I have been thinking a lot about what it means to make everyday count.

When I was younger, I used to think it meant doing something big. Achieving something meaningful. Having days that are noteworthy. But now, years into motherhood, work, managing mental health, and just living life, I realize everyday count does not have to look dramatic.

Everyday count even when nothing special happens.

I started thinking about romanticizing life. Not in some Pinterest or aesthetic way, but in a real and grounded way. Something that feels good in the middle of the week, in the quiet moments, and in the small choices I make.

For me, romanticizing life means choosing to notice the tiny beautiful parts of my everyday.

It is waking up and letting the sunlight through the curtains.
It is making coffee and savoring that first warm sip while it is still quiet.
It is choosing my favorite slice of cake and actually enjoying it without rushing. Letting myself pause instead of multitasking. Allowing something simple to feel special.

It is going for a run even when I almost talk myself out of it. Taking a quick selfie after. Not because I look perfect, but because I showed up for myself that day.

It is fetching my daughter from school and telling her, “Wait, let me take a photo.” And she smiles. That simple after-school smile. That ordinary afternoon light. Knowing one day I will look back at that photo and realize how fast this season passed.

It is putting on something comfortable but that makes me feel like myself.

It is not about perfection. It is not about being productive all the time. It is not about creating the kind of moments that will look good on camera.

It is about noticing the life I already live.

I used to think making everyday count meant finishing big tasks or having exciting achievements to share. But now I know that count also means this.

Finishing a blog post that has been sitting in drafts for weeks.
Eating dinner while my laptop is open because work still needs to be done, and accepting that this is the season I am in.
Choosing stillness when I am overwhelmed.
Listening to my kids talk about their day and really paying attention.

Romanticizing life has helped me actually feel my days instead of running through them.

There is something grounding about taking the ordinary and seeing the value in it. I do not romanticize life by pretending everything is perfect. I romanticize life by seeing beauty even when it is messy and unfinished.

Some days still feel hard. Some days do not feel counted.
But even on those days, I can find something real to appreciate. A kind word. A quiet moment. A small accomplishment.

I think making everyday count is not about living a perfect life.
It is about living presently.

So right now at 38, I choose to romanticize life the way I live it. Honestly, gently, and with intention. Not for likes or highlights. But because this life is mine, and it matters.

If you are in a season where everything feels routine or ordinary, remember this. Your everyday still counts.

Even the quiet parts.