No doubt that sunny, breezy weather is beautiful (and quite convenient for any occasion). But rainy weather doesn't seem to get the same respect, response, or acknowledgment for how beautiful it is.
I have not always enjoyed the rainy days. They usually came to try to ruin important occasions. Senior year of high school alone, the rain came at very inconvenient moments: homecoming, multiple cross country and track meets, Krispy Kreme road trips with friends, prom! But the rain never ruined those moments - if anything they made them more memorable.
Rainy days open up ways for us to enjoy the day that we usually don't take advantage of. Rainy days give us a reason to indulge in daily comforts we often push away until more important priorities get completed.
Here are some ways I like to enjoy and have the best rainy days:
1. Take Advantage Of Being Cozy
Grab the baggiest comfy sweatshirt you can find. Snuggle with a few blankets. The rain is already making you want to relax and one of the easiest ways to do that is to dress comfortably and get wrapped up in a pile of blankets. Make some tea or coffee or warm apple cider (as it is basically fall). Take it easy and just enjoy the comfort you can easily give yourself.
2. Rain Boots Are Your New Best Friends
I have recently discovered my love for rain boots. Nothing makes you feel more confident and raise your self-esteem like walking through a 4+ inches deep puddle on your way to class without a care in the world because you know your boots are looking out for you.
Take an umbrella with you and don't worry about getting a tad wet (everyone else is dealing with the weather too). Why stress about it? Walking through the rain is actually incredibly enjoyable when you push all those cares away.
3. Get Lost In The Music
Allow yourself to get lost in the feels. Find the perfect music for your mood. Or find the gloomy bops and stare out the window for a few minutes...hours. It's the perfect time to get lost in nostalgia. Bring on the slow jams. Get lost in the tranquility. Grab those blankets again and take it all in.
4. Marathons Are The Way To Go
What better way to fully take in the relaxing rainy day. Find your favorite movie that you've watched a million times or matches the mood of the day. Or binge a tv show you've been in the middle of for months (years in my case) and get some episodes in. Doesn't matter what kind of genre you're in the mood for: action, comedy, romantic comedies, documentaries, the cry-your-eyes-out ones.
Love me a good rom-com and rainy day. You could even enjoy the movie and rainy day with friends or family. Invite some people over, grab even more blankets, and snuggle up to enjoy the relaxing sound of rain on the windows and some movies/tv shows.
5. Self Care Rainy Day & Every Day
While you're enjoying your relaxing rainy day activities, take some time to examine how you've been feeling lately. Lots of stress? Have a to-do list that keeps growing no matter how many things you cross out? Feel like you haven't fully relaxed in a long time without guilt? Give yourself a mental health break. Meditating can be so rewarding as well as relaxing. Prioritize time for yourself and forget about everything else but yourself for a while. The rain agrees and it's here to let you indulge in yourself.
Sometimes you just have to be unproductive in the work sense, and be productive for yourself. Do what makes you feel good, what you always want to do when you finish your usual, daily responsibilities. It can be better to have a good chunk of the day be time for you before facing the other stressful priorities we set for ourselves.
Enjoy the opportunities rainy days give you to indulge in yourself and what we would priorities if we didn't keep ourselves so busy all the time. Use the time to pamper yourself, treat yourself to the things you've been waiting to do until you finished other things first.
We're always so consumed by living life in the fast lane and getting through what we deem important, and are forgetting to let go sometimes and enjoy the slow days and self-care aspects of life.
