Five Things I Do That Make Me Feel a Little More Like Myself

The internet loves lists of things you’re supposed to do. On Witches’ Night, do this. During Mercury Retrograde, don’t do that. Five habits of successful people. Ten ways to optimize your morning.

The older I get, the less interested I am in optimization and the more interested I am in paying attention.

Not every practice has to be mystical. Not every ritual needs a candle. Sometimes the things that help us feel grounded are surprisingly ordinary.

These are five things I do that help me stay connected to myself, my community, and the world around me.

1. I Go Out Without Makeup

I love makeup.

I love a dramatic lip. I love glitter. I love the ritual of getting ready.

But I also love my face.

There was a time when leaving the house without makeup felt impossible. I thought confidence was something you painted on. Something you earned through effort.

Now some days it’s a full look. Other days it’s sunscreen, serum, and whatever energy I have available.

Learning to leave the house exactly as I am taught me something important: confidence isn’t something you apply. It’s something you practice.

The people who love you are rarely keeping score.

2. I Get Involved

The world gets smaller when you participate in it.

This year I volunteered for Pride events, library programs, community projects, and local arts events. Every time I showed up, I met people who cared deeply about making life a little better for someone else.

Community doesn’t arrive fully formed. It isn’t something you buy or stumble into by accident.

It’s built one conversation at a time.

One meeting. One volunteer shift. One shared table. One person deciding to show up.

If you’re feeling isolated, find one thing happening near you and attend it. Not because you’ll change the world.

Because it might change your week.

3. I Work With Crystal Magic

Whether you see crystals as spiritual tools, symbolic reminders, or simply beautiful objects, I think there’s value in choosing something that helps you focus on what matters.

For me, a favorite stone becomes a touchstone throughout the day.

A reminder to stay grounded.

A reminder to stay creative.

A reminder to remain open to possibility.

The magic isn’t in the crystal alone.

The magic is in the intention.

The crystal simply gives that intention somewhere to land.

4. My Friends Are My Heart

Friendship has been one of the greatest gifts of my adult life.

My friends have celebrated book launches, listened to impossible stories, checked in during difficult seasons, attended art shows, and reminded me who I was when I forgot.

As a kid, I thought family was something you were given.

As an adult, I’ve learned family can also be something you build.

Chosen family has carried me through grief, illness, recovery, creative risks, and moments when I wasn’t sure I could keep going.

Tell your friends you love them.

Seriously.

Send the text.

Make the call.

People deserve to know they matter.

5. I Respect Animals

Animals taught me things people couldn’t.

They taught me patience.

They taught me presence.

They taught me trust.

They taught me how much communication happens without words.

Long before I had language for some of my experiences, animals noticed. They sat beside me when I was sad. They stayed when I was afraid. They offered comfort without asking for explanations.

My beloved cat Biscuit eventually became the hero of one of my stories because animals have always been heroes in my life.

The way we treat animals says a great deal about the kind of world we’re creating.

Be gentle.

Be curious.

Be kind.

The Real Magic

If there is a lesson hidden in all of this, it’s that magic rarely arrives with fireworks.

It lives in ordinary choices.

The friend you call.

The volunteer shift you take.

The crystal you carry.

The animal you stop to pet.

The courage to leave the house exactly as you are.

Those small acts may not look like much from the outside.

But they have a way of changing a life.

Sometimes they change your own. ✨

— Laura Resurreccion (@adesignerexplains)

#writer #artist #booktok