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My favourite podcasts

To bear with the Sydney public transport, I’ve become a big fan of podcasts. I only found podcasts a few months ago, and at the moment I listen to them almost daily. They seem to be a trending thing all around the world so it’s easy to find good ones on so many different topics. I’m also wanting to start recording my own podcast at some point but at the moment it’s just an idea.

Anyways, I thought I could share my favourite ones with you. Maybe you already are listening to some of these but I’m happy if you find even one new podcast to try.

How I Built This with Guy Raz

Interesting stories behind some of the best-known companies in the world. For example Joe Gebbia, the founder of Airbnb, tells Guy about his struggles trying to convince people that accommodating strangers in your home could actually be a business idea. My favourite episodes besides Airbnb are Instagram, Virgin and Lululemon Athletica.

Unladylike

A podcast I just recently discovered. It’s a feminist podcast about what happens when women “break the rules” and the hosts talk about issues that people very often stay silent about. My favourite episodes so far are “How to Break the Bronze Ceiling” and “How to Break the Silence”. The first one is about a monumental gender gap and the second one about domestic abuse, specifically about a case in Melbourne a few years ago.

Afterwork

A Finnish podcast about anything you would talk about over afterwork drinks. I’d say that this podcast is my personal favourite because it’s in Finnish and it’s hilarious. I also like the fact that the hosts do their research on the topics beforehand and sound like they know what they are talking about. My favourite episodes are “Introvertti vs. Ekstrovertti”, “Riikinkukko tunkiolla ja muita suomalaisia” and “Parisuhde 2.0”. I can’t wait for the ladies to get back from their summer holiday already.

Nonsense

Another hilarious podcast in Finnish, sorry! The name says it all, this podcast is nonsense. But it’s also about (quite) important things that we often don’t speak about out loud, especially in the public. “Veriviikot & terapian tarpeessa” and “Jättekiva, eller hur?” have been my faves so far.

What would you add to the list?

Power of meditation and other thoughts

Blog, Personal development, Wellbeing

Hey there, and Happy Sunday!

Hope your weekend has been good! Mine certainly has, even though I’ve been fighting a starting flu for a few days now. Yesterday started with a 1,5 hour yoga session at my yoga studio. I just love Saturday mornings there – a long yoga work out is just the best way to start a relaxing weekend. The rest of the day was very quiet and spent at home watching football and enjoying good food and wine.

This morning my boyfriend cooked a delicious breakfast for me while I stayed in bed to read and relax. I don’t know what is going on in my body but every single muscle is aching today. That’s why I wanted to go on a long walk by the water to get rid off the stiffness and to move my body a little bit. It’s been so nice to not have any plans for this weekend and just take it easy. Especially because the next two weekends will be very hectic since my little sister is going to be here! Words can’t describe how excited and happy I am!! 🙂

Anyway, what I really wanted to write about today is meditation.

Meditation is something I never saw myself taking up. I’ve always been the one who’s rushing from one place to another, and who wouldn’t have time to waste on nonsense such as meditation. On top of that, I’ve always thought that the purpose of meditation is to sit quietly and uncomfortably until you get into a state where you don’t have any thoughts in your mind. Well how wrong was I.

In my latest posts I’ve talked about feeling very uprooted. There have been times when I’ve felt very lost and not having been able to live in the moment. Earlier I would have just ignored those feelings and waited for things to change. But now I know that what really helps me, is taking a moment for myself and listen to my own thoughts, or taking a moment for focusing on the positive thoughts.

So how do I meditate?

What works for me is a space as quiet and calm as possible without too many distractions. I usually start by closing my eyes and by deepening my breath. I try to really focus on my breath and take a moment in between every inhale and exhale. If my intention is to relief stress I will just focus on my breath to calm my mind and to be in the moment.

Lately I have noticed that I’ve been in quite a negative mindset so my intention has been to transform my mind from negative to more positive. How this happens is by actively focusing on the positive thoughts and gratitude.

I must admit that I still have a long way to go when it comes to meditation. My mind starts to easily thrift for a few minutes before I notice myself thinking and stressing about things I was supposed to leave for later. But I sure am getting better and better, and it’s getting easier for me to stay present.

Have you tried meditation and do you have some good techniques you’d like to share? 🙂

Enjoy your day! xx

Mixed feelings, delicious breakfasts and sunny days

Australia, Blog, Wellbeing, Yoga & Training

Hey there!

It’s been a while! Even though there’s absolutely no need to explain myself, I still want to. It’s been a while because I haven’t had any motivation, whatsoever, to write my blog. There have been moments during the past couple weeks when I’ve felt incredibly uprooted. In those moments nothing else helps as much as dedicating all the free time I have to things that make me feel like home and to alone time.

It’s quite ironic to reflect back on my thoughts in January and to this post. Even though I still love routines, I miss the time when I had a freedom to basically only do things I enjoyed. My life has changed so radically during the last few months that sometimes I just need a moment to myself, a moment to just reflect on everything. And it always works wonders.

Besides all these not-so-happy thoughts the last few weeks have actually been very good! Sydney is starting to feel like such a nice city the more I get a chance to explore it. There are so many things to do in the city and the surrounding areas every week. And of course, there are so many cafés and restaurants to try! The only thing I’d want to change at the moment is the season. I’m so over winter, especially after coming here from European winter.

Anyway, here are some highlights from the last month.

We visited Blue Mountains National Park and did a 3-hour hike in the canyon through a rainforest. The views up the top are amazing! And of course had to visit The Three Sisters lookout to take some photos.

I’ve dedicated lots more time to yoga in the weekends. It has become such an important part of my life and wellbeing, so the more I have time to do yoga, the better. I’ve also taken classes again at the yoga studio near by, and I’m starting to really learn handstands!

Even though it’s winter and quite cold, most of the days are still sunny. And we all know that sunshine is a cure for everything and that it increases happiness levels. So I of course want to enjoy the sun as much as I can, either by having lunch outside at work, or going on walks and picnics on the weekends.

Week ago we went to a Vivid Sydney cruise. Vivid Sydney is a light show event that goes on for almost a month and starts in the end of May. On the cruise we enjoyed the views through massive windows on a glass boat and had a nice three course dinner. It was a super nice experience, but not something I would pay for again in the near future.

And then let’s talk about good breakfasts! I love mornings, and I’m always going to be a morning person. And I love breakfasts. Personally, I can’t understand people who skip this meal because why on earth would you skip something so special?! My personal favourite is always avocado on toast or Eggs Benedict. For a while I’ve wanted to try Celcius Coffee and Co in Kirribilli, and last Sunday this dream was finally realised. And oh boy was it a good place for a Sunday brunch!

Hope you enjoyed the photo overload. xx

Favourites from Last Couple of Weeks in Sydney

Australia, Blog

Hey,

Here are some photos and stories from last couple of weeks!

Two weeks ago we had a Sunday picnic in Wendy’s Secret Garden. It’s in such a good spot – even though you’re right in the city and have a view over Sydney Harbour, the garden is still nice and quiet. And because it’s starting to be a bit cooler here it wasn’t too busy either. The garden itself is massive and so beautiful, almost like a small rainforest! I can’t believe it’s been created and maintained by one lady alone.

Last weekend we were supposed to go hiking in a national park a few hours north from Sydney. The plans changed quickly when I found out it’s going to snow there! It was a freezing weekend so hiking changed to hot chocolates, warm blanket and movies. Now it’s back to 20 degrees and sunshine, which is nice but I still find it quite cold. It’s weird how in Finland I’d probably throw bikinis on in 20 degrees and here I wear a winter coat and woolen socks because it feels so cold. Must admit that I really miss summer!

This week has gone by super quickly! I have been doing Asana Rebel workouts more regularly again (really like their new update) and have had some nice things to look forward to! On Thursday I had some afterwork drinks with two friends and on Friday I met my boyfriend in Newtown for drinks and dinner. Newtown is definitely one of the most vibrant and trendiest suburbs in Sydney with lots of bars and (vegan) restaurants. I’m definitely looking forward to spending more time there and trying new places for food and drinks!

Yesterday we spent the night at our friends place watching the royal wedding and playing his own super fun card game called Bitcon which is going to be released soon. It’s becoming a tradition to eat well and enjoy good wine together, so he made us the most amazing vegetarian burgers. And what is wine without a cheese board and some Finnish chocolate? My mouth is still watering.

Plans for today are eating home made pizza and enjoying some sunshine. These days it’s pitch-black when I come home from work so I’m really trying to enjoy daylight and outdoors whenever I get a chance.

How to take care of your gut health and enhance beauty from within?

Blog, Wellbeing

As we all know, beauty starts from within and what you eat can affect your wellbeing in so many ways. The key to feeling good in your own skin and being well is of course in healthy and balanced lifestyle. My diet has always been very balanced and full of wholefoods and exercising has always played a big part in my life. However, sometimes I just feel extra tired and that’s when I check I’m following all these principles below.

Eat wholefoods and stay away from processed foods

Eating wholefoods is the foundation of a balanced diet and gut health. Eating wholefoods means sticking to eating lots of greens, lean proteins, good fats and clean food. Highly processed foods rarely are what they say they are and usually contain lots of sugar, salt and bad fats.

Drink lots of water

Staying hydrated is very important for both your gut health and your skin. Always have a water bottle with you, preferably a re-usable one. Starting your day with a big glass of water is a good way to get your system on after a long night, especially if you squeeze some lemon juice or add apple cider vinegar in with the water, as I mentioned in this post. However, drinking excessive amount of water a day is not beneficial in any way so try to stick to 2-3 liter, or more on hot days.

Stay away from snacking and sugar

Snacking constantly throughout the day is not good for your digestion, teeth, blood sugar levels nor shape. Try to stick to eating 3-5 meals a day and choose low GI foods that make you stay fuller longer. If you want to occasionally snack on something, choose healthier options, such as nuts, fruits or dark chocolate, and remember moderation.

Limit your gluten and dairy consumption

Even though different things work on different people, I think all of us should stay away from gluten and dairy as much as we can. Gluten causes all sorts of problem in the world, not only with gut health and skin, but also with blood pressure and obesity. Consuming dairy products has been associated with cellulite and eczema, for example.

Exercise regularly and get some fresh air

Can’t highlight this one enough. Especially now, when I’m spending 8 hours a day sitting at a desk I feel like my body really needs fresh air and exercising after every day. Even if it’s just a power walk, stretching and deep breathing it makes a big difference in a way I feel afterwards. Exercising is not about finding out how you can burn most calories every now and then. It’s about finding what you enjoy doing to make it a consistent habit. Sweating and breathing deep are also one of the best ways to detox your body and enhance beauty from within.

The everyday life of a bilingual couple

Australia, Blog, Traveling

I’ve been thinking for a long time that I could write about relationship stuff. First about long distance relationship and how to make it work. Then about the end of a long distance relationship. But then I thought why not to make it a bit funnier. So I’m writing about the life of a bilingual couple. Because often times the everyday life of a bilingual couple can be quite hilarious.

Coming up with my own words

Have you ever heard of screepers? No wonder you haven’t because they don’t exist. But to me the word means wind screen wipers. This is the latest word I’ve come up with when I’ve had a very basic conversation with my boyfriend. He of course had no idea what I was talking about but I was very convinced I was using the right term.

Making my own translations

You know, for example some Finnish idioms that apparently don’t work in English. “There must be a dog buried here.” The same goes the other way too, I never have any idea what’s going on when my boyfriend uses an idiom. The other thing is when I decide to just not change the word order when I translate something in English. Or when I pronounce something with a surprisingly strong Finnish accent and make no sense at all.

Sleep talking

Just randomly starting to speak Finnish to my boyfriend when I’m just about to fall asleep or being super sleepy. I remember doing this quite a lot when I visited him in Canada over a year ago and was super jet lagged.

Too tired to go through the trouble of translating

Very common when we’re watching a movie in the evenings and something exciting or unexpected happens. I feel like commenting on it but at the time I’ve come up with a comment in English it’s already way too late. So better to just stay quiet.

Explaining something very complicated

You know when you’ve read about something very complicated and exciting and you want to talk about it? For example something that has happened in the world politics or a new medical innovation. And then you try to tell someone about what you’ve read and completely forget all the terms. And neither you nor your partner have any idea what you’re talking about.

Saying “See you later!” to everyone

A completely normal thing to say in Australia. But when we were traveling last year around Europe with my boyfriend I had to stop him from saying this to everyone. Just because if you say that to randoms, especially in Finland, people get weirded out. Like when is later? Do I really see you? Where?

Despite all these things I think we’re going strong. The most difficult part of being a bilingual couple is of course the humour, since it can be very characteristic to one country or culture and very strange to the other. But still, I think we have managed to create our own language since my boyfriend seems to understand me better and better even though I make less and less effort to ensure my English is “perfect”.