15 Small Joys to Try When Life Feels a Bit Beige
Because not every day is a plot twist but with the right lip gloss, playlist, and a slightly unhinged snack plate, it can still sparkle a little.
You know those days that arrive already wearing the wrong shoes? The kind where before you’ve even opened your eyes, you know in your soul it’s going to be a bit... beige. Nothing dramatic, just one of those 24-hour slogs where nothing quite works and everyone seems slightly more annoying than usual, including yourself. A filler episode. Not a plot twist in sight. And yet still, somehow, exhausting.
Well, allow me to swan in as your unofficial fairy godmother (less ball gown, more mismatched pyjamas and a glass of lukewarm wine) and offer a tiny sparkly plan to turn your filler episode into something at least mildly memorable.
Introducing: The Happiness Toolbox
“Oh come on, Niamh,” I hear you say, “what in the name of Self Help is that?” And honestly, fair. But hear me out.
The Happiness Toolbox is something you build when you’re in a good mood. It’s not for those dramatic days when everything’s on fire and you need a rescue mission it’s for the grey ones, the almost empty cup days. On a sunny, normal afternoon, open your notes app and make a list. Not of worthy things. Not yoga or kale. I’m talking about the weirdly specific things that bring you joy. Like:
That one matcha you swear tastes like heaven and a hug had a baby.
A stupidly scenic walk you did once and now talk about like it was a pilgrimage.
The eyebrow gel that makes you feel like you should be on a billboard.
Write down every tiny joy. The stuff that has no business making you this happy, but does. This list becomes your personal lighthouse when you’re drifting around in a fog of “meh”.
I’ve talked before about how to get out of a Funk (capital F). But this? This is for when you’re technically out of the funk but still don’t feel quite like yourself. That weird limbo between “I’m fine” and “I might cry if someone asks me how I am”. That’s when you open the toolbox.
Take yourself for that matcha. Walk to the market. Buy the stupid eyebrow gel. Call that one friend who always makes you laugh-snort. Remind yourself that joy exists, even if it’s not in the plot today.
Here is 15 examples for your toolbox that Might Cheer You Up (Even Just a Bit)
Buying a lip gloss that smells like childhood and makes you feel like you could seduce someone at a bus stop.
Walking aimlessly while listening to a playlist called something like “Main Character But She's Tired”.
Getting a bag of pick and mix and choosing exactly the same sweets you did when you were 11, no apologies.
Rewatching a random episode of a teen drama from the 2000s and remembering how much you once loved fictional boys named Nate.
Buying yourself a trashy magazine, a Diet Coke, and pretending you’re in an airport.
Going to a bookshop just to sniff the pages and judge people by their tote bags.
Finding that one candle that smells like the person you had a crush on in 2018 (mysterious, slightly woody, might own a record player).
Spending 30 minutes trying on sunglasses you can’t afford and giving yourself a fake celebrity name while doing it.
Taking a very long shower where you exfoliate like you’re molting and come out reborn.
Buying fresh flowers for your bedside table so you can feel a little bit like a woman in a French film.
Going into a stationery shop and convincing yourself that this notebook will change your entire life.
Doing a silly little makeup look even if you’re not going anywhere. Just to feel... alive.
Sending your best friend a voice note that starts with “Okay, but imagine this...” and ends in chaos.
Making a really elaborate snack plate, lighting a candle, and calling it a “girl dinner” with pride.
Putting your phone on Do Not Disturb and watching a comfort film from your teen years with zero irony — preferably while wrapped like a burrito
Let me know in the comments what you are writing on your list as I am always looking for inspiration.
About Twenty Five Reset
Hi, I’m Niamh, and everyone was right 25 really is a turning point. I finally know who I am, what I want, and my purpose… but it’s nothing like I expected.
I work in TV, but it doesn’t define me. This space is my reset embracing the mess, reflecting, and creating again. You can expect:
Pop Culture and a lot of chats about 2000 - 2020 TV Shows
Links:
I love this. Thank you 😌