No. 0003 // Be Weirder
And this one ridiculous thing I do in texts
You’ve heard of whimsy, right?
Whimsy is a term that’s been trending lately on social media, including TikTok and Instagram. It has caught fire across all generations, not just the “Zillennials,” as The New York Times suggests, but with people of all ages. It’s similar to Marie Kondo’s “spark joy” movement, but instead of focusing on organization, people are seeking out things that have no other purpose than, well, FUN.
Although the word “whimsy” is not my favorite (maybe it needs a rebrand?), I do appreciate its onomatopoeia, and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE it as a trend. It’s about having side quests, making things, being intentional and creating quirky rituals.
And it’s not just sprinkles in your coffee.
In one of my fave examples, people are using this original TikTok video where a concerned man is encouraging his overly anxious and serious friends to lighten up, “and some of y’all need more whimsy…” as a fun, trending audio behind a video of themselves romanticizing their lives in some way, and it’s fun to search for! Once you start looking, this whole whimsy idea will have you hooked.
I’m apparently an adult (I object!), so I have to use self-discipline not to ALWAYS choose the fun option throughout my day. But the recognition that there’s value in fun, that there’s a visceral benefit to making it all make less sense, is SO GOOD.
One of the many things that lights me up is… being extra! The weird little things I notice throughout my day make me happy.
The gorgeous shadow on an ugly wall, the green plant against a green wall, any little happenstance beauty-thing, something that sparks something, and creates a tiny moment of (fine) whimsy. A moment of FUN. I let those things matter. And I want that for you, too.
I also don't want to get so sparkly that I lose sight of where this idea came from — it developed as an antidote to people having a really hard time. That's worth sitting with. One of the ways I work through something hard (like a midnight freakout) is by getting loose, letting go of my inner critic, and making something. What helps through a hard place is, truly, whimsical s**t.
Here are some of the micro-rituals I use to add whimsy to my life:
I’ll heart my own sent-bubble in a text chain to a friend – it always makes them laugh. (And me, too!)
I type “PARABENS!!!!” instead of “Congratulations” because the iPhone will still do the confetti explosion and it sounds somehow MORE enthusiastic in Portuguese. (Thank you for starting this trend, Susan Passoni!)
(I swear I do other things besides texting.)
I do a little shoulder shimmy and a hair flip when I spritz (ONE SPRITZ!) of my favorite perfume after my shower, which feels like it helps spread the fragrance molecules around?? Listen, the science isn’t important.
The other day, after coming home from a business trip, I left a little car I had bought for my son out on the stairs, on the edge, at a height I knew he’d see it. Letting him find it instead of handing it to him felt like the sparklier option. He squealed with delight when he saw it!
I only manage it about a third of the time, but I love sending handwritten cards and thank-yous. I’m obsessed with stationery — calligraphy, quality cardstock, letterpress — and I put real care into finding a card that the specific person I’m writing to would genuinely enjoy. The latest one I bought is this one! I would even write a letter to my future self, on nice paper.
I also love ordering pre-printed gift tags with our names on them — they make gifts feel elevated without requiring much writing or a bigger card. So much polish, so little effort. Great for birthday parties.
I love to go on solo dates, tie bows on things, and surprise a friend with something they love, and I think I’m going to try all of these things, including star-shaped ice cubes.
Being playful doesn’t have to mean buying something. It can also mean taking a photo!
I once read, “This is a great shoes and socks flower” in a gardening catalog selling plants and seeds. I never forgot it.
How delightfully unhinged is it to wonder what the shoes and socks of a flower might look like? They mean to say it’s a short flower that grows densely, and it’s great to be seen underneath a flower that has its blooms higher, but I went feral with it, and here’s what I made.
Send me a message or post a comment and let me know. (And heart the heart, if you liked this post!)
Playfully yours!!
Ana
Love this ✨
PARABÉNS!!!! 🎉📸