Mindfulness, self-care and contentment have become important keywords in today’s society. In a hectic world full of stress, strain and mental pressure, everyone should try to take the best possible care of their mental health. A relatively new concept in this regard is the TikTok trend called „Romanticise your Life,“ which is all about taking a neutral look at one’s own life and focusing primarily on the positive aspects. The goal is more contentment and self-acceptance.
At the same time, it is a concept that has been lived secretly on social media for years, where the lives of social media users are embellished in a favorable way. This is meant to generate attention and interest in the person in question, leading to more followers and success. In a sense, this begins a positive upward spiral for which „Romanticise your Life“ initially lays the foundation.
But what exactly this concept is all about and where „Romanticise your Life“ comes from is the subject of the following article, which will provide some interesting information. Furthermore a social classification is to be made and criticisms to the expression are called.
Definition of the term „Romanticise your Life“
The expression „Romanticise your Life“ comes from the English language and is composed of the verb „romanticise“, the personal pronoun „your“ and the noun „life“.
What is meant by this is an invitation to embellish one’s life in some way, to appreciate or learn to love it. The phrase can therefore be understood as a positive remark, or influence. When it is „romanticized“, it often also means that this is viewed through „rose-colored glasses“ and potential grievances are overlooked. Instead, the focus is only on the positive aspects.
In the overall picture, „Romanticise your Life“ adds up to a TikTok trend that preaches a concept in which one’s own life is to be valued more, or presented more positively to the outside world.
Origin and meaning of „Romanticise your Life“
The phrase „Romanticise your Life“ originated on the social media platform TikTok in the spring of 2023, ushering in a whole series of short videos highlighting the daily lives of supposedly average people. In the short videos on TikTok, users suddenly found themselves engaged in everyday activities that they deliberately presented in a positive light (for example, their own 9-to-5 job, their individual school day, or their struggle at the gym). In various ways, this was intended to paint an overall positive picture of the protagonists‘ everyday lives. „Romanticise your Life“ should by no means be understood as a pure hoax, but rather as a call to action for more positive thinking and contentment. Both the expression „Romanticise your Life“ and the concept behind it quickly went viral.
Use of the expression „Romanticise your Life“
Today, the phrase „Romanticise your Life“ is used primarily on social media, but also in everyday speech and in youth subcultures. However, the main areas of usage will be shown more comprehensively in the subsections that follow now.
TikTok and other platforms
The term „Romanticise your Life“ is particularly common on the social media platform TikTok. But the phrase is also increasingly common on Instagram and on Twitter. In addition to its use as a hashtag, „Romanticise your Life“ is also used primarily in picture and video captions. Equally common is its use in the videos themselves. In social forums, such as Reddit, the phrase „Romanticise your Life“ is used rather less frequently – and if at all – then only as an insult (à la „Now don’t see it more beautiful than it is!“). The phrase and the concept behind it are currently experiencing tremendous hype on social media.
Everyday language use
„Romanticise your Life“ has now also entered everyday language use. For example, the expression is often used in everyday conversations about individual daily routines. At the same time, it also serves here as a mocking remark in situations where people imagine their daily lives or circumstances to be more positive than they actually are.
Youth subcultures
In youth subcultures, „Romanticise your Life“ is used primarily when positive courage is to be ascribed. The expression is supposed to make the „individual suffering“ of averageness and monotony easier to bear. Among young people, „Romanticise your Life“ is therefore seen as an invitation to relax and be content.
Social classification of „Romanticise your Life“
In social terms, „Romanticise your Life“ can be assigned primarily to younger generations. The „Z“ and „Alpha“ generations (aged between 15 and 25) are the main target groups. This target group uses „Romanticise your Life“ primarily in everyday conversations and on social media. People of older age groups, such as followers of generations „Y“ or „X,“ also understand the meaning behind the expression. Here, it is often used to make one’s own work situation or life more bearable for oneself or for others. The goal here is also more satisfaction, mindfulness and a positive vibe.
Criticisms of the phrase „Romanticise your Life“
Although the message of „Romanticise your Life“ is quite positive in itself, there are some critics who strongly criticize the expression. For example, people often criticize it for being just another meaningless social media trend. At the same time, its banality is chalked up to – after all, in the eyes of the critics, it means nothing more than being satisfied with oneself. Furthermore, it is criticized that „Romanticise your Life“ is perfectly integrated into the social media world, in which strangers are given a better idea of one’s own life than is actually the case. In this way, grievances in social life are readily concealed and actual dissatisfaction is stoked rather than combated.
Conclusion on the topic „Romanticise your Life“
In summary, it can be said that „Romanticise your Life“ is a current social media trend on the TikTok platform, but one that is gradually spilling over into other areas of daily life. The idea behind the phrase is that one’s life is not so bad after all and that one should rather focus more on the positive aspects.
Related to the expression „Romanticise your Life“ are, among others, the terms „Live your Passion“ and „Normalize 9 to 5“. While „Live your Passion“ encourages people to live according to their own ideas and passions, „Normalize 9 to 5“ is more of a call to accept normality more, or to make it more popular again.