I think there are periods of life where you’re technically doing everything you’re supposed to be doing, but you don’t necessarily feel very… alive.

You’re working. You’re answering messages. You’re getting through your to-do list. You’re eating, sleeping, scrolling, repeating.

Nothing is necessarily wrong.

But everything starts feeling a little too familiar.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how easy it is to accidentally live on autopilot. We get so focused on keeping up with life that we forget to actually put things into it that make us excited to be here.

And I don’t think the answer is quitting your job, moving to Italy, deleting Instagram and becoming a completely new person.

Sometimes you just need to shake up the plot a little.

Here are a few things I’m bringing back into my life lately.

1. Doing things I’m bad at

I’ve become slightly obsessed with the idea of novelty.

As adults, we tend to stick to things we’re already good at because being a beginner is… humbling.

But learning something new is incredibly good for your brain. Novel experiences challenge your brain to pay attention, form new connections and get out of the repetitive patterns we fall into when every day looks the same.

So sign up for tennis.

Try pottery.

Take the dance class.

Go skating.

Try barre and discover muscles you apparently haven’t used since birth.

You don’t have to turn it into your new personality or become amazing at it.

Actually, I think there’s something really healthy about doing something you’re objectively quite bad at and having fun anyway.

2. Replacing some doomscrolling with an actual story

I’m trying to become much more aware of what I’m feeding my brain.

Because somehow, “I’ll just check TikTok for five minutes” can turn into 45 minutes of absorbing strangers’ breakups, morning routines, political opinions, skincare recommendations and someone explaining why the way I’ve been breathing my entire life is apparently wrong.

It’s… a lot.

So I’m trying to swap some of that consumption for reading.

Not necessarily self-development books either.

Give me a dramatic romance. A thriller. Something slightly trashy. Something that makes me say one more chapter instead of one more scroll.

Your brain is still being entertained, but it feels completely different afterwards.

3. Taking electrolytes seriously

This is one of the less glamorous entries in my coming-back-to-life era, but hydration really does affect how you feel.

Water is obviously the main character here, but electrolytes such as sodium and potassium help regulate fluid balance and support normal nerve and muscle function.

They’re especially relevant when you’re sweating a lot, exercising, spending hours outside in the heat, or losing more fluid than usual.

I don’t think everyone needs to aggressively electrolyte-max their morning water because TikTok told them to.

But I’ve become much more conscious of hydration in general.

Because sometimes I think I’m exhausted, irritated and incapable of functioning when really I’ve had approximately three sips of water since breakfast.

Humbling.

4. Making my commute less annoying

If I’m going to spend time sitting in traffic or travelling somewhere, I want that time to give me something instead of immediately reaching for my phone.

Good music.

A podcast I’m actually excited about.

An audiobook.

Something funny.

Something calming.

I love the idea of turning the boring transitional parts of the day into tiny rituals.

Not every second needs to be productive.

Sometimes your commute can simply be 30 minutes where nobody gets access to you and you listen to something you love.

That’s allowed.

5. Putting more protein into my day

I’ve become much more interested in meals that actually keep me feeling good rather than foods that simply tick the “healthy” box.

Protein is a big part of that.

It helps with muscle repair and maintenance and tends to make meals more satisfying, which is why I try to include a decent protein source throughout my day.

And it doesn’t need to involve carrying grilled chicken around in Tupperware like you’re preparing for a bodybuilding competition.

Greek yoghurt.

Eggs.

A smoothie with protein.

Fish.

Chicken.

Tofu.

Whatever actually fits into your life.

For me, the goal isn’t eating perfectly.

It’s eating in a way that means I’m not suddenly feral at 4pm because lunch consisted of vibes.

6. Rituals > routines

I’m becoming less interested in having a perfect routine.

Routines can start feeling like another list of things you’re failing to do.

Wake up at 5:30.

Journal.

Meditate.

Exercise.

Drink lemon water.

Read ten pages.

Have apparently achieved enlightenment by 7am.

No thank you.

I prefer rituals.

A ritual is something you want to come back to.

Making an iced matcha.

Putting on music while you get ready.

Going for an evening walk.

Doing your skincare slowly.

Reading before bed.

Sitting outside in the sun for ten minutes.

The difference is small, but mentally it feels huge.

A routine says, I should do this.

A ritual says, I like how I feel when I do this.

7. Listening to things that actually make me think

I love a podcast that teaches me something without making me feel like I’m attending a university lecture.

Sometimes one good conversation can completely shift the way you think about something.

Relationships.

Health.

Money.

Confidence.

Your brain.

Your habits.

I want more of those inputs in my life.

Because if we’re constantly consuming content anyway, I want at least some of it to leave me with something other than the sudden urge to buy a new lip balm.

Although there will still be lip balm.

Balance.

8. Making a vision board without making it that deep

I love a vision board.

Not because I think putting a photo of a villa in Positano onto Pinterest means the universe is legally obligated to give me one.

But because it forces you to ask a surprisingly useful question:

What do I actually want my life to feel like?

Maybe you want more travel.

More time outside.

More creativity.

Better friendships.

A calmer home.

More financial freedom.

More confidence.

The images aren’t magic.

The clarity is.

When you know what you’re moving towards, it becomes much easier to notice the tiny decisions that either move you closer to it or further away.

9. Allowing one slightly unhinged purchase

I’m actually serious about this one.

Not financially irresponsible. Not “I bought a car because Mercury was in retrograde.”

Just something completely unnecessary that makes you happy.

The ridiculous sunglasses.

The fancy candle.

The shoes you’ve been thinking about for three months.

The absurdly expensive matcha whisk.

We’re allowed to make sensible financial decisions and occasionally buy something purely because it brings us joy.

Life cannot exclusively consist of budgeting spreadsheets and sensible beige purchases.

Coming back to yourself doesn’t have to be dramatic

I think that’s the biggest thing I’m learning.

When life feels stale, our instinct is often to think we need a massive change.

A new job.

A new body.

A new city.

A new relationship.

A complete reinvention.

Sometimes you do need a big change.

But sometimes you need tennis on a Tuesday.

A book you can’t put down.

A song you play too loudly in the car.

More water.

A proper breakfast.

Ten minutes in the sun.

An iced matcha.

Something on the calendar you’re genuinely excited about.

Tiny things that interrupt the sameness.

Maybe “coming back to life” isn’t really about becoming a new person at all.

Maybe it’s just paying enough attention to realize what makes you feel like yourself, and deliberately doing more of it.