How to feel more alive (without overhauling your entire life)

We dreamers often think that feeling alive again means making some massive and life-altering move. Like… quitting your job; booking a one-way ticket to another country that doesn’t speak your language; selling all that you own and living in a van.

And while these massive changes can be amazing for some people, maybe that’s not what you need. Maybe you don’t need to overhaul everything about your life to feel alive again. Sometimes it’s simpler than that. 

Sometimes it’s waking up early, not because you have somewhere to be, but because you want to see the way the sun lifts itself into the sky. Sometimes it’s sitting quietly with your morning coffee, noticing how it feels to hold the warm cup in your hands and the bitter taste on your tongue, instead of rushing out the door.

It could be making the effort to have conversations with your loved ones where you properly listen (not half scrolling or worrying about what you’ll say next) – but listening like you mean it, the way you would if you knew you weren’t going to hear that voice again tomorrow.

Sometimes it’s about deliberately seeking out everyday wonders; the small moments that remind you the world is bigger, more beautiful, and more surprising than you give it credit for. Like the feeling of sitting around a table with friends, passing around plates of food and laughing over stories you’ve told a dozen times before, the night stretching longer than you planned because no one really wants to leave. And sometimes, it’s noticing how the first cool breeze of autumn smells different after a long, dry, hot summer, full of promise and a fresh start.

The more you begin to notice the small and the good, no matter what else is going on in your life, the more alive you’ll begin to feel. And none of this happens overnight. It’s a practice and a choice you make again and again to stay curious and to stay open to the idea that even an ordinary day might be holding something beautiful.

And yes, some days you will simply feel like sh*t and it seems like there’s nothing to be thankful for. That’s okay too. The point isn’t to force it but just to remember that wonder, gratitude, and growth are always there when you look up and notice. 

Maybe that’s the real way to feel more alive: to never stop being surprised by yourself, and by the world around you.

Love,
Nakie HQ