It's so easy to fall in a rut and become stuck. Especially during the winter months, when you have already had enough of the snowy and gloomy weather and just want to smell the flowers and soak yourself in some vitamin D. It's the end of February and I think we have all had enough of parkas, scarves and boots. I for one can't wait to wear my sneakers, put on some ripped jeans and cycle to work. Spring, if you can hear me, could you please come sooner?

Lately I felt really inspired to spice my life up a bit and incorporate new habits in my daily routine. I feel so good when I am productive, work out and have a clear mindset but sometimes it is kind of hard to stick to all those things. However, the days are getting longer and so is my to do list. If you want to give your life a mini makeover as well, you can check out some of my tips and tricks on how to spring clean your life.

Make a list of things you don’t want to be

I am sure we all have some things we would like to change about ourselves. One of my biggest struggles for example is how to stay motivated. I can workout and eat healthy like three days in a row and on the fourth day I will probably eat an entire chocolate and give up. Over the years I have written many lists of what I want to be and who I want to be but now I started doing something different. Instead I wrote some things I don’t want to be. For example, I don’t want to be lazy. I don’t want my fear of xy prevent me from doing yx. I think that this way you see things more clearly and you don’t have to postpone your dreams to your future. You just want to change your current state.

Night routine

I used to binge watch series until I fell asleep. I think that that is not a such a great way to spend your evenings (at least not for me), so I decided to change it up a bit. Now I only watch one episode and afterwards listen to some music or read. I find that this kind of routine helps me wind down faster, makes me feel more relaxed which consequently helps me sleep better.

Goal setting

I feel like it is so easy to lose sight on the goals you set for yourself and that is why I decided to write down my monthly goals at the start of each month. This way the goals you want to achieve are divided into smaller ones and each month represents a step further. I find it so much easier to keep up with them that way and check them off my list.

What about you - what is your recipe for staying motivated? :) 

Petit Biscuit - Problems Ft. Lido

Three songs, three stories

There are, and always will be, songs that remind us of a certain memory, person or feeling. It's so funny to think that I listened to a particular song a couple of years ago, yet when I hear it now, the sound magically transports me back to that place and nearly sends me back in time. I know it sounds kind of cliché but to me music is as close to magic as you can get. Sometimes I feel (as we probably all do) like a certain song speaks directly to me, straight to my soul.

My music taste varies a lot. And when I say a lot I mean from my soul melting to the songs of The National to knowing all of Eminem's lyrics by heart. So this time I thought I would mention three songs and tell you the stories that come to my mind when I hear them.

Tycho – Daydream

This song takes me back to summer 2012, when me and my friend Bojana headed to Firenze to learn Italian and spent 2 weeks there. I listened to this song every morning as I got ready, and I swear I can still hear the Italian traffic on the street outside of my window. It makes me feel warm and I can almost feel the summer heat on my skin when I hear it.

Tegan & Sara – Nineteen

It was a summer of 2014 and I spent a couple of days at my friend Mia's house on the Slovenian coast. It was one of those rainy summers, when we baked pies, complained about the wet pavements and almost burnt the house down (but that's a whole other story). This song was Mia's ringtone and we started singing it every time her phone rang. It brings up so many nice memories and makes me miss her a whole lot.

The Weeknd – I feel it coming

Okay so this was mine and my bf's California theme song. We heard it on the radio for at least three times a day and if I close my eyes I can almost pretend that I am sitting next to him in our Mustang, cruising through the streets of LA. It reminds me of how happy and free I felt, how beyond epic this trip was and how much I want to visit USA again.

I think that if remembering moments you thought everyday life erased from your memory is not magic than I don’t know what is.  Do you have any songs that remind you of a certain time in your life? Tell in me the comments below, I would love to hear your ‘music stories’.

It was a perfect day

This weekend we decided to visit Česky Krumlov - a little town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Luckily, the weather was on our side and we got to explore this fairy tale wonderland with sun rays beaming through tree branches and lighting the picturesque streets. This town definitely has its own magic - it gives you a feeling of going back in time and wraps you in a little bubble of magic. I couldn't get my eyes off the colourful tower which was originally built to guard the medieval river crossing. The best way to discover the town and its little charms is to simply stroll around.

Imagine Dragons - Walking The Wire

Things to do in December

YAY, I can finally falalalala all I want because it's December a.k.a the month of Christmas! The city's lit, the smell of cookies seems to be everywhere and we finally might have a snowy Christmas. The excitement is beyond real and since this month will probably go by faster than a blink, I thought I would share 5 things to do in December.

♡ Fun DIY project: Instead of buying a thousand pressies, why not make one or two yourself? I am sure homemade goods will be even more appreciated and you can personalize them the way you want. You can find a simple idea I did for myself last year (yes, that's allowed too) here  - if you decide to recreate it, be sure to send me some photos, I would love to see it. 

♡ This one is kind of a given, but - visit a Christmas market! The catch is that the ones in your country don't count. My first Christmas market this year was the one in Linz which me and my boyfriend visited on the opening day and I can confirm it is stunning. 

♡ The third one may be a bit unusual, but still. I would like to use less plastic bags, since they are not biodegradable. When we were in the UK, I bought this cute little reusable bag (you can find them basically anywhere) which not only helps the environment but is also very handy. I just keep it in my purse and use it whenever.

♡ Personally, the fourth one might be a little harder to achieve, since I work in digital marketing but it is to spend less time on my phone and start spending time more consciously. I feel like you can scroll down IG and not even realize how much time you are spending looking at posts of strangers. So I am making an effort of being more aware of how much time I spend on social media and limit myself to a few minutes a day.

♡ Make a memory jar for the next year.  This is pretty self-explanatory: find a jar and every time something unforgettable happens in 2018, write it down and fill it with memories. On December 31th 2018 you can open it up and remember the little things that made your year. I think this is such a nice way to store the special moments and relive them. 

Imagine dragons - It's time 

Scottish adventure // last part

The 'after Skye' period was full of picturesque cottages, sun-drenching countryside and even big city lights at the end. We had a unique experience sleeping in this bothy, drove through what seemed like an autumn wonderland, visited cute little villages, and at the end spent a couple of days in Manchester. 

This trip was honestly one of my favorites. Everyone asks me about the weather - yes, it was miserable most of the time. But you know what? I feel like gloomy weather makes this country even more special and adds a touch of mystery. There is something about seeing a majestic castle hiding behind the stormy clouds, climbing up the foggy mountain and listening to the raindrops as you drive through magnificent nature.

Kate Nash - Foundations