In the cold months ahead of us, Olivia Dean’s new album “The Art of Loving” is like a hot cup of tea, something to sip on and keep us warm while we settle into our new winter routines. As the sun sets earlier and earlier each day, I find myself facing more time alone, which depending on the way you look at it, can be either good or bad. However, “The Art of Loving” is inspiring me to romanticize my life this winter, and hopefully it can inspire you too.
Lately, social media has made me long for a future that I don’t have an idea of yet, and often leads to me forgetting the love I have in the present moment. As college students, we can find joy in this uncertainty of our futures, and celebrate this in-between section of our lives before we figure everything out. We should not wish away the moments that we have now in exchange for a picture-perfect future, because after all, there is so much more to love than just romance.
This is shown in Dean’s ultra-underrated closing track “I’ve Seen It,” where she sings about observing love in the music she listens to, the chance encounters she has with strangers and most importantly, within herself all along. As said in the movie “Love Actually,” “If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around.” This could not be more true because no matter where you look, love exists, especially in this upcoming holiday season, where it is so easy to find the magic and romance within everyday life.
Another thing simultaneous with this time of year, at least for me, is a beloved rom-com. There’s nothing better than curling up on the couch to watch a nostalgic movie you’ve seen a million times before. Whether you are a fan of “You’ve Got Mail,” “While You Were Sleeping,” or even “Sleepless in Seattle,” the main thing these holiday-set movies have in common is a love story that works out perfectly each time, no matter the distance, timing or circumstance.
However, for those of us who are not experiencing the love that Hollywood has promised, Dean’s “Lady Lady” is just what you need, and it has been stuck in my head since I listened to it for the first time. There is beauty in living life just for yourself, and it can be just as amazing as a love story itself. Dean helps us find joy in being the girl in the rom-com before she bumps into the love of her life around the corner, and to know that self-love is just as deserving of celebration.
When you love yourself, it is so much easier to love the people around you too. Dean’s “Nice To Each Other” is an instant pick-me-up, and reminds me how easy it is to show kindness to the people in my everyday life. Whether it is giving a stranger a compliment just because, or even holding the door open for someone whose hands are full, these little pieces of human interaction make it easier to feel connected in a technologically-driven world. We should all make an effort to be nice to each other, because it can really turn around someone’s outlook on their day.
I plan on making “The Art of Loving” my soundtrack to this November and December, and hopefully it helps you romanticize your own life too. Listening to music and consuming content with positive affirmations makes me feel happier in my daily life, and gives me something to look forward to. After all, it is so easy to fall in love with ourselves and the people around us!
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