life. Aright, here we gooo:
Start carrying around one overly specific item for no clear reason. A vintage skeleton key. A feather quill. A deck of cards. Let people ask questions. Refuse to explain. Mystery is 30% of whimsy.
Host a “mismatched tea moment” once a week. No guests needed. Just you, an oddly paired mug and saucer, maybe a cookie, maybe a journal. Bonus points if you wear a shawl like you’re some mysterious wizard woman.
Leave secret messages for your future self. Tuck tiny notes into your coat pocket or inside a book you’ll eventually re-read. “You are loved. Also, buy ice cream.” It’s like time-traveling kindness.
Assign your day a genre. Decide that today is a romantic comedy, or a slow-burn fantasy epic, or a chaotic detective story. Suddenly your coffee run is a plot point, and your bus ride has cinematic tension.
Make a “soundtrack” for your day. Start your morning with French café jazz, switch to dramatic classical when you do emails, then blast 2000s bops while you make dinner. Be the main character in the most eccentric indie film ever made.
Pick a word of the week and use it dramatically. Not a normal word. Something like “bewildered” or “henceforth.” Use it in casual conversation.
Choose a random object as your daily talisman. A marble, a mini pinecone, a button. Carry it like it has secret powers.
Add a secret ingredient to something you cook just because it feels magical. Nutmeg in your eggs. Rose water in your lemonade. Not because it’s gourmet, but because it feels like a potion. Say “a dash of enchantment” while doing it.
Tell the time like you’re in a fantasy novel. “It is the second hour past dawn, and I have yet to answer my emails.” “It is nearly the witching hour—I must fetch snacks.”
Hide something for a stranger to find. A doodle. A quote. A “congratulations, you found this” note under a library chair or taped to the back of a street sign. It’s low-stakes mischief. Good for the soul.
Rename your calendar events. Instead of “Dentist Appointment,” call it “Royal Council with the Tooth Kingdom.” Instead of “Grocery Store,” try “Foraging Quest.” Suddenly errands are… thrilling?
Go out dressed like a book character. Not full cosplay. Just a little nod. A scarf like Miss Marple. Overalls like Anne of Green Gables. Boots like a pirate.
Hopefully these will add a bit of sparkle to your routine!
Hi, my name is Brooke, and I’m a chronic abandoner. Not of people (I promise), but of projects, books, hobbies, that one prom dress I swore I’d make in an attempt to teach myself how to sew… you get the idea I think.
Finishing things has never been my spiritual gift. I’m the queen of a passionate beginnings, you see. I romanticize the planning stage. I make Pinterest boards. I buy cute supplies. I tell at least three people, “I’m so excited about this!” And then somewhere between “this is so fun” and “this is taking longer than I thought,” the energy fizzles out. The end result, I’m sure you can vividly pictures. Shelves of crafting supplies. Half-finished books in word docs galore. A USB stocked with outlines for projects that never quite made it. And not a lot to show for it!
But lately, I’ve been trying something new: actually finishing things. Ok, not everything. But SOME things. Like my poetry book. Like my journals. Like that book series I forgot about. The Prom dress still needs to be hemmed though I’m afraid. We’re not all perfect.
From all this “finishing” going on, I have learned a few things in the process. Disclaimer though, I still have more unfinished projects than finished ones so DEFINITELY take what I say with a pinch-no, a CUP of salt. So! With that disclaimer on the table, let’s get rollin’.
1. Start Smaller Than You Think You Need To
I used to set goals like “write a book,” “learn to quilt,” or “organize my entire life in one weekend.” Funnily enough, these goals would often occur on a late night during the weekend when I was suddenly zapped with ambition. These are not goals. These are lofty, unsustainable, and vague finish lines that realistically take ages to actually cross if ever crossed at all.
Now I aim to “write for 10 minutes,” “sew one line,” or “put away the laundry mountain (just the socks).” Turns out finishing is a lot more achievable when you’re not setting yourself up for theatrical failure. Be realistic and be kind to yourself.
2. Romanticize the Middle
We romanticize beginnings and endings. The start is all fresh notebooks and adrenaline. The end is the glorious Instagram post or the satisfying checkmark. But the middle? That’s where things get boring, awkward, and full of self-doubt.
If you can learn to love the middle and make a vibe out of it, throw on a playlist, light a candle, celebrate the slog, Congrats! You’re halfway there. Progress is still progress, even if nothing is complete just yet. Celebrate more than just the finish-line.
3. Keep a “Done” List
Everyone loves a to-do list, but I’ve started keeping a done list. Every time I finish something (even the tiniest task), I jot it down. Finished a book? On the list. Replied to that one email that’s been haunting me since Tuesday? Absolutely going on the list. Wrote 300 words on a story I’ve been ignoring for months? That’s going in bold and underlined.
There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing all the little wins pile up. It proves that yes, I do finish things, just not always on the dramatic scale I imagined.
4. Stop Waiting to Feel “Ready”
Finishing stuff isn’t about being ready. It’s about deciding to move even when the ending isn’t in sight or planned out. Waiting until I feel motivated has kept me in procrastination purgatory more times than I can count. I’ve learned to accept that I won’t feel like finishing most things but if I just start walking, the motivation catches up eventually.
(Usually after snacks. Snacks are the ultimate motivator.) (And maybe a nap. Naps are important too.) (Honestly, just make sure you’re taking care of your basic needs before you take any of this advice).
5. Embrace the “Imperfectly Done”
Not everything you finish has to be amazing. It just has to be done. The first poem you actually finish might sound weird and cringy. The painting might look better in your head than on canvas. The short story might never get published. But hey! It exists. That’s pretty neat!
AND it’s done. And that’s worth celebrating. You saw it through. You beat the voice that said, “Why bother?”
And with every imperfectly finished thing, you build the muscle. You prove to yourself that you can finish projects. Even if it takes longer than you originally intended (when DOESN’T it???). Even if you abandoned it once and came back weeks later with coffee and renewed determination. Still worth throwing some confetti. Perfection is NOT a prerequisite for appreciation or celebration. (I find myself constantly yelling this at myself mentally).
So here’s your permission slip: Go finish something tiny today. A draft. A to-do item. That sandwich. (Never let a sandwich go unfinished. We eat our crusts around here) You don’t have to be perfect, fast, or even consistent.
You just have to keep going, little by little.
From one recovering abandoner to another, I believe in you.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go add this finished blog post to my list!!
In the digital era, where the currency of our time is measured in fleeting moments and short form content and the ting! of notifications are ever present, the art of focus has become as elusive. Our attention spans have been whittled down to where we can barely settle down long enough to read a paragraph, leaving us scattered and unfulfilled as we leap from tab to tab, app to app, in a never-ending quest for the next dopamine hit. And yet, there are a few of us, who are waking up to the startling effects of a shattered attention span. Though recognizing the problem and fixing it are two totally different issues.
I am far from perfect on this journey to rebuild my attention span. My blog is proof of that. If you’ve kept up with my posts at all, you’ve probably heard my bemoaning my constant struggle to put the phone down. I have been delighted that in the recent year, my efforts have been fruitful. I enjoy reading again. It was a bit of a trick finding the correct genre but it’s also been a consistent effort of mentally yelling at myself when I find myself doom scrolling. But now that I’ve achieved this minor victory, this seems like a good time to impart what little I feel I’ve learned in the process of rebuilding my attention span. It’s been a slow process that will continue to be a struggle in this digital age but the joy of reading cozy mysteries in the evening to wind down for bed has encouraged me to say the least.
So, without any more stalling, here is my tips on rebuilding a scattered, tattered attention span:
1. Rethinking your Night Time Routine
Often what has been motivating me to move further and further away from the short-form content consuming life has been this anxious, awful feeling that I get when I finish scrolling. This feeling was by far the worst at the end of the day where I settled into bed and would find myself scrolling for…who knows what?
I’m winding down, I’d tell myself though, I realize now, that I was winding myself up! Scrolling doesn’t relax you in the same way a book or even a comfort movie might. You still paying attention to too much. And I don’t have to remind anybody that it doesn’t take much scrolling to find some bad news that’s infiltrates your mind and messes with your faith in humanity or the world (if there was much of that left anyway?)
This routine, like any routine, is training your brain. In this case, it’s training your brain to think and continue to think even long after you’re ready to be drifting off to sleep. Replace this habit with something entirely different. If you can’t sit through a regular schmegular book, maybe grab a magazine or a poetry book (or something less intimidating and more short). Try and read in some form. This will train your brain to focus on ONE thing and will better relax you for rest.
2. On a Similar Note, Don’t reach for your phone first thing
Still guilty on this front sometimes. But if you do find yourself reaching for your phone, try and replace scrolling with maybe a quick read of an article you like or a quick WORDLE. When that’s done, get up. Though, I will say, in an ideal world, one wouldn’t be reaching for their phone at all, but baby steps! I think, overall, the goal is to not start your day scrolling.
I eventually want to personally progress towards reading a devotional or something else to start my day. Yaknow, something that doesn’t involve my phone BUT we’ll get there eventually. Just not there yet. It’s nice to have something to wake my brain up with and right now that’s a quick crossword that happens to be on my phone.
3. Set Boundaries
Designate certain times of the day as “sacred,” where you commit to a distraction-free zone. This could be the first hour of your morning (like what I was talking about in the above point), where you greet the day with a cup of tea and a good book, or the final hour before bed, where you bid adieu to the screens and let your brain unwind with a gentle stretch or a page-turning novel. These pockets of time, like stepping stones, will help you cross the river of distraction. Each small pocket of time is training your brain, no matter how small. It builds over time. Remember, your brain is a muscle and becomes stronger with consistency and patterns of thinking and focus.
4. Adjust Your Mindset
Try and pivot your brain into a mono-tasking type of mindset. In a world that glorifies multitasking, this can be almost a rebellious act of sorts. Yet, studies have consistently shown that our brains are not wired to juggle multiple tasks efficiently. Instead, we pay a heavy cognitive tax, switching between tasks with the grace of a clumsy octopus who does everything but none of it well. We forget little things. We’re hardly ever present. Our sense of time degrades. And when it comes time for us to focus on something important, it’s a constant battle to not check and see what else is happening in the world through a screen.
Embrace the beauty of single-tasking. Choose one activity and commit to it fully, giving it your undivided attention. This could mean turning off notifications during work hours, using tools that block distracting websites, or even adopting the Pomodoro Technique, where you dedicate chunks of time to a single task followed by short breaks. As you train your brain to focus on one thing at a time, you’ll find that your productivity (likely) skyrockets and your sense of satisfaction deepens.
One thing I found is when I’m getting ready to go somewhere, the time it takes is nearly cut in half if I’m not using my phone. But, if I’m watching a youtube video while I do my makeup or find myself watching reels while I tie my shoes, these actions take a lot longer and I am moving MUCH slower. And my attention is so scattered, I don’t even realize it till I glance at the time and shoot! Running late again!
5. Practice being still
Next, incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine. This ancient practice has been shown to be a potent antidote to the fragmented attention that plagues our modern lives. Begin with short sessions of meditation, stillness, or deep-breathing exercises, gradually increasing the duration as you become more adept. Mindfulness is not about clearing the mind entirely but rather about becoming aware of the thoughts that flit through it like butterflies in a garden. Observe them without judgment, and gently guide your attention back to the present moment. This mental workout strengthens the muscle of focus, making it easier to resist the sirens of distraction when you need to be productive. It’s like doing push-ups for your prefrontal cortex.
What I personally like to do is sit out on my porch at the end of a day, and just…do nothing. Sit, with my eyes shut and listen to my brain or the birds outside. It steadies me and while, I don’t do it every day, I never regret it when I take the time to do so.
To Conclude…
You’re probably never going to reach this fully “zen”, undistracted state. I’ve had to come to terms with this. It is simply because of the times we live in. Unless you’re interested in becoming a hermit, there is always going to be a slight tug to become distracted again. And giving in sometimes isn’t the end of the world. What I’m really after here are the patterns I’m giving into that is harming my brain in the long term. Not that random scroll I did the other day through pinterest while I was in the waiting room of a Doctor’s Office.
The ultimate goal, at least for me, in doing all these things, is to be present. I want to remember my life and feel deeply. And if I’m bouncing from task to task and never trying anything new or focusing, how is that classified as living?
Anyways, I don’t wanna go too deep with you guys on a random Saturday morning where you were just hunting around for some little tips on how you can better your attention span. So, I’ll see ya’ll later!
I don’t talk about my faith a ton on the blog. Not that I am ashamed of it but it’s something I usually I don’t delve too deep into as most people are probably here for writing tips and random writing experiments. BUT when I write poetry, it tends to spill out in all its honest glory. My next poetry book is all about love lost and God. The heartbreak stuff, the deep stuff, the wrestling-through-questions kind of stuff. It’s the most vulnerable I’ve been with my writing in a while, admittedly.
I wanted to give you a little sneak peek. If this sounds like your cup of tea at all, feel free to keep reading. If not, see ya in the next post, I’ll not hold it against you 😉
This poem came from one of those thoughts that just wrecks you in the best way: Do you think Jesus, when He prayed in the garden, thought about Adam and Eve? About walking with them in the cool of the day? And did He already know that His sacrifice would reach all the way back to redeem even them?
I had never considered that before and when I did, the parallel seemed interesting. So, naturally, I wrote a poem about it.
Here it is: The Tale of Two Gardens
The Tale of Two Gardens
Do you think, when Christ knelt in the garden all alone,
That He thought of the first breath, or the first bone?
Of footsteps that walked on soil in the cool of the day
Two souls unashamed, then two led astray.
Did He think of the fruit, the reaching of hands,
Yearning beyond what he commands.
Of fig leaves stitched with a shiver of dread,
Of paradise lost, and the very first tears ever shed?
Did he think of their conversations with his first own,
As He whispered His prayer in that garden of stone?
Did He see not just thorns but a tree once denied,
Where mercy was given, but they were not yet justified.
He sweat drops of blood where they once walked free,
But even then, grace reached backward, far beyond what we see.
Redemption is deeper than we understand.
It touches the first folly of humans, the Savior’s extended hand.
And Father, perhaps, when night turned to day,
And the stone rolled back from where Love chose to stay,
The echo of Eden rang sweet through the skies,
For even the first ones were brought back to life.
Have You Written Something Outside Your Blog? Tell Me Everything.
Lately I’ve been realizing that a surprising number of bloggers have written books. Like actual, full books. Some self-published, some traditionally published, some still tucked away in Google Docs waiting for the right moment to be unleashed upon on the world. And it made me wonder…what else have we all been up to?
Blogging is already such a creative thing, but it turns out it’s just the tip of the iceberg for a lot of people. So this is me being nosy in the best way possible. If you’ve written a book, I want to hear about it. Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, memoir, cookbook, anything. Drop the title, maybe a synopsis, and a link if you’ve got one.
And even if you haven’t written a book, I’d still love to know if you’ve done something creative outside your blog. Art? Music? Zines? A newsletter you’re proud of? I want to cheer you on.
Leave a comment below and let’s build each other up. I’m excited to read what you’ve been working on.
Reader’s block hit me like a wet paper towel after college. Who knew years of reading ONLY for school and committing every braincell to your degree could burn you out on books??
I used to devour books as if they were my favorite dessert. But once I graduated high school, I’d open a book, read two paragraphs, and suddenly remember I needed to reorganize my closet or wanted to scroll on pinterested for an hour. I could not for the life of me focus.
Then, I cracked open a cozy mystery a month ago, and, just like that, I was back. Not back in an “I’m suddenly reading 700-page literary fiction before bed” way. No, I was back in the “I finished this paperback in two sittings with a latte and a blanket and now I want ten more just like it” kind of way.
It made me realize something: I’d finally found my lazy genre.
Now allow me to explain. A lazy genre isn’t a dig at the books, first off. It’s a term of endearment. It’s the genre you can slide into like sweatpants after a long day. The kind that requires zero brain gymnastics but still gives you all the serotonin of a well-timed twist or a slow-burn romance. For some people, that’s YA fantasy with dragons and chosen ones. For others, it’s angsty romance with dramatic rainstorms and not-so-conveniently timed confessions (hey, Jane Austin readers. How ya doing?)
For me I had just found out that It’s cozy mysteries with predictable plots, modern settings, and characters who are funny without being emotionally exhausting. Like, please don’t give me a main character going through too much. I’m tired. I want her to bake muffins, accidentally find a dead body, and flirt with the local cop. Is that so much to ask?
There’s something comforting in knowing exactly what’s going to happen: someone dies, someone investigates, someone has a quirky pet, and justice is served along with with tea and cookies. It’s like watching reruns of your favorite show. You’re not surprised, but you are deeply content.
So here’s a thought for you all that I wanted to share: If you’ve been struggling to get back into reading, maybe you don’t need a “better” book. Maybe you just need your lazy genre. The one that goes down easy. The one that feels like a warm cup of Jo for your overstimulated brain.
Find it. Embrace it. Stack your nightstand with it.
And if anyone judges your reading choices, remind them that reading is reading. Whether it’s Tolstoy or a sassy amateur sleuth named Mabel who keeps stumbling over corpses in her idyllic coastal town.
Lately, I’ve been knee-deep in cozy mysteries. Yaknow how it plays out…someone finds a body behind the bakery, a curious woman with a knack for observation decides to poke around, and somehow, nobody calls the actual police until chapter five. It’s great. Consider me hooked for the evening.
But beyond the suspiciously high crime rates in picturesque small towns, I’ve realized something about these books that’s quietly comforting: the main characters are almost always middle-aged women.
Sometimes they’re divorced, sometimes they’re married. Sometimes they’ve got grown kids, sometimes they’ve got a fussy cat or an energetic pug. But they all have one thing in common: they’re living full, interesting, capable lives in a stage that media usually treats like a punchline or a fade-to-black moment not worth elaborating on.
A quick observation: a lot of movies and shows act like you disappear once you hit 30. If you’re not a twenty-something trying to figure it all out, you’re suddenly cast as the mom in the background or the boss with no backstory. It’s like middle age is a void we’re meant to quietly fall into. But being middle-aged doesn’t mean your story is over. It means you’re in a new chapter…and that chapter is still worth telling.
That’s what I love about cozy mysteries. They don’t shy away from this life phase. They embrace it with all the romanticism it deserves. These women aren’t afraid of getting older. They’re too busy living, investigating, starting businesses, baking bread or pies, and sometimes flirting with the town sheriff or local detective. It makes middle age seem less like a dreaded milestone and more like a whole new book.
And get this, friends! They’re not described as drop-dead gorgeous in a movie-star kind of way. They wear sensible shoes and clothes. They have laugh lines, grey hair and even a wrinkle or two. And yet they’re treated as worthy of romance, admiration, and mystery-solving greatness, never less than. It’s like reading the full and beautiful adventures of a bunch of cool aunts.
It’s encouraging.
So if you’re feeling a little weird about growing older or just need something to read with a cup of tea and a throw blanket, cozy mysteries might be your new friend. They’ve certainly become mine. 🙂
So here’s the deal: writing is kind of my big/main hobby. But even though I love crafting poems and playing with metaphors, sometimes the most stressful kind of writing is the everyday stuff. Emails. Cover letters. Thank-you notes. That weird blur of casual-but-still-professional communication that no one really teaches you how to do (at least in my experience. Maybe your parents really did you a solid and helped you out here).
Hence: this new blog series. I’m calling it “Everyday Writing Tips”. Today’s topic is email writing. Yaknow, “How to Sound Like a Functioning Adult Without Using “thank you” 47 Times in an Email.”
These posts are for anyone who’s ever stared at a blank screen thinking, “How do I start this? Am I being too awkward? Too formal? Do I need to say ‘hope you’re doing well’ or has that too over the top??”
Like I mentioned, we’re starting off with how to write an email. It’s something we all do, but somehow still overthink. I’ll break down a basic email structure, give you some go-to phrases (and a few to maybe retire), and help you send that message with a little more confidence and a little less spiraling and overthinking.
Let’s get into it and move along…
The Anatomy of a Non-Awkward Email
1. Subject Line: Make it clear. Make it useful. Think “Question about Thursday’s Meeting” or “Follow-Up on Resume Submission” not “Hi!” or “Quick Thing :)” (vague and unhelpful) (unless you’re emailing your best friend or your mom or something).
2. The Opening Line: Ah yes, the dreaded start (often the hardest part). If you’re unsure, “Hi [Name],” is a safe bet. Or a quaint little “Good afternoon [Person]” Depending on the vibe, you can go:
Professional: “I hope this message finds you well.”
Casual: “Hope you’re having a good week so far!”
Direct (but not cold): “I wanted to reach out about…”
If you’re overusing “just,” take this as your sign to delete it. You probably don’t just want to ask them something, you want to ask them something. Be bold.
3. The Body: Get to the point, kindly. If you’re making a request, say it clearly. If you’re giving info, organize it so it’s easy to skim. Don’t bury your important info. Use short paragraphs and bullet points if needed.
Example: “I’m reaching out to confirm a few details for Thursday’s meeting:
Time
Location
Any materials you’d like me to bring”
Clear, kind, human. Boom, you’re done! Great job! Sound the applause! Now you can stop feeling like you’re going to throw up with professional anxiety.
4. The Closing: Don’t overthink it. A few go-to sign-offs:
“Best” (simple and safe)
“Thanks” (if you’re asking for something)
“Take care” (friendly)
“Talk soon” (casual but not too casual)
My go-to is a simple “Kind regards”
And unless you’re a scammer, phisher, or hacker, please sign your name.
A Few Bonus Tips
Tone check: Read it out loud. If it sounds like you’re a robot or someone who’s about to cry, you might want to tweak it.
Be concise: Respect people’s time. Say what you need to say, and let them get back to their inbox abyss. Chances are they have a lot to weed through on this fine Monday morning.
K, I think that’s it??
But to conclude…The goal isn’t to be perfect. It’s to be clear, respectful, and gracious. But, that’s it for Email 101. Feel free to drop any suggestions below for this series. ‘Til then, happy emailing.
So I’ve been dipping back into the blogging world recently and I realized something kind of sad… a lot of the blogs I used to love during college are either inactive or completely gone. Like a ghost town complete with tumbleweeds.🥲
I used to hop on here and scroll through such thoughtful, funny, honest posts. People sharing everything from life updates to poetry to book reviews and rambling thoughts and while that’s not completely gone, many of the blogs I regularly interacted with and community feeling is greatly missed.
I’d love to get plugged back into the WordPress community and discover some fresh blogs to read. So if you have any favorite blogs you follow, or if you blog (please do!), drop a link in the comments! Whether it’s cozy lifestyle content, creative writing, faith-based posts, deep thoughts, or just good ol’ fashioned life updates, I’m right here, friend, and I’m all ears.
Help a girl fill her reader with good stuff again 🫶 Can’t wait to see what y’all share!
By the Brooke 