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A Taylor’d Approach

Elevate the every day

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For this New Year, I splurged during a sale and bought myself a countertop ice maker. 

I’ve never lived in an apartment with an ice maker built into the freezer. Ever since I left home, I’ve just used those little freezer ice trays, and mostly gone without ice at all because they never felt worth the hassle to me. But when I visited my dad for the holidays, he had ice in every drink, and it felt kind of luxurious. Silly, right?

When my best friend was moving recently, she talked about the things she and her husband were searching for in their next rental. Little things, like a shower with a door instead of a curtain, and a fridge with side-by-side doors. Tiny elevations that make the place feel a little bit better than their last. 

This made an impression on me. I’m not typically one to spring for household luxuries for myself; a thrift shop find and a utilitarian solution are usually good enough for me for a solid few years. But adding a little something that makes your life feel a little bit elevated, makes you feel a little more like that mythical “proper adult,” can make a surprising impact. 

Something as silly as having ice in my drinks all the time now puts a smile on my face, and I’ve noticed granting myself that “luxury” has helped to turn my mood to a more positive perspective on the daily. A good mood has helped my productivity too, and my days lately have felt just a little bit nicer. 

This isn’t all about purchasing “luxury” items, either. Taking the time to do something for yourself you wouldn’t normally, something that feels just a little bit luxurious in your day to day, is a wonderful change to bring into your life. Winter can be a long, hard time of year in a lot of ways. We miss the sun and warmth and vitamin D that come from being outside when it’s not miserably cold. But doing little things for yourself, small treats for a reward or for no reason in particular, can help bring a little excitement to the dark days of the year. 

So, in this new year as we wait for the days to get longer, try and treat yourself a bit. Award yourself extra time in a hot shower. Try something new with your style just for fun. Add ice to your drink. Be kind to yourself, and add a little luxury to your day because you deserve it, whatever that luxury looks like.

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