11 Ways to Romanticize Your Life When You’re Still Becoming

I’m sure you have already heard of what’s called the Phase of Becoming.

Those transition moments in life when you’re building something new — a life, an identity, a project, a habit. Starting to build your dream life is exciting, but the in-between phase and the discomfort that comes with it are the hard parts, because you have to hold on to your vision when the results aren’t there yet.

I’m in that phase right now in Bali — living alone, far from home, with an unstable income and no idea what the next months will bring. And yet, I feel at peace.

Not only because I’m chasing my dreams, but also because I’ve learned to romanticize life: a warm cappuccino with a view, my morning ginger water, and a mindful walk. Simple moments that remind me I’m already living the life I used to dream about.

In this post, I want to share with you 11 ways to romanticize your life and phase of becoming so it feels less heavy and a lot more beautiful — straight from my chaotic, but inspiring life in Asia.

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1. Remind Yourself That Everything Is Temporary

This isn’t exactly a way to romanticize life — it’s the mindset that makes it possible. Whatever you’re experiencing right now can change in an instant.

One decision, one meeting, one shift in direction… and your life could look completely different in just a few days. You will not be living this phase forever.

Before moving to Bali, I had completely different expectations: I thought I’d make friends right away, my income would stabilize, and I’d have a clear vision from day one. I was asking a lot of myself.

When things didn’t go as planned, I even got mad at the Universe for bringing me here and leaving me in the unknown. But then I told myself: maybe you need to sit with this discomfort. And everything shifted. I started to find peace in my small, quiet life alone.

Maybe that’s what you need right now, too — to learn to sit with the discomfort. I know it’s hard… but the only other option is to step back, and I’m sure you don’t want that. So keep moving forward and live day by day.

2. Make Self-Care a Daily Ritual

One of the best ways to romanticize your life during the phase of becoming is to shift your focus inward and start treating yourself like the main character. And the main characters make self-care a daily, sacred ritual.

You don’t need fancy products or a gym—you can make the most of what you have and bring intention into your habits. Here are a few ways to practice intentional self-care that helped me find peace:

–> Intentional morning & night rituals. Light a candle, play a wellness podcast, take your time with skincare, body lotion, gua sha, or dry brushing. Even 15 minutes a day can help you feel supported and grounded.

–> Move your body daily. Whether it’s strength training, yoga, walking, or dancing in your room, moving consistently is a powerful act of self-respect.

–> Prioritize real nourishment. A protein-rich breakfast can transform your energy, mood, and overall well-being in ways you can’t even imagine. Here in Bali, I don’t cook and don’t have a kitchen, but no matter the café, I always prioritize protein and vegetables. It’s a small choice that makes a big difference in how I feel.

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My solo life in Bali transformed me into the queen of daily self-care rituals—what else would I do if not dedicate time to myself? And honestly, I’ve never felt better.

If self-care is 100% your vibe—think intentional morning routines, auto-lymphatic massages, prioritizing nutrition, and overall wellness practices—you’ll love my Notes from the Road.

It’s where I share the routines I love and make me feel like me, how I stay balanced without cooking my meals, splurging on a pricey gym membership or products, or having access to my usual “home” supplements—proof that when something matters, you can make it work with what you have, no matter where you are.

And if you need a good dose of inspiration (and motivation too), here I am! 💌 You can subscribe below.

3. Find a Space That Makes You Feel at “Home”

This one’s for anyone living abroad (or anywhere that isn’t truly home).

When you’re in a foreign country, you quickly realize how much your environment impacts your nervous system. If your space doesn’t feel safe, you don’t sleep well, you can’t relax, your productivity dips, and even rest doesn’t feel like rest.

You’re stuck in survival mode, ready to react to the next “threat” — which, for me, often means insects, rats, or any animal that shouldn’t be in my space 🙃.

Speaking from experience — after living in places where I didn’t feel safe, and now living in Asia, in a safe space I’m grateful for every day — I can tell you: feeling at home in your space is key to romanticizing your life.

Think of those Netflix and a cozy dinner ordered in, journaling with warm ginger tea while watching the rain, or slow mornings with sunlight appearing through the curtains.

These small, beautiful moments only feel magical when your space feels safe — and truly yours. So make it a priority to find, or create, that feeling of home. Your peace depends on it.

4. Take Care of Your Space

Once you’ve found a place that feels like home, the next step is caring for it.

There’s no better feeling than walking into a space that smells good, feels fresh, and is ready for you to relax, work, or create — especially if, like me, you work from home.

You don’t need expensive furniture to make your space inviting — just small daily acts of care that reflect on how grounded you feel. Here are some that I’ve practiced since moving into my little apartment in Ubud:

• Fresh scents: I keep an interior mist on hand and light candles in the evening. The right scent instantly makes a space feel warm and safe.
• A touch of color: I can’t fully decorate here, but colorful, fresh flowers on the table make me smile every time I walk in.
• Your mug: Nothing says “I’m home” like a cozy mug for your morning coffee or evening ginger tea.
• Healthy little snacks: Without a kitchen or fridge, I still keep fruit, granola bars, avocado, and ginger stocked for nourishing snacks.
• Simple tidy-up rituals: Laundry once a week, clean countertops, no dishes left in the sink, and a quick 10-minute tidy-up each day. These tiny habits make a huge difference in how calm I feel.
• Shoes off at the door: A very Asian habit I’ve adopted — and love. Why bring the dirt of the outside world’s dust into your sacred space?

A cared-for space cares for you back. And in the phase of becoming, that’s the kind of support you need every single day.

5. Find Beauty in Simple Moments

I truly believe that beauty is all around us, if only we choose where to focus.

For example, even living in Bali, there are some things you don’t usually see on socials: over-tourism, litter, traffic, and poverty. And I could look at all this and say, “Ari, where did you choose to live?” But instead, I love living here because I choose to focus on the beauty (while still acknowledging the reality around me and helping where I can).

My walks through the rice fields, the smiles from people when they see me passing by, the street dogs greeting me, the children laughing when they spot me, and the flowers all around.

And I’m sure that wherever you are, you can find beauty around you too—because I’m sure it’s there. Finding that beauty will help you romanticize even the simplest moments.

6. Celebrate Small Wins

Celebrating small wins is essential to romanticizing your phase of becoming, because no matter how small the step, it means you’re moving in the right direction.

These days, we’re so bombarded with “viral” success stories that we forget: building something meaningful and lasting takes time, patience, trial and error.

That’s why your small wins deserve to be celebrated—whether you’re alone or surrounded by others. This is the perfect time to treat yourself like the main character, because after the hard work, you’ve earned it.

Here are some ways I love to celebrate my wins while living in Asia:

• Treat yourself to a spa moment: massage, facial, manicure…
• Buy yourself fresh flowers.
• Take yourself out to dinner at a nice restaurant.
• Share your win with people who truly support you—it’s a way to honor your progress.
• Take a day (or even half a day) off to rest and recharge.
• Indulge in a sweet treat or that overpriced latte—because life is meant to be celebrated.

7. Build a Routine You Genuinely Love (And Then Mix Things Up)

There’s nothing like building a routine that makes you feel like that girl—the one who prioritizes herself, her peace, her health, and her growth.

Creating such a routine and sticking to it will help you stay grounded and focused even when everything around you is changing. Coming back to it again and again will feel like coming back home.

Everyone’s life looks different, but the best routines usually include: some form of daily movement (as basic as walking for 30 minutes), focused hours of productive work, mindful eating (without scrolling on your phone), social connections, at least 30 minutes of self-care split between your morning and night routines, and a wind-down hour at least one hour before bed.

Finally, once you’ve built a routine, it’s important to mix things up from time to time so you don’t get bored. Here are a few simple ways to keep things fresh and exciting:

• Work from a different café than usual
• Try a fun gym class you’ve never taken before
• Plan mini adventures around your city: visit a museum, explore a temple (if you’re in Asia), or choose a new location for your morning walk
• Learn something new: join a painting or pottery class, or attend a workshop

8. Create the Soundtrack of Your Future Life

One of the most fascinating concepts from Becoming Supernatural by Joe Dispenza is the mind movie—a vivid, sensory-rich vision of your desired future.

All you have to do is visualize your future life while listening to music. The songs we choose shape our mood, give us a sense of possibility, and help us feel the life we want before it arrives.

That’s why I love creating a playlist that matches the energy of the life I’m stepping into. Whether it’s an elegant, playful R&B track like Worth It by RAYE, or a tropical, carefree vibe like Love Me Jeje by Tems, each song transports me straight into the frequency of my future self.

Science backs it up: listening to the right music helps us release dopamine and oxytocin, lifting our mood and making us feel as though we’re already living the life we dream about.

9. Realize You’re Already Living The Life You’ve Dreamed Of

Being in a transition phase, by definition, means you’ve already left your old life and old self behind.

That also means you’re probably already experiencing little moments—no matter how simple—that belong to your future life. Recognizing them will help you see that your dream life isn’t far away at all… and will motivate you to keep going.

Here are some special moments that might already belong to your future self—which means she’s already here, just waiting for you to fully meet her:

• A coffee from a cute café while working on your side hustle
• Walking through your favorite neighborhood with your headphones in, feeling like you’re in a music video
• Having a slow morning: light peaking in, healthy breakfast, and morning rituals
• Booking a trip (or even a weekend getaway) because you can
• Reading a book in the afternoon sun without checking your phone
• Getting paid for something you created yourself

10. Sometimes All You Need Is an Everything Shower

Have you ever felt like a complete mess—sluggish, tired, demotivated, and staring at the mirror thinking, “Gosh, why do I look like this?” (If you’re a woman, it’s probably somewhere in your luteal phase.)

Whenever that happens, I’ve learned the cure isn’t to push harder—it’s to press play on a favorite podcast or relaxing playlist and have an everything shower: wash your hair, shave, scrub, hair mask, the whole thing.

Then jump out, moisturize your skin, brush your hair, maybe put on something cozy, and tell me you don’t feel 100% better. Perhaps not fully ready to tackle the most challenging job of your life, but at least in the mood for some light tasks.

Sometimes the recharge you need is so simple: a little sunlight, a treat you love, or a deep, loving everything shower.

11. The Phase of Becoming May Never End

Yes, but don’t panic.

This is a reflection I had while writing this post. When you start building something—and you’re 100% committed to your growth and evolution—I think you never truly “arrive.” Or at least, you keep wanting to evolve.

Not out of perfectionism, but because your standards change. New ideas, new possibilities appear, and they pull you back into that space of learning, transition, and uncertainty.

Yes, circumstances will change—one day, I won’t be living in Asia, just relocated, relying only on myself. There will likely be less discomfort. But I’m afraid that for those of us who are dedicated to creating something meaningful, the Phase of Becoming might never end.

And maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

Because every new chapter—a move, a new job, house-hunting, starting a project, continuing it—brings a period of transition, and in those moments, sticking to your vision is everything. Romanticizing your life is what makes it not just bearable, but beautiful.

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I’ve probably made it sound easy—but it’s not. Sitting with the discomfort of this phase, where you don’t yet have everything you want, can be hard.

Here’s the shift that’s helped me: you might not always get what you want, but you always get what you need. That’s where I keep my focus.

If there’s one thing I hope you take from this post, it’s this: focus on what you truly need right now (and realize that you already have it), and live every moment with intention.

I hope that these reflections have given you ideas and tools to romanticize your life—to make this phase softer, lighter, and even a little more fun.

Picture yourself as the main character in a ‘90s movie, working toward her dream. Feel that energy every single day.

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And if you want to start your journey towards your dream life and your dream “you” but don’t know where to start, you’ll find your support tribe by joining the list (and make sure to read all about the mindset shifts that helped me quit my old life to chase my new one).

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