What started off as an innocent and insignificant trend on TikTok, the platform famously known for its 30 second dance videos, has flourished into a lifestyle in and of itself. Romanticizing one’s life, otherwise known as conveying an idealized version of one’s day-to-day, has spread through the app like wildfire. For the past year and a half, a captivating and motivational sound has been circulating TikTok, encouraging viewers to step up and take control of their lives before the chance is lost: “You have to start romanticizing your life. You have to start thinking of yourself as the main character. Because if you don’t, life will continue to pass you by and all the little things that make it so beautiful will continue to go unnoticed.” (@ashlaward). This sound has been used on millions of videos, most accompanying the highlights of one’s life, as well as little filmed clips of seemingly normal moments.
These videos are what Gen Z likes to call “savoring”, a mindfulness practice that encourages documenting little moments on a regular basis in a way that makes the person behind the camera feel more involved in the world around them. Clips usually last around 0.5 seconds, and include a variety of instances. Sunsets, city lights at night, and Pinterest-worthy meals are just some of the moments that people capture. However, these simple pleasures aren’t exactly “mundane”. So, what is Gen Z really capturing? Some of the recurring moments that are seen several times across TikTok videos are: pouring a cup of coffee, the way the late afternoon sun hits a building, coloured leaves in autumn, or, simply, candid moments of people and places. This lifestyle can also be seen on Instagram stories and posts, where people share videos of pretty buildings, strolls through nature, and other certain aesthetically pleasing moments. It’s not so much about how the content is perceived, but what it transmits . The people behind the cameras are savoring the calm. No matter how average the moment may be, people still strive to see the beauty in it, and that is what brings them pleasure.
This practice prompts us to acknowledge the pleasure in small moments, taking pleasure in the ordinary as well as the extraordinary, and making us focus on the now. This lifestyle is also known to millennials as “savoring the small moments for long term happiness”. It isn’t something Gen Z invented, rather appropriated, and it is a topic often mentioned in self-help and motivational books. Wayne Dyer, an American self-help and spiritual author, put it perfectly:“Develop an appreciation for the present moment. Seize every second of your life and savor it. Value your present moments.” Although these sentiments may sound trite, the fact that this trend exists in the first place should be accounted for, as Gen Z is known for ridiculizing banal and overused terms and activities. Seeing how Gen Z, the same generation that canceled the laughing emoji, adapts an overused method of self care shows the value and importance of said practice.
Participating in this trend makes people feel better about themselves and their lives by appreciating the small joys in life, and finding happiness in quotidian occurrences. Although this trend has incentivised a new, more negative trend (“my four lives” featuring users spreading negativity through falsifying their lives, and making others feel dull), the amount of positivity and calm overflows the rest. This new, mainstream activity has not only propelled the app further in terms of popularity, but added hundreds of thousands of videos to change users’ perspectives on their now delight-filled life.
Bibliography:
“Savor the Small Moments for Long-Term Happiness.” Brighton Jones, 5 April 2017, https://www.brightonjones.com/blog/savor-small-moments-happiness/. Accessed 22 March 2022.
Schott, Ben. “The Gen Z Brand Aesthetic Is Both Disruptive and Adorkable.” Bloomberg.com, 24 January 2021, https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-01-24/the-gen-z-brand-aesthetic-is-both-disruptive-and-adorkable. Accessed 19 March 2022.
Olowe, Olamide. “How Gen-Z is changing the meaning of beauty.” Medium, 16 September 2020, https://medium.com/@olamideolowe/how-gen-z-is-changing-the-meaning-of-beauty-ea3f42280f35. Accessed 19 March 2022.
Garrity, Katie. “What Is the Main Character Trend on TikTok? It’s Blowing up Right Now.” Distractify, 2 June 2020, https://www.distractify.com/p/main-character-tik-tok. Accessed 21 March 2022.
Gudenau, Sarah. “Why You Should Live With Main Character Energy.” Study Breaks Magazine, 29 September 2020, https://studybreaks.com/thoughts/main-character-energy/. Accessed 21 March 2022.
Great article, Elena! A wonderful reminder for everyone to take a pause and enjoy the present moment.