Magic

This time of the year again! The colours, the smells, the sparkle, the love…I consider christmas time so wonderful yet so overwhelming. Especially for a woman. Who is a mother. And also has a career. And a self to take good care of because too many people depend upon her wellbeing.

Society demands a lot from us once more. Even on holiday. A woman should be a great hostess, decide upon festive menus and gift wrappings along with taking care of her children and household and work deadlines until New year’s eve! I know you get me, you’ve been there one two many times. Holidays come and go and the only thing we are left with sometimes is …fatigue instead of joy.

The past few days I tried to recall the last time christmas felt true magical. Well it goes back a long way! I was a high school student and, as being part of the school chorus, I visited elderly accomodation for christmas carol singing. It was a rainy christmas eve and when we arrived at the accomodation the lights went out. So caretakers lit up some caldles, old ladies gathered around us and we started singing. At first I was a little bit distracted but as singing went on I lifted up my head and looked at people’s faces around me. I was astonished to see beautiful people sparkle upon candlelight, all smiling and happy with eyes full of love and hope. As if they were touched by a fairy’s stick. It sure was a true magical moment…

So I am making a promise to myself - to stop trying to cope with what is being demanded of me and commit to what feels true. To quit meaningless activities and aquaintancies altogether. To create rituals that suit me and my beloved ones. To follow my instinct and try to discover magic again in my life - because it exists, I have already experienced it once.

Wishing a merry little christmas to all!

May love and self awareness guide our lives.

Bra stories

So there is the bra. I don’t suppose we could find a more controversial item of the female wardrobe-even though thongs have been rather spotlighted lately…But still. From the - never happened - burning of the bra by the feminists of the past century to the numerous You Tube videos on going braless, the bra still provokes societal norms.

What is the bra anyway? Just a little piece of fabric encircling metal wire created to support female breasts - a support maybe no one ever asked for or needed? Searching around scientific articles made it obvious; there is no evidence that the female body actually needs it. According to Jean-Denis Rouillon of the University of France - Compte, who conducted a 15 year long study, “ medically, physiologically, anatomically-breasts gain no benefit from being denied gravity.” So braless could do us no harm.

I was one of those girls whose breasts grew up overnight at twelve becoming a 75 b and …stayed there even after giving birth. At first I was really excited to having acquired access to the world of lingerie. My inclination to textile made me enthusiastic about the lace, the silk, the colours…but I soon enough came face to face with the discomfort that comes with it. Lace made me itchy and I loathe bra underwire! So after years of denying what felt natural to me I decided to quit laced underwired bras once and for all. And never looked back ever since. Because that is what works for me and my well being.

Can’t help but wonder why we, women, continue to invest in garments that make us uncomfortable. I guess it is the societal consideration of appropriate or pretty or sexy that still messes up with our brains. And marketing strategies target exactly upon this lack of female self-esteem that has been cultivated for centuries.

But times are changing. We are lucky enough to live in those times. So if you want to quit wearing whatever makes you less of yourself… today is the day. Go braless, thongless, makeupless - just go and dress you for you by choosing brands that support freedom of expression.

Free is the new sexy.

*photography from 'Emoji' by Steph Wilson for Dazed

Lemons

We make so much effort these days to be cautious about the way we choose to live. To keep away from junk food, drink plenty of water, consume the right supplements, try the next beauty regimen after the other, find the perfect workout method....feeling exhausted already?! I, for sure, am.

So trying to simplify things to empty space in my life for the important staff is the way to go these days. My obsession? The lemon juice. When life gives me lemons I just squeeze them out and use the yellowish potion to my liking, as:

• a face lotion,

• few drops in my morning water,

• zest in every meal,

• part of my salty homemade body scrub

• mixed with honey and ginger for warming cough syrup

• ………

…..you get the picture! It doesn’t have to be difficult to take care of yourself. But it is necessary in order to gain the energy to go and live your best life! And because being female in this world means tons of chores through out each day I have to remind you……. it can be fun too!! My favorite use of lemon juice? Few drops in an iced vodka shot. You can thank me later……