Now that the year is approaching its end and people have been making a fuss about the maya calendar thing with the end of the world (which made me soooo annoyed), a memory came to me. I was in Istanbul with some wonderful people this fall and one night over dinner, one of them asked: "What would you do if you had one day left to live?" That's probably one of the hardest and most mysterious questions in the world to ponder. When you are asked that question, the first thing you do is feel stupid. Why think something like that since the probability of having such a situation is ridiculously small? The second thing you do is twist all kinds of crazy, impossible and a little inappropriate scenarios of those very short 24 hours. However, that question is extremely valuable, 'cause while you try to answer it, you have to dig deep within yourself to find out what it is you really want out of life. Having come up with a plan that is not only great in theory but also executable, you hopefully start to think about the most obvious question at the moment: if that is what you want to do with you life, why don't you do it anyway? Why wait until the end of the world to finally speak up or gather the courage to do what you really desire if you can do it while you still have the rest of your life to enjoy it? It's easy to say, you might think now, and I know that perfectly well. I doubt there are many people who would really put their great visions into practise after having this instructive moment, which is kind of sad, actually. That would be a perfect way to gain a life rich in experience if you executed every secret desire and wish without caring about social pressure, embarrasing yourself or fitting into the role you've assimilated. So my advice for you is to live your life to the fullest, take a chance while you can and not to avoid risks unless they're really dangerous. If I know something for sure, it is that I don't want to sit in a rocking chair at the age of 90 and think back my life only to realise that I should've lived it differently. Maybe this could be the New Year's resolution for all of us. Let's all make the best out of every single day we live! 'Cause after all, girl's just wanna have fun.
Long time since my last post, sorry for those who have anxiously waited for something to read. Anyway, now I have time and inspiration, mostly thanks to my lovely friends and this freaking cold Finnish winter! We were celebrating my friend's 18th birthday yesterday and now in the morning after-mood I did some thinking around something often associated with Finnish people; persistence and willpower. We Finns have exhibited those for centuries while working on fields and blaablaa etc. but in my opinion it's the little things in life that show if you have it or not. The reason the partying made me think of this, was the oh-so-lovely pain in my feet after dancing all night in high heels. Yeah, I know, it would be more simple to wear flats and be more comfortable, but the point here is that we danced and had fun being completely aware of the state of our poor feet but we kept going on. Why? Because we don't let little things like that stop us from having a good time. We could have left home immediately when we couldn't feel our toes anymore, but no, we're tough. (Not feeling our toes was maybe a little exaggeration, but I'm trying to prove a point here.) My another example of this amazingly strong will and self-control is even better. After waking up my friend and I looked at the thermometer which kindly announced that it's -27 degrees celcius or so. After being horrified about that for a while, we were like: "Hey should we go for a walk with the dog?" " Yeah, let's go!" See what I mean? It is certain that every single one of us recognises these two features in themselves more or less, 'cause without them there is no success, no competing, no achievements. Persistence drives us to exceed ourselves again and again making it possible to grow as a person and gain experiences. I guess willpower is pretty close to the previous term, but I see the difference in its effect on our behaviour. Willpower is what gets us back on our feet after falling down (and no, this isn't referring to our last night in case you thought so) and forbids us from giving up. I like to think I do possess these qualities. I hate giving up. I want to finish what I start. I don't want to leave something undone and regret my inability afterwards. I could say I'm driven by ambition and I'm really glad of it. That's something I will definitely hold on to. And no, it wasn't about the lack of willpower that it took me weeks to write this post. Here's a great song for all you great, strong, persistent people out there!
Being tired is exhausting. The fight against your eyelids seems incredibly hard and sometimes you just can't resist it. Trying to concentrate is practically impossible and even the most devoted perfectionist isn't able to finish the task as perfectly as otherwise. On those occasions, there is nothing more tempting than a good night's sleep and a soft bed to sink in, especially if you start imagining it during a math lesson. Well, especially here in Finland we all feel like that during the late fall and winter, when it's pitch dark when we leave to school and exactly similar when we come back home. The few, weak rays of light we get from windows help us survive. Anyway, yesterday I had one of those days when all you wanna do is sleep, so I thought about this a little. I came to a conclusion that there are at least three types of tiredness. The first one is pretty much what I just described, tiredness from having slept too little or being physically so tired. Reasons for that can be doing lots of sports, homework, shopping or whatever that uses your energy. It is the easiest to get rid of, though: all you have to do is go to sleep. The second type of tiredness comes also from physical work, but it doesn't make you want to pass out of tiredness. It is a mix of pleasure, muscle relaxation and low energy. That feeling you get after a really good training or a gym session or something like that. You just know you've used your muscles and it feels so good. Add that to a ride home in a warm, silent bus and a perfect moment is created. The third kind of tiredness is more psychological than physical. Stress, worries, hurry and awaiting duties are what usually cause it. Physically you might feel like running a marathon, but inside your head you just feel like wanting to take a break. It is exhaustion, and in my opinion a way to protect your brain from a burn-out. Sleeping helps with that, but also finishing what you need to do and removing the source of stress. For some, shedding a few tears has a miraculous effect as well. All in all, sleeping is one of the best things in the world if you're tired and I warmly recommend it. Having said that, I would like to say "good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!"
Happiness. A magical, almost worshiped term for -- what exactly? I have been wondering it sometimes and made some notices about this matter. First of all, it is a word that is impossible to define. It is something so personal, so subjective, so hard to explain but yet so visible. There are numerous books and guides written to help you achieve it and people seek for it continuously in their lives. It is not a permanent state, nor is it just a normal feeling. I don't know what it should be called, to be honest. A state of mind? A temporary condition that reaches your every single cell and also the intangible parts of you? Well, that starts to be too philosophical to wrap my head around. I found it pretty odd when I was studying psychology and saw that a measure for your happiness level exists. Uhm.. not to undermine any fancy researches but I think it's not very reliable. You can't put it as a number and compare your level with someone else's. It is just wrong and tells you nothing. Yeah, I admit that it can be useful at times and might point you the right direction, but still. In my opinion a better measure of happiness is a smile. Not only the movement of your lips and facial muscles, no. It's the smile from the inside that can be seen in your eyes, the way that you carry yourself, every gesture you make and the vibe you send to people around you. Happiness is something you cannot fake. It is too true and genuine to be copied perfectly even by the greatest actors of our time. Well, what brings happiness then? I dare claim that it is nothing material. Like the title hints, I strongly disagree with some people's intentions to buy it in a form of a new car, a plastic surgery, a wife, a video game or whatever it is they can think of. Speaking from own experience, I would say that one way to feel happy is to have you life organised and in control. Sometimes I get stressed over school stuff or all the other things I do, and those are times when I cannot feel truly happy. In case someone now thinks that she's got it all wrong, let me continue. It isn't that simple. Happiness is built on several things, and another is friends and other people close to you. I don't know what I would do without all my wonderful friends who I can talk to and tell my worries to and have fun with. They also happen to help me a looooot, whether it is just about using technical devices, choosing an outfit to wear or comforting with personal issues. The third main factor in my opinion is health. Being healthy I am free to do things, like sports ( I do kickboxing, which is soooo fun), going out, having pets, eating whatever I want etc. Also I don't have any heavy weights to carry on my shoulders since I know there's nothing wrong with me, and that is what helps a lot with self-esteem and being comfortable in my own skin. Besides, I'm the one person I have to stand for the rest of my life, so why not enjoy it? Hahaha that sounded kind of weird but it's true. To sum up my partly confusing opinion, I could say that it is not about money, it is not about how you look, it is not about if you got the nicest teacher for math course nor is it about how expensive a car you own. You can succeed on your own, an old car gets you from one place to anohter just like a brand new one, you can weight 200 kilos -- you can still feel the happiest person ever existed.You just have to realise to stop seeking and start seeing it's right there in front of you. Wow, the longest post ever! And hugs to my first readers, I am glad you care about my thoughts! Here's a song related to the theme, I hope everybody can feel a little happier after reading this :)
Sometimes you have your mind full of thoughts. Sometimes you feel like it's the most abandoned place that exists 'cause it feels like there's nothing going on there. Sometimes you talk non-stop about anything and everything, and sometimes it's enough just to stay in silence. A picture is worth a thousad words, right? So I guess speaking is overrated, at least at times. In my opinion it's pretty stupid that people sometimes say how they don't know what to say or write about having nothing to write. In case you didn't notice, you're undermining your own claim as you keep going on about it. I can start a post having nothing to say, and look, suddenly the page is full of text. A human mind cannot be empty, I say. If claimed otherwise, it is only a matter of not wanting to speak up or wanting to save energy by being quiet. When it is the time, we have to speak. It's fun, it's social, it solves problems, it keeps us entertained, it gives us knowledge. And I love it. But then there are times, when it's okay not to speak. It's okay just to stay still and use your other senses. Or simply shut everything down and just be. A little silence is good for everyone every now and then. Makes you turn your focus on the inside instead of the outside. Besides, expanding your way of thinking outside yourself is worth it sometimes. This is indeed a born-in-the-moment and came-out-of-nowhere kind of post, but whatever. The point of this blog is to have any point I feel like having at the moment. Here's a song for you guys, and to all the Finnish people; happy independence day tomorrow!
It's Christmas soon! Well okay, it's still almost a month away, but anyway, I am starting to get in the mood! I just love this time before Christmas, when people decorate places with lights and ornaments, the stores sell stuff related to the theme, you open the chocolate calendar every morning, there is music and Christmas trees.... Although the excitement there used to be as a kid may be gone a little, there's still some magic in the air. I am so glad that it's below zero and there's snow on the ground, 'cause otherwise it wouldn't feel the same at all. All those things I just wrote create a situation that we are all in together. Everyone's doing the same things, everyone's preparing for those few special days and that is what unites us. It's all about traditions, family, friends, giving and just spending time. I know that for some it may not be so perfect and some don't like it at all, but I definitely belong to those who love this time! I start to play Christmas carols on piano already in November. When I was little, the point of this holiday was to get presents and see Santa Claus. Now that I'm a little older, it's always harder and harder to come up with what I'd like to have as a present while the deeper point of this is starting to clarify. It is one of those rare periods of time when nobody's hurrying anywhere else and we spend time together with family. Besides, I love Christmas food, so I guess nowadays those are what I am looking forward to the most. I love gifts as well, yeah I admit, but they wouldn't mean anything if they weren't a part of something meaningful. One of my absolutely favorite traditions on the morning of Christmas Eve is to watch the Snowman on TV. I've seen it every year as long as I can remember, and without it there is no perfect Christmas for me, so now I'd like to share that with you. Let's try to find the winter wonderland and enjoy the waiting of Christmas!
Do you know the feeling of a perfect, relaxing day at home? It's something that I need every now and then not to lose my sanity. It's simply so easy: you don't have to put on any make-up, you can wear whatever it is that is first on the pile, no fixing your hair, no hurry anywhere. You can watch a movie or surf the Internet, read a book, cook something or bake a cake or whatever you like. Not even studying can make you stressed during a day like that. I'm writing about this 'cause I have had exactly that kind of a day today. Practically I've done a lot; I've cooked for my family 'cause I was told to do so and I've studied Spanish for hours, but on the other hand I feel like I've done nothing, in a good way. Since that doesn't happen so often, it makes me realise how valuable it is to be able to just enjoy your freetime. Usually on school nights I spend my evenings with homework or trainings or something that I must do and many weekends go like that as well or then I'm not at home at all. That's why a day like this one is so refreshing. Even more enjoyable it becomes when I think about my calendar and notice that the next three weekends are already full of plans. Don't get me wrong, though, I'm not the type of a person who doesn't like to go out on a Friday night to have fun or doesn't like to travel far away, I love that as well. But however, I think it makes a perfect balance when I get some quality time at home as well. I guess I could call it the little luxury in the middle of all the hurry and work, at least now as a student. And since I won't live here for so long anymore, I have decided to take everything out of it. Having my own place will be great and I know I'll enjoy it as well, but there's just the special feeling at home. Here's a song around the theme today as well, and remember to enjoy the small things we take for granted way too often!
I know I am a little perfectionist. If i know I can achieve something and I want to achieve it, it's not enough that I do OK with it, I want to do it perfectly, like an exam of a subject I know I'm good at or a birthday card that I will make for hours if needed in order to get the best possible result. Some people complain about my need to do so well in everything, but I disagree with them. It's not about showing off or wanting to prove that everyone else is beneath me, not at all. If i have a goal that matches my chances or goes a little higher, it is the one thing that motivates me the most and isn't that exactly what people should have? Yeah, motivation. Allright, I admit that sometimes it is also about being the best, which can also work as a motivation. It is just comforting to know that someone is suffering more than you are and then it's nice to know that your hard work paid off. And there is just that little something, the victorius excitement of winning that you can taste when you know you were the best. Yeah, I recognise being a competitive person. But even in general, a competition is what drives people to do things they never imagined, bend their limits, go to the dark side and manipulate and lie and cheat, force themselves to physically or mentally incredible achievements and they're willing to sacrifice a lot. The extremes of that can mostly be seen in reality shows but some of those also in normal everyday life. But what annoys me with competitions where there is an actual prize, is that there is usually just one winner. Unfortuntely, that makes the rest of them losers. It can be a sports competition or an exam or whatever, the winner is always remembered and praised the most. What about the guy who always was among the worst 3 and now reached up to the top 10? I guess he knows he did well, but does anyone else? No. That is also the thing with ice-hockey, for example. It's the most irritating thing in sports and I never will get tired of getting annoyed by it. If you are competing for the bronze medal, it's such a huge victory and a source of joy when you get it. But then when you're fighting for the gold and you happen to lose and only get silver, it is like the end of the world. Ehh... Silver is more valuable than bronze? Silver means you're the second, not the third or fourth? So please, sports people, when you lose the gold, smile. 'Cause you have still achieved great things. My point is, that although I know how nice winning is, it is overrated. It's not always about it. Hmm.. Am I undermining my own words? Could be, but somehow, to me it makes perfectly sense. I hope you managed to follow my thoughts... And now the Winner takes it all.
Today I started to think about the constant hurry people seem to be in nowadays. The thought came to me when I had a driving lesson and I started to speed up to the limit and people just went and passed me like I was driving like an old granny (which I wasn't, and this wasn't supposed to be an insult to well-driving old grannies...) I doubt there is a baby borning every second or an emergency somewhere, so why do everyone always have to be the one leading the line of cars? Isn't it nice to enjoy the views and relax behind the wheel before you have to go out there and start working or cooking or doing your homework or whatever it is you do after parking the car? This phenomenen can't only be seen on highways, but also especially in the city centers. People walk almost the speed of running while trying to get from one place to another, looking down to the ground hoping that nobody stops them and wastes their precious time. Okay I know this is a generalisation and for example young people make an exception to this, but I am convinced that it is happening among adults. Or then it's just Finnish people or the fact that it is near to 0 degrees celcius now and people are just freezing. But anyway, in my opinion it would be nice if people would slow down a little and enjoy everything they see around them. So often we take for granted the things we see everyday, which is sad becuse then we easily miss the little sources of joy and maybe a few laughters. I guess that nowadays time is more valuable than ever before. A few minutes make a huge difference and everything should be done fast. Okay I admit I belong to this modern population because I like to live according to a schedule and I hate being late. But sometimes there is nothing better than just to walk very slowly, breathe in the fresh air, smell the scent of the nature or the city, watch a squirrel run from one tree to another and feel the moment. Actually, there should be new kinds of amusement parks, where hurrying was forbidden. People could just have fun and relax with a speed-limit to walking. That could attract a lot of tired businessmen, huh? Hmmm maybe I should start a business.... So, let's take it slow today and listen to a song called Faster by Within Temptation
This is my first blog ever, so I'm really excited to start writing! A friend of mine gave me the idea to do it, and I started to wonder if I really should do it. I thought that I don't want to write a boring blog where I tell you everyday what I did and what I was wearing, it's just not my style and I doubt it would make a very interesting blog. So instead, I will try to make some sense of the many, manythoughts that are constantly running around in my head, sometimes even so fast that I can't catch them in time. I've noticed that having an opinion is usually easy, but when you are asked to explain your point of view, it can get hard. That's why I want to take a moment every now and then to stop and really think about all the things we face every day. Nothing boringly serious, though, I don't want to fall asleep while writing something. I also have a secret agenda in this; I want to clarify what kind of a person I am, who I want to become, what I still have to learn and I want to enjoy every second of finding it out :) Here's a song that will hopefully give a good start to my mission and express my excited mood at the moment. Have a nice day and I hope I'll have time to write again soon!
