I have a favorite mug. Don't you? The one you reach for in the morning. The one you would rather wash and reeuse than grab a clean one. The ones your roommates know implicitly not to use, and you wouldn't mind if they did, which makes you appreciate them even more for following the unspoken rule. I love getting attached to objects like this.
It's finding beauty in random things. Maybe it's its color, or its form, or maybe it does one thing better than the rest. Or maybe it's a sentimental thing. It could be a thoughtful gift from a friend. Or maybe it's been with you through thick and thin and you've grown used to having it around. You latch on to this thing, and suddenly you know yourself a little better. What I mean is, you've chosen this thing over everything else and it's worth thinking about why that is.
Of course I'm not talking just about mugs. I have a favorite pen. Well, I lose pens often, so it's more like I have a favorite kind of pen. A favorite kind of notebook. My favorite pair of jeans. My favorite brand of milk. My favorite cereal. My favorite spot on the couch. My favorite seat at the table. My favorite time of the day. None of these are necessarily the best. But to you they've got a special something that's only special to you. It's like a secret that only you know.
When you find your favorite of something, you don't have to think about it anymore. It becomes automatic. Just grab that one. Too much choice has to be one of our biggest sources of stress (but also one of the luckiest things about living in this place and age). You appreciate it not just for whatever you think makes it beautiful, but for letting you go on with your day without having to think about it. It becomes a reliable friend. The more you consistently use one thing, the more you like it.
That's awesome. Because I also think another one of the biggest causes of stress is wanting something else. The next, better thing. But if you're already in love with something, you don't think about it. In fact, you also love that you don't want the next, better thing.
So find a favorite of the things you use and have less things. Find something you like and you might just fall in love with it.