Not a recipe! My 2016!

“Ways to my heart: 1. Buy me food. 2. Make me food. 3. Be food!”

I have a few more – “don’t f*** with the food” and “don’t get in the way when I want to make food”! Well, mostly just kidding.. Most of the time I love the way making food and eating it together connects people. As Greeks say – “food is love”. And trust me – they really mean it from the bottom of their hearts and depths of their kitchens!

2016 has been an amazing year for me in so many ways – both good and not so good. New experiences related to travelling, cooking, new promises made to myself how I will work on treating myself better (in my vocabulary that means – eating even better and making sports a routine priority), meeting new people and exploring new tastes. Last year I visited 12 countries: Spain, Italy, France, Sweden, Denmark, Greece, Latvia, Estonia, Panama, Costa Rica, Singapore and Thailand (sometimes I catch myself that I don’t even consider Estonia and Latvia foreign anymore). Wherever I went, I wanted to explore those places through food – visiting local food stalls, fish markets, markets, little cafes and restaurants, street vendors, wondering and exploring what I will stumble upon as well as carefully doing my research prior to getting there. I swear with my ever growing love for food and cooking, the more I travel, the less space I use up for everything else in my suitcase but food, spices and culinary books. And yes, I am at the stage where I could open a small spice shop.

Over the years the thought has grown on to me so much, that we are what we make ourselves. In this case I mean health and our physical well being – food and physical activities. After all – our body is our home, if we don’t treat it right, where are we going to live? For me personally sports is work in progress. Every time I get tempted not to run out the door in my running shoes or not to step out for a workout at the gym, I keep reminding myself that I do have this gift of moving and there are so many people deprived of the possibility.

The 2016 has also been a roller coaster for me in other ways. Going from being busy, to super busy, to getting used to less and less sleep. And although somewhere back in my head there was this annoying voice telling me to slow down and love myself more, I always had this perfect excuse – I have no time! Familiar, huh? And so I kept going, until I felt not so happy anymore and about to collapse. Towards autumn I started feeling really worn down – the view in the mirror didn’t make things any better. Quoting myself that those bags under my eyes were Chanel didn’t work either. Although I fulfilled my professional goals, went to where I wanted to go, found the time for some extra curricular projects, at the end of the day I felt exhausted and some of my favorite things didn’t make me happy anymore. Knowing perfectly well that everything was in my own hands, I still didn’t have the motivation to get up and change those truly little things that were getting in the way. Took me some time – I watched movies, read books, did a lot of other things, until I got to the point where my whole body was screaming at me to start doing things right. And so I did. I straightened my basics out. Stopped with the excuses – slept more, ate better and didn’t wait for Monday or New Year to start working out regularly.

I was back on the right and happy track before my last trip in 2016 to Singapore and Thailand. I got so many more things done and accomplished. This has been one of my best trips ever!

Don’t wait for New Year, Monday, 1st of the month or when something else happens. The time is now! Love yourself more and those around you will notice – the smile on your face, fitter shape, glowing skin and most importantly – sparkly look in your eyes! Don’t treat yourself just with any food – you are not a dog (and dogs deserve it better!). Put the food in your mouth which is worthy of it. And never ever make the excuse that there is not time to exercise 1 hour is only 4+ % of your day. Last but not least – everything will fall into right places as soon as you fall in love with yourself! I did!

Have an amazing, inspiring and thoughtful year, fueled with passion in everything you do!