365 days project 2. Day 87. Different clothes, different you

   Did it happen to you to wear different clothing styles and feel like a totally new person? Behave differently, trust yourself more, walk like a ballerina and enjoy life more? And some days when you just want to be comfy you pick something that doesn't stand out so you can wander in your own thoughts without being noticed?

   Today I felt fabulous! This feminine side of me came out and I was proved clothes can give you that confidence boost you need on a random day:) How interesting! Clothes, colors and styles can bring you up when you feel down and give you wings to fly when you thought you couldn't fly! :)

365 days project 2. Day 86. Simple ingredients

   I love food! I love cooking it and I love eating it. My favorite food is Italian. Anything Italian would do. That's why travelling to Italy in a couple of days is one of the highlights of my life! I can't wait to taste all the wonderful cheeses, pasta, pizza and wine! But until then let's talk a bit about food: ingredients, to be more specific.

   Have you ever thought how versatile ingredients are? How the humble potato or the delicious chicken change their flavor depending on the spices or veggies associated with them? How amazing is that? Simple ingredients are so versatile! They can be transformed into something completely new just by adding different stuff. This thought amazed me today. 

    We work with food every single day. We use it in the recipes we know and love so much. But just think about it! One day you might find a new recipe that will change your whole world. Isn't that fascinating? Let that day be today! Look for a new recipe with an ingredient you love and try it out. I dare you! :)

365 days project 2. Day 85. Family

   You can't choose your family. That's what they say. You come to this world belonging to a group of people who will always be around you no matter what you do. You'll see them at birthdays, weddings and funerals and sometimes you'll spend holidays with them. 

   When you're a child, all you know is your family. You love them all to bits and you look up to them. You want to be like them when you grow up and you love that they know so many things you can learn from them. Then comes adolescence when you basically hate everyone. Your friends become your family and you spend most of your time with them. Your parents are your enemies and you feel they never understand you. When that period passes you become an adult. And when you're an adult you'll be wise enough to understand that even if you didn't want to be born in that family and you have your differences and dramas at times, that group of people will ALWAYS be there for you and you need them just as much as they need you. 

   Family is such a complex word and it includes so many feelings, memories and if you're lucky, that place you'll always call home. 

   We don't choose our family but whoever chooses it for us is surely having fun watching all those interesting stories developing. Hopefully, most of them have a happy ending. 

365 days project 2. Day 84. Milestones

   Today I woke up and the first thing I read on my phone was the news about the latest terrorist attack in Nice. 85+ innocent dead people who were attending a beautiful parade and were enjoying their national day... people who woke up that morning with a smile on their face at the thought of celebrating such a special day and who went to sleep on a street just because someone decided their fate instead. This is one of those things that reminds you how unfair life is sometimes, one of those events that gives you an unwanted shot of utter sadness, anger and fear. I guess that's the purpose, isn't it?

   But if we linger too much in these thoughts then terrorists win. So instead let's think about good things that change your life like meeting the person who makes you grow, gives you wings to fly and loves you unconditionally, then moving in with this person, marrying them and starting a family together. 

   Traveling. It changes you forever. It makes you hunger for more: seeing more, meeting more people, staring in awe at cityscapes and landscapes you only saw in pictures on Google. It's absolutely fascinating how just visiting different cities can bring so much light in your life.

   Your first job. Or being accepted for your dream job. It changes you from a dreamy teenager to a young adult who's starting to figure our what he wants and who understands that the world is his oyster.

   Random people at the perfect time and perfect place. Those people who share their wisdom with you and make you a little bit wiser even if you will never see them again... especially because you'll never see them again.

   Milestones. Things that change you bit by bit either by helping you reach intense happiness or by bringing you down so that you learn how to stand up again. Either way, you need them. So be aware of them and learn from them. We're all here to learn a lesson. Make sure you learn yours.

365 days project 2. Day 83. Life

   Life would be too simple if it was like in this picture every day: flowers and hot cocoa, sun and laughs all day. So just to mess with us a little and make the story more entertaining, the unpredictable happens. The ugly unpredictable.

   Today I was upset when I found out life also gives me lemons and rain and stuff breaking and money to be paid when you didn't plan for it. And it frustrates me when things don't go all nice and smooth because I'm used to the good days. But I had to learn that life is also made of bad days and bad stuff happening. And I have to accept them all whether I want it or not. Accepting life in its entirety: with ups and DOWNS, a lesson that I still have to learn and master. That and patience. Oh well... 

365 days project 2. Day 82. Born to be Norwegian

   My best friend is moving to Norway in less than a month. She wanted to do this for as long as I know her (and that's a lot of time). Everybody kept telling her to do something she loves here, in Romania. Others, myself included, said she should go visit the country first and then see if the wish is still as strong. Guess what? It got even bigger. 

   Nobody ever understood why Julia wanted to move all the way up North. Why Norway? Why not Spain or The Czech Republic she has already lived in? Why... THERE? Because she belongs there and she was born to be there. One of their people. 

   I've never seen anyone more eager to achieve her dream than Julia. Even when she was raising money for her first Norway trip she was very organized. She didn't want to spend money on little everyday pleasures. 'I'm going to Norway!' she used to say. 

   I admit. At first I was just as baffled as everyone else. I couldn't relate with her feeling because I've never been there and the only things I knew about Norway were that it has fyords, Northern Lights and the best educational system in the world. But slowly I started to learn more. And then I began to understand Julia's love for Norway. It's pretty easy, really. 

   I told myself many times that if such a thing as multiple lives exists, I surely lived in Egypt in one of my past lives because I love everything about Egypt. And that's what Norway is to Julia. Something you can't explain, a calling that is beyond words or feelings, beyond the place where you were born and all the people you know and love there. A mesmerizing force of attraction towards a place that's YOU, completely and utterly YOU. 

   People will judge you no matter what you do. But when you have the power to say 'I'm going to Norway!' when the whole world stands against you, that's what I call courage and determination to follow your life dream no matter what. And look at her now! She really IS moving to Norway! :) I'm so proud of her! My sister is accomplishing her dream!

365 days project 2. Day 81. Hang in there

   How many times did you hear it? 'Hang in there!' from friends, parents, brothers or sisters, coworkers, doctors and everybody else. It seems easy to say and hard to do, huh? But you also said it yourself to the people around you. And you know why? Because in the end, that's what helps you move on in life, surpass all the tough times and become wiser: hanging in there.

   'How can I hang in there when life keeps throwing lemons at me?' you probably ask me. Good question. Well, you see, everybody has a sparkle inside them. Something that keeps them moving. Some hidden light that makes you climb even the highest mountains and not give up even when the weather is really, really bad. So all you have to do is look inside and find that light. Ask yourself: what helped me get over the worst times of my life? And that is the magic answer:) My answer? Faith. My husband. My family. My best friends. The passion for my job. Knowing that everything happens for a reason and that it's all temporary, a lesson I have to learn. 

   So don't worry. Even if the storm is loud and scary, hang in there and know that tomorrow the sun will shine again! :) I promise it will!

365 days project 2. Day 80. The baggage

   How heavy is your baggage? Does it burden your soul every morning when you wake up or did you learn to cope with it so that it doesn't scare you anymore?

   Everyone is carrying a baggage everywhere they go. Some are lighter, others are heavier, but I have it and you have it... that baggage filled with unfulfilled desires, broken wings, the biggest fears, hopeless dreams and sorrows that nobody knows about but you. 

   There are days when you don't care and then there are days when you can't move on because of its burden. You keep thinking about the content of your baggage like thoughts alone could form a magic spell and make it disappear. 

   Maybe it will make you feel a bit better if I tell you that nobody wants to carry around a heavy baggage. I don't want it and I know you don't want it either. But unfortunately we have to do it. And the best way to do it is by finding someone who can help you share the weight... or better yet, someone who can help you unpack :) 

   If you're sighing now it's probably because you think you haven't met your helper yet. But don't despair! I promise, I swear! Your helper is close. Maybe they tried to help you already but you refused the help... those people who are always there to comfort you, who ask if you're alright and who talk to you at 3AM without expecting anything in return. I know you believe you are a strong person, and you are, but some days you need help. And help can come easier if you allow it. It doesn't have to be "The One". It can be anyone. And from then on, the following mornings are always going to be sunnier, your smile bigger, your life longer... 

   Have hope! The future is bright! Do you trust me? Let the Universe bring your helper to you and accept it and cherish it as a valuable gift. Life's better when you share your baggage.

   

365 days project 2. Day 79. Life is like soup

   Life is like soup. You might not always have the finest ingredients to make the most delicious soup on the planet, but as long as you can make a good base (out of carrots, onion and celery), I guarantee you'll be happy with that soup! 

   Similarly, if your basic needs are covered in life, you'll always be happy. And I'm not talking about food, drink and sleep. Sounds easy? It is! Just think about it. What are the most important things you want in your life? While you might choose family, love and a decent job to be happy, others need thrill, adventure and friendship. And we can all be happy in this beautiful world if we fulfill those basic needs. 

   I know, it still sounds too easy. Family can involve arguments and grudges, love is hard to find and jobs... well, you gotta work a lot to reach your biggest dream. I agree, but what's stopping you from putting everything in order? YOU! If your family doesn't agree with the way you act or with your choices, choose not to let that affect you. If love is hard to find, does that mean you have to stop believing in it? It will come to you when you are ready for it. And if your dream job seems far away, why not start small and then slowly go up? 

   Believe me. Life is like soup. And soups might seem hard to make, but if you put a bit of effort, you'll surprise yourself. You can do more than you think you can. Don't wait for tomorrow to have a happy life! Start today! :)

365 days project 2. Day 78. The simple joys

  Some days nothing too special happens. No miracles, no wake-up realizations, no special discoveries, no big events. And that's good. Because if life would be a neverending up or down rollercoaster, when would we have time to get used to something? 

   Some days good quality time spent with your family, watching a movie, trying out new food and laughing while running in the rain and eating ice cream is all you need to keep you optimistic. And when you see a car like the one in the picture you know you're on the good path :)

365 days project 2. Day 77. It's all about FOOD

   Food makes people happy. Just remember the last meal you ate that made you say "Life's amazing!" You felt that dish right there helped you touch Nirvana, right? You know what I mean now? :)

   Food makes people go wild when they smell the delicious dishes prepared around them, so they crave what they see even if they didn't feel hungry before. 

   Food is life but also food is a passion. We all need food in order to survive and some have a passion for cooking so why not indulge in the addictive dishes made by talented chefs who come to a food festival?

   Food festivals bring people together by luring foodies out in the open, into a territory filled with amazing scents and colors and the best, carefree vibe that makes you realize it's summer and there's nothing better to do than go out, have a lazy stroll between the food vendors, pick something yummy and enjoy it while you sit down on the grass listening to the live music. 

   What can be better than a food festival? Everybody's happy and well fed :) Ah, life's amazing these days :) And so is The Street Food Festival in Cluj! :)  

365 days project 2. Day 76. Travelling with(out) objectives

   Our honeymoon is in 2 weeks and today I reminded myself that I should look into what there is to see in the cities we are visiting: 7 Italian cities in 11 days. Pretty intense, huh? So intense that it seems impossible to actually enjoy those amazing new cities if I make lists of things to see.
   At the end of the day what's best? Having a to do list you found online and leaving home with expectations that will or won't be met, run from one objective to the other and at the end of the day be happy just because you can cross them all out... or just allowing yourself to explore them at your own pace, stop when you am in awe and enjoy the true vibe of the city wherever that might be? Hmmm...

   I never liked having a preset schedule when I went travelling but on the other hand I don't want to be oblivious to the absolutely MUST SEE sights in a city either. So? What's the answer? Probably, just like in any case: a little bit of both:) Yes, be aware that in X city you can see Y, but I don't think you should make it a MUST. If you have time and you really want to see that objective, then go for it, but if you somehow happen to stumble onto something very amazing that takes your time and makes you really happy, there's always next time, isn't it? 

   Life should be taken slowly... and travelling as well. I love seeing everything there is in a new city, but sometimes all I need to do is slow down and just breathe in the whole atmosphere of the city and let it guide me towards its wonders:) Right?

365 days project 2. Day 75. My artistic journey

   Yesterday I told you how art saved me from being bored. Now I want to tell you how I grew to love art and what I discovered today:)

   My artistic journey started when I was a teenager... mmm... around 14. I was writing poems. They were veeeery cheesy and somehow childish. But they were me. And I loved writing them. In highschool I was advised to start a profile on deviantART to exhibit my photography and I'm very proud to say that is when my artistic path has really started flourishing. I learned so much from various artists on that website and I feel I grew very much. I loved macro and landscape photography and I experimented a lot with those two fields. At the end of high school I started writing short prose. Then during university I attended a literary circle and I improved my writing skills. That was another wonderful phase. I learned to appreciate literature and my writings. I learned to trust my inner feeling and to just write about anything that feels worthy sharing. Later on I tried making my own earrings, I was into quilling and lately I am very inspired to paint. 

   And that's how I got to today when I wanted to surprise a good friend who loves panda bears. I've never painted them before and I needed some practice but I am pretty happy with the result. I discovered while practicing painting that art is not about following rules like maths. Art is about feeling not about precision, it's important to set yourself free and just paint with your soul and then the hand will do the rest. I didn't know I would ever be passioned about painting, but you live and learn. And art will always find a way to express itself in creative people. Who knows what's next? I can't wait to be surprised :)

365 days project 2. Day 74. Busy vs Bored

    Sooooo, summer is here. And some of us don't work in summer. Yeah, I know you hate me by now but just bear with me a little and then you'll see you're actually in a better position... 

   Once summer holiday begins, everybody's happy we're all finally free to do W.H.A.T.E.V.E.R. we want. And that sounds like a holy chant. In the first week. Ok, maybe in the second week too. But in the third week of being at home and studying for your summer exam and doing nothing else... you're getting bored pretty easily. No TV show that before sounded so good is actually good enough to fight boredom away. You get creative cooking new dishes, you try to do something (new) every day, and still, some times you just feel dead bored. And then you start thinking: is it better to be busy all day or to be bored? My answer? Busy! A thousand times busy! I can't just sit around all day and look at the walls. You'd ask: so what's preventing you from going for a walk and exploring the city, finding a new hobby or just catching up with friends? The answer? I did those things. And summer holiday is still boring. Until you discover coloring books and you listen to your favorite songs while you switch colors around and mix them all together in a beautiful summer mess. So now I know: that's what lazy summer days are for: ART! :)

365 days project 2. Day 73. Childhood memories

   Proust had a madeleine. I have a blue flower! :)  
   Today I walked to the bus station and I passed by some blue, summery flowers. And then I stopped. I turned around and I smiled. One second later the movie of my childhood was playing in my mind: the summer days in the countryside when grandma was baking delicious desserts for me and my brother, my grandpa was teaching us to play chess and later on we were all eating fresh and healthy food from the back garden. Those days will always be sunny in my mind... sunny and carefree. 

   It's so interesting how a madeleine in Proust's case or a blue flower in my case can bring back so many memories, isn't it? Mysterious are the ways of our wonderful brain! How amazing is that? Good, happy memories are always with us, hidden in forgotten drawers and ready to get out when we expect them the least. And isn't that exactly what can make our day? :)

365 days project 2. Day 72. Beautiful encounters

  I love those days when beautiful encounters happen when you expect them the least. I get so inspired by meeting creative, sunny, wonderful people! They make me believe that the world is still a good place to live in. And today was one of those amazing days :) I had my first henna tattoo made and the decision definitely brought sun in my life: literally and figuratively :)

  As I was thinking about the beautiful encounters and how happy a simple henna tattoo can make you feel, tonight I had this revelation: our life is a real hourglass and the sand in it is moving fast. We're all going to die at some point even if we don't like to think about it. The conclusion? Do whatever you can to make sure you would pass away at peace with yourself and with the idea of dying. When you feel you want something so bad but "you shouldn't", that's when you should go for it! This doesn't involve buying a fifth pair of shoes though :))

   Let today be a day of reflection for you too. If a henna tattoo makes you happy, go for it! Do whatever will make you happy. Life is short and it's definitely worth living! :)

365 days project 2. Day 71. Glasses

   Today I went out in the middle of the nature for a bit and I enjoyed it so much I wished I could have taken it with me - the whole atmosphere, the sounds and the smell and the visual soothing images. So then I thought: how cool would it be if we could all have special glasses that we could put on and just "land" in a place like this whenever city life seems too stressful? 

   I know there are some prototypes made to help people overcome psychological disorders, but I'd love to see this produced for the whole population so that we could all use them whenever we can't escape to a secret, quiet, green place. Just imagine how calm you'd get in a matter of minutes if you had those glasses. Hmmm... maybe someday :)

365 days project 2. Day 70. Celebrating

   Do we really need a reason to get together with our friends and have fun? Do we have to find a specific event that calls for celebration? I think not :) Any day is perfect for eating a delicious meal out while we catch up with our dear ones. Life happens so fast lately that we sometimes forget to keep in touch with them. We keep planning to go out but it never happens. Then we wait for their birthday or their wedding or something like that. I hate to tell it to you but friendships aren't the same over Facebook. So go out and have fun! Life's worth celebrating every single day! :) What are you waiting for?