Has anyone else been trying to be more mindful about how they spend their time lately? Especially in those in-between moments when it’s so tempting to reach for your phone or let the next Netflix episode autoplay? Lately, I’ve been making a conscious effort to shift away from doom scrolling or zoning out to shows that leave me feeling kind of blah, and instead, I’ve been leaning into small habits that actually fill me up.

In January and February, I spent two solid months on the couch watching the entire series of Game of Thrones — somehow I missed the boat when it originally aired and figured it was time to see what the hype was about a decade later. Honestly? It was amazing. But by the end, I was completely TV’d out. So when March rolled around, I felt like it was time for a shift.

Now that the weather’s nicer, I’ve been getting outside a lot more and saying yes to being social again. But on the nights when I am home, I’ve been trying to resist the pull of the couch and the usual mindless routines. Instead, I’m leaning into the little things that actually make me feel good and avoid brain rot.

They’re simple — nothing drastic — but they’ve made a real difference in my mood. With the seasons changing, it feels like the right time to lean into habits that leave me feeling healthier, happier, and more connected.

Here are a few things I’ve been doing lately that have brought a little more joy into my days:

FaceTimes with Friends

Since moving to Colorado, a lot of my closest friends—my ride-or-dies, my besties for years—are still back on the East Coast. And as much as we love each other, the distance means we can’t just grab coffee or pop over for a glass of wine on a random Tuesday. I’ve realized I have to make more of an intentional effort to stay connected.

So I’ve started reaching out and scheduling FaceTime calls, aiming to talk to at least one friend a week. Not just sending each other memes (though those are fun), and not just doing the “hi how are you? good, you?” check-ins—but real conversations. The kind that fill you up, where you talk about what’s actually going on, laugh about the ridiculous stuff…Some of my favorite recent chats have happened while one of us is folding laundry, doing dishes, or cooking dinner. It doesn’t have to be a whole production. It just has to happen.

Podcasts That Feel Like a Pep Talk

Jen Hatmaker has long been one of my favorite voices in the podcast world. Her show, For the Love, is like a warm blanket and a deep belly laugh rolled into one. She’s the friend you wish lived next door—funny, thoughtful, down-to-earth, and always ready to say the thing you didn’t realize you needed to hear. I highly recommend you start listening if you haven’t already—and follow her on Instagram too for your daily dose of happiness and unfiltered joy.

I also recently started Amy Poehler’s Good Hang, and it’s exactly what it promises: light, smart, and full of quick wit and real laughs. Amy and her guests are hilarious and refreshingly authentic—the kind of people you want to sit next to at a dinner party. Tina Fey was obviously her first guest (iconic), but everyone else has been fantastic too—Martin Short, Jack Black, all the best. The conversations feel like catching up with the funniest people you know.

Every time I listen, I think: How do I become friends with these people? Like, truly—what’s the application process?

Watching An Old Movie That Feels Like Home

When I do find time to sit down in front of the TV, I want it to be something with, you know, an actual plot—something that feels worth my time instead of just background noise I forget about five minutes later. I’ve had a running list for years of movies I’ve always meant to watch, and recently I finally crossed one off: Mrs. Miniver, my grandma’s all-time favorite.

Released in 1942 and starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon, Mrs. Miniver tells the story of a British family navigating the early days of World War II. It’s not flashy or fast-paced, but it’s deeply human—about courage, sacrifice, and the quiet strength found in everyday life.

Watching it felt like time travel in the best way. It brought me back to being a kid with a Jell-O pudding snack, watching old musicals like Gigi, Oliver!, and The Sound of Music. Those nights were soft and safe and golden. Watching Mrs. Miniver as an adult gave me that same feeling—of being held, somehow, by something bigger than the story on screen.

Reading a Book That Inspires Me

There’s something powerful about reading a book that doesn’t just entertain you—it stirs something deeper. That’s how I felt reading The Tell by Amy Griffin. From the first page, I was drawn in—not just by the writing, which is thoughtful and layered, but by the emotional mystery at the heart of it.

The book centers around a secret Amy kept — not just from her family and friends, but unconsciously, from herself. What begins as a quiet unraveling becomes an internal investigation. So begins Amy’s quest to solve a mystery buried deep within her own memory—one that ultimately leads her into the world of psychedelic therapy.

It’s tender and full of insight. The kind of story that lingers and makes you want to dig a little deeper into your own.

Watching Insightful Interviews Over Mindless Scrolling

Instead of getting sucked into mindless TV (guilty) or falling down a doom scroll spiral (also guilty), I’ve been spending more time watching longform interviews on YouTube with people who genuinely inspire me.

Recently, I watched Oprah’s podcast episode with Maria Shriver, where they discuss Maria’s new book I Am Maria. It’s an honest, vulnerable conversation about identity, reinvention, and rediscovering who you are after a life you didn’t plan for. I also found Jillian Turecki’s interview about her book It Begins With You incredibly insightful—she speaks about emotional patterns and healing after heartbreak in such a grounded, no-nonsense way.

Both women went through deeply painful divorces and profound personal rebirths. I haven’t experienced divorce myself, but hearing about what they endured — and how they rebuilt —gave me a lot of perspective on how hard it can be to start over. It made me quietly grateful for where I am right now. Not perfect, not always easy, but okay.

So there you have it, friends! Just a handful of small things that have been filling up my days and keeping me happy. Little shifts, in addition to my usual care practices, that have helped get me off my phone and away from the endless scroll of TV shows I don’t actually care about.

They’re not revolutionary, but they’ve been grounding. Uplifting. Reminders that joy doesn’t always come in big, sweeping moments—it’s often tucked into the ordinary.

Oh, and did I mention I started a blog? 🙂

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