Is "Finding Happiness" the next new trend?

If we could only wake up one day and say "I am happy! I am really happy!" How possible this is? How easy is to switch mindset? How easy is to stop unhappy noises in your head and around you? How easy is to stop accusing other factors, people or situations for your own un-happiness? You will have probably think: This is how I am, I was born  seeing the glass half-empty." So with all these questions in mind, and more, i started looking for answers. My search land me to an online course. The subject: "The science of Well-being" by professor Laurie Santos. Well, apparently finding happiness is in the bucket list of million people, that they are in the hunt of how to touch, feel, achieve it, because by now almost 2.5 million have sign up to this course! Making it the most popular course in the history of Yale university!  And there is a reason apart from the "Stay at home" orders .This course is the best start you can make if you are in the look out for ways to achieve happiness! And keeps on giving you more than the answers you are looking for...

Is this virus a spiritual wake up call?

For most of the people in the world, what we are going through at this point of time is a confusing feeling that they cannot explain, therefore feelings of fear, depression, and anxiety are growing into them. For those that are more spiritual connected with the world, their selves, and are seeing things through a different spectrum, it is a time of personal growth, awaking, and unity. Everyone now has the power to either spread the fear or spread the light and love. As Sahara Rose, an expert in mind and body, Ayurveda specialist, and approved by the master Deepak Chopra with hundreds of followers, says at her latest newsletter "In times of fear, we are meant to embody the sun."

How acupuncture helped me

I love alternative medicine. I am fascinated about ancient civilizations and the healing methods they were using. Uses of herbs, flowers, spices, oils, meditation, natural approaches. Massages and therapies used as natural healers. Emotional healing and physical healing is possible through these path. Because most of the time these two are connected. I found that this methods have such a wholesome approach with main focus to bring to the person balance on mind and body. So after my great osteopathy experience and still having flair ups with my aching shoulder i reached out to a friend that is an acupuncture therapist and performs a 5 element acupuncture, to seek for help. Little didn't i know what i was about to find out... my shoulder was just an outcome, and outcry of something deeper... I was ready to let my qi (chee) flow!

My Greek Summer - Mykonos island

Oh holidays! Music to me ears, especially this year that our life has been so hectic with traveling, saying (again) goodbyes to people we care, and most importantly with moving continents... one more time. So before we leave behind our lovely Netherlands, we packed our 4 suitcases with whatever they could fit for the summer, we load the rest of the house to a container for an oversea destination and off we left for our dream holidays place, Greece. This year we head to Mykonos. One of the most famous islands in Greece together with Santorini. Our only mission to just relax, eat, sleep and enjoy the Mediterranean sea and sun. No parties for 2 tired parents of 2. But is this possible, when Mykonos is known for its VIP profile, its crazy parties and extravagant events? Well, yes! if you know where to go you can have quite family holidays like anywhere else in Greece and if you feel like it you can always rub shoulders with the rich and famous visitors of the island. Here is my photo journal of our trip. Seat, look, and enjoy the view!

Next chapter soon: Why i will miss the (North) Netherlands...

Another move, another set of goodbyes, another time for wet eyes, and emotional farewell dinners and coffee mornings. The Netherlands welcomed our family so warm, that it is very difficult to let things go. I never expected to feel so at home in a country where, we just came for work, where i don't speak the language, (although my time in Belgium helped me a lot) where i knew nobody, and where i had to start from 0. Well everything happened so easily, effortless, and calm. We found a house close to my ideal kind of house, in an area where you can easily find anything you need on a walking or biking distance. In a beautiful setting surrounded by nature and animals. Where the rhythms of life are relaxed and organized. Nothing fancy or glamorous, just pure normal living. And of course i had the luck to be at the right place at the right time to meet my first friend here at the gym, who she generously open her house, her hug and her other friendships and shared them with me. They say, or i say, you only need one person to connect so to stop feeling alone in a new place. Well, i had the privilege to meet more than one wonderful women, mothers and seekers of a better life for them and their family. Netherlands has been a box full with surprises!

The Positive Thinking Trend: not cool for everyone!

Hello! Spring has arrived here in the Netherlands and things have started looking more colorful and more positive already, the temperatures though not there yet! So, this post it is not by me. I have the pleasure to have a dear blogger/writer friend, guest writing here on my blog. Lety Ponte is originally from France. but she has been traveling a lot for studies and later because of the work of her husband, so she is a serial expat mom like me! For now she lives here in the Netherlands and apart from a wonderful husband and daughter has a very beautiful site where she shares what she loves most "Life, Positive eating, Mindfulness and Spirit Guidance are ‘my things’" as she mentions at her site. Lety loves the earth. Forests and magical gardens are her hideaways, but she is also working a lot towards reaching and improving her higher self and has the gift to bring beautiful messages from high above to others. Many of this messages you can find them at her site or by simple asking her for guidance. Here she shares with us about the pressure of the "trend" of positive thinking and what are actually the real tools so to conquer  this! Enjoy and follow Lety here if you want some more light in to your life.

Greece's beauty motivates the Greeks

Greece is in an economic turmoil for a long time now. Is on the news everywhere in the world almost every month. Bubbles that burst and flooded the streets, the businesses and the homes with despair, financial uncertainty, unemployment and sadness. But Greeks are trying to take everything day by day, and right now the only motivation I see in their eyes is the country by itself. Greece is the gas that makes the motor run everyday. The beauty that this land was given is the driving force for Greeks to wake up and move on with their day. The hope of a bright, sunny day that will warm their skin and light the darkest spots of the cities. The blooming trees and flowers along the roads. The smell of lilac flower, and jasmine from the house fences. The barefoot feeling on the sandy beaches and the first touch of the Mediterranean sea after months of waiting. Greece is a feeling, it gets in to you even if you are not Greek, and it stays with you forever.

2017 health resolution: Go to an Osteopath!

When I was back in Greece and working for the media sector, I was at one point specialized to write and report for alternative medicine and therapies. I was also keen to find new super foods, the next big effective diet and therapy or technique, anything new, interesting and different.  So for example I knew about the Alexander technique (great therapy for dancers and people with problem with their posture), but for one reason i never came across osteopathy, although it is not a new therapy since it was founded in the late 1800s by physician and surgeon Andrew Taylor from Missouri, USA. I knew physiotherapy and the work of a chiropractor, but osteopathy was never one of those techniques and therapies that fallen under my attention. Not until I moved to the Netherlands. And funny enough the first encounter was for my baby boy, and not for me!

My festive Dutch photo-diary (long version!)

Autumn in the Netherlands has been great! It is mid November and the weather decided to wear its fall costume just last week. But it has been great also because it is full of so many activities, festivities and celebrations that it seems like a looong party! Well for our family its the first fall in The Netherlands so we had to explore everything! So with the help of the good, sunny weather we visited other cities, we followed flower parades, we sang and took candies on the night of St. Martins and of course we met Sinterklaas and his helper(s) Piet(s)! Sooo exciting months for the kids and all the families. Here are some of the wonderful things we saw the previous months. Enjoy the Dutch festivity greatness!

My Greek summer - Paros island

Another summer, another trip back to homeland. Every year we joke with my husband that we finally have to travel somewhere else, it is enough with Greece. But we never manage to tick all the boxes of our list when we look somewhere else. The safe sea, the food, the sunny days with some so needed breeze on August, with family and friends, with bright blue colors, with trees next to the sea to keep you cool. Greece has places for every taste, every budget and with an energy that will make you want to go back year, after year. Greece might be home for us, but it is also the best place to create beautiful summer memories.

Seize the moments

Living the moments

I love taking pictures. You can capture moments that will follow you forever and sometimes they may even have a huge impact to someones life. How many times have you gone back to those photo albums from your childhood, from your school years, your graduation day, holidays with friends and family, your wedding day, your first baby, second baby... and you have laughed, cried, comment, remembered, being surprised?

My Oxford - Part 2

Winter garden life

This year the winter left a heavy mark, but at the same time these long, cold days had some very beautiful moments!

These are my favorite moments of nature that i captured with my camera.

Winter view 

My Oxford Part 1

My Oxford

Autumn - Winter snapshots

I love moments, therefore i love pictures. They can capture a perfect scene, giving you the chance to go back and remember it again and again.

Here are some of the moments that i have captured with my camera, around Oxford's countryside. There are more to come!

Around Abingdon