I’ve been in a phase lately where I don’t really have romance in my life. Not in the flowers-and-love-letters kind of way, at least. So instead, I try to romanticize the everyday. Like… really lean into it.

You know those days where you don’t have much planned? Just a few little things to tick off? Refill this, drop off that, maybe buy a few random things you probably don’t need but feel cute anyway? That’s been my version of a date lately.

I’ll put on something soft, pack my tote like I’m going somewhere special, and just… wander through the day. No pressure. Just me, doing life things but slowly, sweetly. It actually makes errands feel like little acts of self-care.

So here’s a soft guide for those kinds of days. For when you’re not rushing, not waiting on anyone. Just treating the ordinary like it matters. Because it does.

First stop: Slow stretch

After a full week of work, pickleball games, and trying to keep my business moving, I needed something slow.

I booked a yin yoga class for back pain at Torre Yoga and Wellness in Makati, and honestly, it was exactly what I didn’t know I needed.

The room was quiet and cozy. There was no pressure, I didn’t have to push. I just held soft stretches and let my body catch up with me.

After that, I stayed for the sound healing class. We just laid there with our eyes closed while the bowls rang gently through the space. It felt like something inside me got quiet. Like my mind finally stopped moving for a minute.

A coffee and a book, just for me

After yoga, I walked over to Antipodean in Legazpi Village, just across the park. The lamps outside were already glowing even though it was still early, and the street felt calm in that in-between mid-afternoon Saturday rush kind of way.

I ordered an iced latte and sat by the window. I had a book with me, but honestly, I just watched people pass by, the joggers, the slow walkers, the quiet. The trees across the road were swaying a little, and for once, I didn’t feel like I needed to be anywhere else.

It was one of those moments that doesn’t look like much but feels like everything.

A facial pause

After coffee, I went to SkinStation in Glorietta for a facial. It’s not fancy or over the top, but it’s clean, quiet, and they get straight to the point, which I really appreciate.

The lights were dim, the bed was warm, and for 45 minutes I didn’t have to think about anything. Just let someone take care of me for a bit. After everything this week, trying to keep my brain running, it felt nice to not be in charge of anything.

I left with my skin feeling fresh, a little pink, and just soft enough to call it self-care.

Grocery shopping, but romaticized

Before heading home, I dropped by SM Supermarket in SM Makati to grab a few groceries. It’s right below everything, so it’s easy to slip into when the day’s already winding down.

I didn’t need much. just some fruit, a pack of greens, and a few snacks for the week. But I took my time. I wandered through the aisles like I had nowhere else to be. I like that it’s not too crowded if you go at the right time, and it always smells a little like bread.

Even grocery shopping felt soft. Like one last quiet thing before heading home.

💌 A note to end on

There’s no need to wait for someone else to bring romance into your life. You can do it now, with small rituals, pretty stops, and the way you let yourself move gently through the day.

There’s this one line from Raj in The Big Bang Theory that I always remember. He said, “When one is washing dishes, one should only be washing dishes.” By the same concept:

When you’re doing something, you have to feel what you’re doing.

Let the weight of your tote, the scent of fresh bread, and the softness of your face after a facial – all of it – mean something. Don’t rush past it. Let it be a moment.

Errands can be more than just tasks, if we let it be more. They can be slow mornings, long pauses, tiny joys, and girlhood lived fully.