Diary of a Happy Goth

In our digital, productivity-focussed and stressful age, it’s easy to prioritise simply surviving the day over wellness and whimsy. So many of us are desperate to find easy, quick fixes for the lack of joy in our lives, and I’m sharing my six best ways to regain joy and whimsy in your life. Timed to perfection as we enter into seasonal depression territory, these things are all year round powerful solutions to life woes, an incredibly common issue facing students and young people.

Put Your Phone Away

I know this is an obvious one, please don’t roll your eyes and close the tab! As a self-proclaimed TikTok addict, I know this sounds impossible. Whilst I have trained my algorithm to push content that genuinely inspires and enriches me, it’s undeniable that the longer I spend staring at my personalised block of unnatural blue light, the worse I feel both physically and mentally. If you can drop your screen time by half an hour per day, and think consciously when you reach for the phone, the natural joy and whimsy will seep back in. That beats the artificial, lithium-powered light any day.

Verbal Reflections on your Day

Something my housemates and I have started doing is verbal reflections of our days. We rate our day out of ten, and verbalise the highs and lows of the day. Not only is this a great example of daily reflection and inner work, but it also enables personal analysis. You’ll gain an understanding of repeated emotions and experiences, and you can get to the bottom of what has removed the joy and whimsy from your life in the first place. 

Writing Letters to People you Love or Yourself

Letter writing is a beautiful lost art that combines creativity with thoughtful gentleness. It can be time consuming depending on how deep you want to go, which is the ultimate demonstration of love and quality time. A great way to integrate joy and whimsy back into your life, and get off your phone whilst you’re doing it, is to write letters to people you love, or even yourself. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I wrote letters to every important person in my life and sent them, which was far more heartfelt than speaking over the phone. Letter writing is a great way of showing care to others and also reminding ourselves that we are loved. Similarly, writing a love letter to yourself is a flawless way of reinforcing self-love and highlighting your qualities. It’s a great example of inner work, manifestation, and reminding yourself that you are worthy of joy and whimsy.

Try Out Easy Hobbies

Starting a new hobby can feel daunting and overwhelming, especially if you don’t see yourself as particularly sporty or creative. Often we forget that hobbies are purely for fun, they don’t require expertise or talent. Simple things like colouring, writing, reading and baking are solid, healthy hobbies that easily bring back the joy and whimsy you’ve been missing. Inexpensive and casual, hobbies like these will provide huge benefits for your mental health and can be done with friends. 

Extra tip: if you’re a university student, find societies for your niche interests and new hobbies, and join them!

Eavesdrop on People!

Hear me out with this one. In a culture where headphones have become integral to our public interactions, it’s easy to lose sight of the joy of other people. We are connected to other humans so deeply, and naturally we’re drawn to their life experiences. Call it ‘nosey’ if you wish, but I think it’s harmless and fun to listen in on conversations in cafes and invent characters based on what I’ve heard. Humans are interesting creatures, and during the chaos of our own lives it’s easy to forget that the people you pass in the street have similarly chaotic lives. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I am not the main character in a video game surrounded by NPCs. I am not the protagonist of a sitcom swarmed by uncredited extras. Listening in on people can enrich and inspire our own lives, easily integrating some joy and whimsy amongst the chaos.

Go on a Random Adventure

Another personal favourite of my whimsical activities is far greater than just going on a walk. You can easily discover natural beauty and places you’ve never seen by leaving the house and randomly picking which way to go. Putting ‘left’, ‘right’, and ‘straight ahead’ into a spinning wheel generator can make this even more random, and you never know where fate might take you. I’ve been on some lovely adventures doing this, hitting my 10k step goal and getting through a good podcast or audiobook in the process. This is an all-round guaranteed whimsy creator and wellness winner.