Hi friends,

Let’s cozy up and talk about something that’s both incredibly simple and quietly powerful: journaling.

You’ve probably heard the buzz—"You should journal!"—but maybe it feels like another thing on your to-do list. Or you’ve tried, stared at the blank page, and closed the notebook. I hear you. But journaling doesn’t have to be a chore. In fact, it can be a sweet, daily ritual that becomes one of your most grounding and joyful habits. 💖

& How to Break the Cycle? 

There’s a small, comforting lie I’ve been telling myself for years – that tomorrow, I’ll change. Tomorrow, I’ll pick up that book that’s been calling my name, gather my journals and start documenting my days, or take a spontaneous bus ride to the woods. Tomorrow, I’ll finally show up for myself. But as the days turn into months, this promise feels like a ghost – present in every idle moment, yet never truly alive.

Choosing the right people to surround yourself with is one of the most powerful ways to shape the quality of your life. The people you spend your time with can either lift you higher, inspire you to grow, and support you through life’s challenges, or drain your energy, limit your potential, and leave you feeling alone even when surrounded by a crowd. It’s not always about the number of people, but about the depth and quality of those connections.

Finding the right tribe starts with a deep understanding and acceptance of yourself. You must embrace who you truly are – your quirks, dreams, fears, and all. It’s only when you stop pretending and start living authentically that you’ll naturally attract people who are aligned with your true essence. I’ve learned this through my own journey. I’ve had to let go of some connections that no longer served me, and in doing so, I made space for those who truly get me – women who celebrate my highs, hold my hand through my lows, and genuinely want to see me thrive. So, how do you find these people? How do you know you’re spending your precious time with the right ones? Here are some thoughts on this journey:

4 months, 5 big shifts ⭐

There’s something really powerful about pausing and looking back — not to dwell, but to gently acknowledge the shifts that have happened. The first few months of 2025 have brought a mix of intensity, clarity, healing, and honest confrontation with myself. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been necessary. I want to share a few realizations that shifted my mindset, my choices, and my energy.

Happy New Year, everyone! As the clock struck midnight, I found myself reflecting on the past year—what I’ve learned, how I’ve grown, and the new possibilities I’d like to embrace. A few days ago, I shared my initial intentions for 2025, but my thoughts kept expanding, and I realized there’s so much more I want to explore to make my life even better. So here I am, sharing the next wave of resolutions that will guide me this year.

This post is accompanied by two scrapbooking pieces I worked on yesterday, during New Year’s Eve. I had so much fun making them while watching some TV show. 😊✨ They’re the first creations I made with some amazing new tools I received for Christmas, which have unlocked a new level of inspiration. I’m more motivated than ever to keep scrapbooking and pouring my creative energy into this passion. So, without further ado, here are some more resolutions for 2025, filled with hope, creativity, and determination.

Here comes the new year. I thought 2022 was going to be my year. Then 2023 rolled around, and I thought, Okay, maybe this is it!? When that didn’t quite pan out, I convinced myself that 2024 had to be my year. Well, it’s safe to say that things haven’t exactly gone as I imagined—but you know what? I’m on the best track I’ve ever been. I can feel it in my bones.

Change is coming in 2025! ✨

Watch it happen with me while I keep a few key things in mind and in my heart:

1. Let Go and Let Them

Let people do whatever they want. Seriously. It’s the only way to see who they truly are. And when they show you, you get to decide whether they belong in your life. Let them. Really, just let them. Let them hang out with people you don’t like. Let them make choices you disagree with. Let them be themselves. And you, my dear, do the same for yourself. When you fully align with who you are, you’ll attract the right people—the ones who truly belong in your life. Trying to control others is exhausting. Which brings me to my next point:

2. Stop Trying to Control Everything

Most arguments and inner turmoil stem from this obsessive need to have everything go exactly how we want it. But let’s be real: only a tiny fraction of those things are even within your reach. People have their own ways of seeing and doing things, and that doesn’t always synchronize with your perspective. When you focus too much on what others are doing, criticizing their choices or lifestyles, you’re pouring your energy into something beyond your control. You can share your opinion, but that’s all you can do. The rest is up to them. And even if they take your advice, trust me, you haven’t really “won.” Pushed decisions often backfire.

3. Try to See Things Through Someone Else’s Lens

What you think is best for someone may not actually match with what they want. This was a hard lesson I learned in therapy. For years, I thought I knew what was best for the people in my life—friends, partners, everyone. But I was only seeing them through my own perspective. People come from different realities, shaped by their environments, cultures, and experiences. You can’t dictate how someone should live. You can offer your opinion and see if they take it to heart. If they don’t, that’s their choice. Therapy also taught me how much damage it can do when someone imposes their “best intentions” on you. I lost my sense of self because my mom always “knew what was best” for me. Now, at 34, I’m learning to reclaim my identity. You don’t know what’s best for anyone else—only yourself.

4. Be the Energy You Want to Attract

If you want kindness, patience, and respect, you’ve got to give those things, too. It’s not fair to act crazy and then expect others to treat you like royalty. People are mirrors. What you see in them often reflects something in yourself. Sometimes, the things you dislike most about others are the very things you struggle with. So, when someone annoys or triggers you, take a step back and ask, What is this teaching me about myself? Often, those “difficult” people are our greatest teachers. Even the jerks. Maybe especially the jerks. Also, live by this rule: Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want done to you.

5. Let People Come and Go

People drift in and out of our lives. It’s just how it goes, even after many years. Let it happen. If your circle is smaller for now, that’s okay. Protecting your inner peace is what matters most. When you heal, you’ll either reconnect with people on the same level or find new ones who align with who you’ve become. This year, I lost a longtime friend. She began therapy and chose to blame me for the things I had confided to her about my troubled relationships and family. When I asked why she hadn’t told me how she felt sooner, she admitted she didn’t know how to communicate. Then she started giving me “friendship rules.” I’ve done enough work to know that true relationships—especially friendships—are unconditional. You don’t force people to do anything. So, I had to let her go. Right now, I don't have the capacity for anyone who blames me for being vulnerable.

6. Stop Arguing Your Truth

Not everyone will understand or agree with you, and that’s okay. You don’t have to explain yourself to anyone. It’s enough to know that you’re being true to yourself. I used to spend so much energy trying to get people to see my side, to like me, to understand where I was coming from. Not anymore. People are entitled to their own opinions, just like you are. Stop trying to prove your truth to everyone. It’s not your job.

7. Embrace Elegance and Grace

Turning 35 in February 2025 feels like stepping into my power. Adulthood is a privilege, and I want to honor it. I’m exploring more feminine, classy styles—what some might call “old money” vibes. It’s not about copying someone else but about discovering me in the process. Elegant clothes, refined hairstyles, thoughtful manners—I want to embody grace, not just in how I look but in how I carry myself.

8. Tackle Work Like a Challenge

If something’s hard, good. That’s where growth happens. After years of freelancing and procrastinating, I realized I need structure to thrive. So, I got a full-time job that pushes me daily, and I love it. Routine and discipline are non-negotiables for me. I’m leaning into challenges and making 2025 the year I level up my career.

9. Prioritize Independence

Co-dependency has been my Achilles’ heel, especially in relationships. I used to make boyfriends the center of my world—a huge mistake. Now, I’m building my world around myself. Traveling solo, pursuing my hobbies (jewelry-making, anyone?), and focusing on my own growth. The gym is, of course, part of the plan—just not until the second week of January when the crowd thins out. 😂 2025 is my year. Because no one else is going to make it happen for me. Expecting someone to complete you? That’s a recipe for disappointment. Make yourself whole.

10. Delving Deeper into Therapy

It’s hard to believe, but I’ve been in therapy for nearly two years now—wow, time really does fly. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to see my therapist every two weeks, and I can honestly say it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Since starting, I’ve been able to identify and work on so many issues I’ve carried with me for years, many stemming all the way back to childhood. Therapy has also helped me unpack more recent traumas, which, in reality, were just extensions of unresolved wounds from my past. I still get triggered often, and there’s so much more to work on. I know this is, in many ways, a lifelong journey, but I’m fully committed to making progress. In the coming years, I want to go even deeper—to understand the core reasons behind my behaviors, my patterns, and the parts of me that still feel stuck. I want to figure out what I can do to create a life that feels lighter, more fulfilling, and truly aligned with my happiness and purpose.

XO, Zuzi ❤️ 

Hello, friends. ✨ I've been wanting to write about Christmas nostalgia and what it means to me so many times before... I’ve loved Christmas ever since I was a child, but over the years, certain experiences have deeply altered my view of this cherished holiday. As the leaves start to turn in October, I know that my most favorite time of the year is approaching. Yet, for the past few years, I’ve found myself unsure of how I feel about it.

When I lived in the United States (it honestly feels like another lifetime at this point, but I miss my second home every day), I decorated the house however I wanted, and A LOT. I still embraced some Czech traditions, which meant, for instance, opening gifts on Christmas Eve, the 24th of December—completely normal in the Czech Republic. In the U.S., as many might know not just from watching Home Alone (lol), gifts are usually opened the following morning, after Christmas Eve.

Christmas in the U.S. felt magical, albeit in its way. What I found most different, now that I think about it, was the shopping culture and the abundance of options. Everything was so accessible and, comparatively, affordable when earning dollars. Even in Florida, where snow was a distant dream, people went all out with decorating their homes, creating an electric, festive atmosphere. We would just drive around the neighborhood to watch the Christmas lights weeks before the holidays.

But then my life took an unexpected turn, and I returned to my hometown of Prague. That first Christmas back was, honestly, a shock. If I can even call it "home" anymore—after spending four years in the U.S., I felt more American than Czech. Returning to family after years away, everything felt different. It wasn’t just me and my brother with our parents around the Christmas table anymore. My brother now had two kids and a wife also living in my parents’ house.

A Fresh Start on Gratitude 🙏 

As Thanksgiving approaches, we’re all a bit more tuned in to gratitude. It’s the season that reminds us to pause, reflect, and count our blessings—a beautiful tradition, but one that’s so easy to brush aside during the daily rush. This year, I’m taking a different approach. I’ve bought a journal dedicated entirely to gratitude. My goal? To jot down just a few things every night before bed that I’m thankful for, giving myself a fresh start on gratitude every single day. There’s always something to be grateful for, even if it’s just the little moments we sometimes overlook. So, as we head into the holiday, here are a few reflections on what to cherish, not just at Thanksgiving, but every day. 🦃

It's the most beautiful time of the year... OR is it? If you're a Grinch, all you can see these days is chaos in the shopping malls, lots of people everywhere, unpleasantly slow lines... you might call it Christmas madness. And it puts you in a weird mood. But if you're more in the 'Mariah Carey💃' spirit, you know that the best part of the year is just about to happen! 🎅🎄 When did you become such a Grinch though? I think Christmas is honestly what you make it, and it's always up to you and how you look at it. It's you who sets the Holiday standards and traditions for your family - You can even go stress-free and suggest no gift buying if you hate running errands around Christmas or you can stay at home and watch Home Alone all by yourself if you prefer chilling at Christmas Eve! As far as Santa's concerned, you're a self-righteous human being.

I know, I know, it's not always easy to please everyone around you with their wishes, ideas and projections, then mix them with yours... But it's almost always possible to find a good compromise, so everyone's happy in the end (or, at least the majority of them, LOL). One of my friend's family has cancelled the whole gift giving thing long time ago. They agreed that it only brings them a stressful hustle during this time of the year. They meet up during the Holidays (they're a big family) and they eat a lot of cookies together, watch Christmas movies on TV and simply enjoy each other's company. Then my other friend's family, they are all about giving gifts. 🎁 They always compete every year - 'See who gives the best one and who has the best idea!?' Two extremes. I probably wouldn't want neither but hey, it works for them, somehow. I personally LOVE picking and buying gifts, I'm a very generous person when it comes to giving presents to my loved ones, and I genuinely enjoy when someone unwraps what I came up with and it creates a big smile and happy feeling. I usually give personal gifts rather than expensive ones, but sometimes personal means expensive LOL. I think that Christmas should be special for everyone in a way, and that possibly giving someone what they want but can't afford (or wouldn't buy for themselves with their own money ever) is what brings the Christmas joy and magic into life. Christmas is about magical, almost unreal things for me. I'm a hopeless romantic, you know... But for all of you, best is finding balance, like with anything else. Make Christmas what you want it to be so you can truly enjoy this time of the year. I'm sure deep in your heart and mind you know what you desire. Is it a tropical getaway so you don't have to deal with anything family Christmas related? So be it! 🏝️ And don't feel guilty. Can't make everyone happy, it's exhausting constantly trying. 🤍 XO Zuzana

 There are a few important points that I always seem to circle back to, when re-thinking stuff in my life. (More like overthinking, I bet you know what I mean.) We all have been through some things in our lives that triggered us to work on ourselves harder and maybe change the direction. I can’t even tell you how many psychology books and articles I’ve read since I was like 18, how many motivational videos I watched and have saved in my ’Better me’ library. All bad things that ever happened to me, have always started the process of me going back to myself, thankfully. Everytime I fucked up or someone else fucked with me, I wanted to learn more about me and why it happened. Why I let that happen. I needed to know more about my childhood trauma and hurt feelings that caused certain behavior. To understand better, I just desperately wanted to diagnose myself (every doctor loves hearing this 😆) so I can treat whatever core issue needed to be treated.

I’ve just always wanted to know what caused the things that happened to me, and who’s fault it was. So I searched and read, and observed, and read some more, and asked people for opinion, visited various therapists, met up with friends and chatted about things... I was constantly searching for answers. What I want to say now, is that we all have probably gained some of our best wisdom from the wrong choices we made, haven’t we? It was like a curse and a blessing in that moment. It was a personal growth around the corner. Looking for answers has always opened the pandora box for me, with more and more Why’s. Today, I would love to share with you some of my go-to advice I have saved on my phone and written in my notebook throughout the times. These just really stuck with me and if they can help somebody else too, that would make me happy.

Don't try to control anybody else's journey.

During my therapy times, I used to go to this one therapist that also worked with energies. He did some magical things for me right when I needed it. It was that time of my life where I allowed spiritual enlightenment work for my favor. I would believe that he really ’saw things’ and ’felt energies of other people’. I must say, I was in such a bad state of mind, that he was all I needed at that time. And he did help me big time. Even though, I became more of a realist since then, I would say causality is causality, no matter if you look at it as a realist or spiritual person. And the principles are the same. Even biology, chemistry and physics tells us that one action is inevitably followed by a reaction. This ’energy guy’ told me once that I should NEVER ever put my human power or mind into changing someone else’s destiny, IF that’s what they chose for themselves, let them be! It’s just exhausting for you, and unnecessary. If you try and succeed this intervention of yours and need for control, something even worse will happen to that person because the forced re-direction is only temporary. You’re doing them the best favor by letting them do what they need to do. Maybe they need to experience their bad choices so they can unlock their full potential and reach the destination they’re supposed to be at. You might think you know what’s best for them, but they are sure entitled to their own decision. No pressure. Let them be, let them find out themselves. Awakening might wait for them right around the corner. Not your business anymore. Don’t try to help people if they don’t want to be helped. Better help yourself, you need some work too.

The grass is greener wherever you water it.

 Ouch. One of the truths that has been haunting me the most. We live in a weird world. It feels like you could always be travelling places and just be happier elsewhere, while it’s only a daring fiction in our head. FOMO can make us do some ridiculous shit decisions, I can tell you. Everything seems better than what you currently have, right? But... what if what YOU have is someone else’s ’greener grass’? Said in different words - If you’re constantly thinking that happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are! Now, if you were REALLY honest with yourself. Could you have salvaged some of your past jobs, friendships or relationships if you worked harder instead of running away? If you didn’t think grass was greener on the other side, but then it showed that it fucking wasn’t? Think twice. One of my dearest friends reached out to me recently, and she asked me for an advice. She’s been in a 14-year relationship where there are no children yet, not even a proposal, ... and out of a blue, of course just right when she’s not so happy in the relationship and started re-thinking her whole life, she met another guy who seems to be able to give her anything she wants. You get it? Just because she’s missing the 10% which makes her doubt her boyfriend, she would leave the 90%? God knows if this other guy would be a good choice for her or not. But if she doesn’t even try harder in her current situation now, how would she know? After knowing you’ve done everything you could, then leave. But not before that. Happiness is a state of mind. And you can choose to be happy every day, same as you can choose what’s for breakfast. Measure twice, cut once.

We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are. Fights can be avoided. Most things can be solved before it gets out of hand, and also in a lot of the cases, the arguments are about some unimportant bullshit anyways. You need two people to argue, right? So be the wiser one and leave the fight before shit hits the fan. Go for a walk, count till 10 or 100 if needed so. But protect your peace in every case. It’s about time you start being selective on where you put your energy and where it’s useless. In a relationship, it’s usually about the victory for one’s ego. Are you the one who always needs to be right? Can you not do compromises or admit you’re wrong? Worst case, you can always agree to disagree without arguing. If you share the same values with your significant one, stop feeding your ego by having to be right all the time. For once, next time it will look like fight is coming, cut the bullshit and do something unexpected - for you and also for your partner. Hug them, suggest going out to eat or to a cinema, or if you just can’t deal, leave the room or go for a walk. But try to be calm and think to yourself, is this silly situation really worth the spoiled day, evening or romantic weekend? Remember, when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. This advice applies to your work life as well, and dealing with your friends and parents. Know your folks and never let ego win. Ego and love cannot exist together.

You can't have a good relationship without putting in some work.

Maybe in the beginning it will be all easier since you both have the rose colored glasses on. But sooner or later, your and your partner’s beautiful and less beautiful character traits will come to the surface and it’s for you guys to deal with it as a couple, and handle it. Maybe one of you is really neat and the other one leaves mess everywhere. Maybe one of you doesn’t drink alcohol and the other one does. Differences are normal and you will either adjust to it, or ... maybe it’s not a person for you in the end, if stuff he or she does bothers you so much. In a relationship, you should always allow the person be exactly what they want to be and do exactly what they want to do. Does who they are without your control nourish you? Or does it deplete you? Don’t assume people think like you do. Everybody comes from a different background. Different education. Communication is the key when it comes down to figuring out whether you two are gonna make it. One should not get mad at a partner for expressing what upsets them, actually, this is a great way to start a conversation. Ask them where you went wrong, knowing that this is very important to them. Ask them if they want a comfort or solution. Ask them what you should do less and more of, what is their love language and fight style. Ask if this relationship of yours is going in the direction they want it to go. Our deepest way to love is to accept and respect each other’s individuality. The rest will arise.

Stop giving a fuck about what people (you don't even like) think about you.

This is a tough one. If you were raised by parents who always watched your every step and made you believe that even in school, people judge you only by how well you behave, you might find this a lifetime battle. You question your every move because you’re not sure if you should, if it’s good enough, if it isn’t too provocative etc. You’re constantly deciding for yourself based on what you think you should and not based on what you ACTUALLY fucking want. I know people visiting therapists for years, because their actions are always determined by whether their friends and family would approve. They seek validation on how they should live even from complete strangers. They’re doubting that they are able to figure it out on their own. The thing is, you ARE in this on your own at the end of the day. Why should you limit yourself to what people expect or don’t expect from your existence? What the actual...?! You must realize that nobody’s here to judge you. People have issues! Who are they to judge you? You are allowed to do what you want and need to do. You are allowed to live a life some people don’t understand. This is YOUR world. Shape it or someone else will. If you value other’s opinion more than you value your own, you’re basically allowing anyone to bring you down. Stop trying to be liked by everybody, you don’t even like everybody.

Make peace with your past, and be happy!

Or it’s going to slowly eat you alive. Make this your priority - To make peace with yourself and your past. Holding onto any kind of anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. What a nonsense! Can you imagine how unhealthy this is for your mind and your body? People will sometimes pretend that you are a bad person so they don’t have to feel guilty about the things they did to you. And did you know that you have exactly ZERO obligation to make sense to anybody else for what you’re doing with your life? Silence is sometimes louder than any words, so remember this - You don’t have to tell anyone your side of the story, time will! Don’t do any explaining to anyone, neither to yourself, just finally free yourself and move on. A wise man once said that ’The present is a cure for all evil’. One of my friend fell into a deep hole because she was so stuck in the past. She was always so unhappy and didn’t know exactly why. I’m so glad she took the work and figured out why. There are many thing that can bring us down and affect the quality of our lives. Maybe it’s your past that you can’t make peace with, maybe you worry too much. Maybe you hold grudges or get sad when people don’t play by your rules. All this worry is taking away the joy of today. As one of my best friends would say - Get a fucking life.✌️ 

Now get up and go do what you want to do with your life!

Why do you stay in prison when the door is so wide open? You’re not happy, you’re not content, you feel depressed or maybe you feel like riding a roller coaster. What are you going to do about it? Sit and wait some more? For what? Ah, I see, you’re comfortable. You don’t want to sacrifice some things to level up. But there are gonna have to be casualties (your awful job, partnership that doesn’t make you anything but mad etc.) because if you don’t change anything, nothing will ever change. How much longer will you go on letting your energy sleep? What if a missed opportunity takes many lives before coming over again? So many people choose a path based on fear confused for practicality. Please, don’t be one of them. Don’t take what’s available this time, take what’s your DREAM! A snake, it is said, only knows it’s shape when it’s put in a box. In spite of our best intentions, we find ourselves in jobs, relationships and circumstances where we don’t belong. We learn our shape. It is then our responsibility to leave, change or modify the circumstances to fit our shape. No matter how far you’ve gone on the wrong path, you can still turn around. Clarity of what you really want in life comes from engagement, it doesn’t come from a thought. So get out and live! Don’t want the things you used to want before? It’s absolutely okay to not want the same career anymore, not want the same things. We as humans constantly evolve. Decide that what you want is more important than what somebody else wants. What’s best for me? - That is a question to be asking yourself.

Do at least one nice thing for yourself every day. I like to treat myself with a good tea or a cupcake. 🧁 Don’t settle for average, invest in yourself and reward yourself for every step towards being better human being. You know what I also do? Every evening, before going to bed, I say ’I wish, and I have’ - and I make plans for the next day, that I always fulfill. For myself only and not anybody else. Favorite pistachio ice cream after a work meeting, exploring new music on Spotify, watch a documentary about a topic that I’m interested in... sometimes, it’s sitting quiet in a park that restores my energy. When you get quiet, the things that are important to you will get really loud. XO Zuzana

'The World has slowed down so you can rediscover yourself.'

'Don't feel lonely, the entire Universe is inside you!' - Rumi

Hello, my friends. How are you coping with all the craziness that's going on? I hope you're all staying sane, despite of the constant unpleasing news coming in our direction (I just decided not to even read it honestly). I've talked with many many people recently, some of them are my closest friends and we had some truly interesting conversations about psychology and stuff. I realized that people indeed feel much worse mentally during the pandemic, it's not just said on the news. It's like we all have this CD player in our head and the unpopular album called 'The top 50 mistakes I've ever made' is on at all times. Right? We have so much time to dig in our past and blame ourselves for the things that we should've let go of a LONG TIME AGO! I always like to chat about real human problems, I say no to any such topic. I, myself, have been through this many times. I did things that I'm obviously not proud of, I still have many things to make peace with within myslef, but I also happened to overcome most of them by looking at life differently. I do not want to let my past affect my present and future. I learned to let go no matter how hard of a task it seems sometimes. You can do it too. And I will write more about guilt and feeling responsible for what others think in my post today. Please, feel free to e-mail me if you're sad or just want someone to talk to (My e-mail is written in the side bar on the left). ✨

Throughout life, someone probably hurt you at some point, or you hurt someone. Both is painful, you feel sorry, you feel guilt. It seems much worse if you were the one who seemingly caused pain to the others. You can't take back time and fix it, and maybe you don't even want to because you know from your heart, that it was the right decision to make, back then. But you can't get rid of that awful feeling when it comes to your mind and you start thinking about the discomfort you might've caused. You feel weak because there's nothing you can do about it, and you feel like you're a bad person. Well, none of this is actually true! These things do not define whether you're a good or bad person. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. Guilt often comes from the fear of what is this or that person going to think about my decisions and choices. You can't help but think about the people you affected. But let me tell you - These people are NOT living your life and never will. Even if your decision affects their life, it's time to start thinking about what YOU want in YOUR life. What we want to do with the time that has been given to us, is our own business. We take resposibility for our actions. If you let other people direct your life, it's still YOU who takes all the responsibility though, not them - so you better decide well for yourself.

If you often feel under the pressure of your own emotions due to guilt, it's time to release it. It's not healthy, in fact, it's very bad for your health to live in a constant stress. How do you release it? Forgive yourself. Forgive yourself for something that you knew you had to do the way you did. Forgive yourself for doing what was right for YOU. To move past this recurring negative feeling, you need to LET IT GO. You need to allow yourself to get out of the jail made out of your past! You want to feel free again, right? You want to live in the present and focus on the future, rather than be stuck in the past, is that right? Unless you forgive yourself, you're going to be a prisoner of your own past.

'Make peace with yourself and your life choices. They are yours!'

I've learnt that one good way to get rid of guilt, is becoming more assertive. I personally am able to kill most of my negative emotions that come to my mind (including guilt) simply by expressing confidently my wishes. YES/NO - it really is as simple as that. I'm able to show people what my personal requirements are, and even if they seem unjustified to others, I don't care. It's ok! We are not here in this world to please everyone - that, in fact, would be an impossible task to do so. The idea behind being healthily assertive is to ACCEPT yourself exactly the way you are and present your true self to others without caring too much what they'll think. In other words, assertivity is a part of being yourself, expressing your needs and choices and not feeling guilty or bad about it. PS: No amount of guilt can ever change or solve the past. It's a 'history' for a reason.

'But what if they think I'm a piece of shit?' Well, that can happen to the best of us. 😊 And it is actually highly likely. Do you know why? Because people are not used to facing the confidence, did you notice? They like to judge it. And why? Because they, themselves, are not brave enough to do what they want in their lives. They're just going with the flow. That's why you can't even rely on anybody's opinion when it comes to your important life decisions. Always choose what YOU think is best for you. Let your friends and family deal with your decision in their own way. They might not like it but well, they will be just fine and will have to accept it, if they are true friends and care about your happiness. Look at it like this - Even for them, this is a great way to grow. They have to step out of their usual box in order to understand you. They will have to also expand their thinking. You helped them learn some kind of a lesson. If you still feel guilty of letting someone go and the person wasn't making you happy anymore, you did the right thing ending this. Only you can change what's surrounding you. You create the world around you! All these people you think you hurt will eventually make peace with your decision, even though you think otherwise now. They will have to deal with THEIR unfulfilled expectations and dreams and they WILL overcome it in the end. No, this is not selfish. You're in fact doing them a favor if you don't want to be with them anymore. Don't waste your time, don't waste their time. So many people stay in these 'situationships' to make other people happy while their time is running up irreversibly. ⏳ By leaving someone you don't love anymore you're doing them a favor, trust me. You're giving them the chance to start over with someone more suitable for them. Period.

'You have enemies? Good. That means you're able to stand up for something important in your life.'

Always try to look at the bright side of your decisions. You were brave enough to make them. You wanted to make them. Are you double thinking them because of THEIR doubts? Stop it NOW. You don't need to explain yourself. You have the right to have your own thoughts and emotions. You don't have to apologize for being yourself. People will have to accept who you are or they are out of the game! There is NO other authority above you. You live your own life, nobody else is going to live it for you. And you will never achieve happiness if you're going to follow other people's wishes. Quite frankly, it's selfish from anyone to expect so! If you're feeling guilty of not achieving somebody else's request, there might be a whole different problem on their side and that is called a manipulation. I would like to write more about that topic next time. But there are people who are purposely trying to make you feel bad about yourself, to get what they want. Have that in mind. Not everybody has good intentions with you, I'm sorry. You are not responsible for anyone else's life or well being. If they are adults, they are well enough suited to take responsibility for their own life and actions. Stop thinking you can do it for them! We are free, we can make the stupidest decisions if it makes us happy, do you get it? You can make completely illogical decisions if your heart wants it. Do it! You choose your path, it's that simple. I like to say this even though some of my friends think it's crazy, but - You want something? Act now and deal with the consequences later. 🤷 I've done it a few times and I definitely do not regret it.

We are just human beings. People change, people grow. We are allowed to change our mind. We can change our directions as many times we want, we can all of a sudden have different needs and wishes. It's completely normal. You should never feel guilty for following your heart. It's your life! Don't let anyone make you feel guilty for living your life the way YOU want! Only people with very limited thinking (and who don't know what growth is) will judge you for this. And their opinion won't even matter anyways. You can't make everyone happy, so always put making yourself happy first! 

'Guilt is the worst demon to bear. Let go and breathe free again.'

Why did I write this post?

I just want you to feel good about making the right decisions. We learn lessons and it's okay to feel certain way, you don't grow if you're not hurting once in a while. I'll give you a little homework, ok? Take a blank paper and draw a line in the middle. That's the line, that's the borderline. Above it is all the bullshit that's trying to get you, in the middle is an imaginary STOP sign and under that is the life you've created in your dreams, that you want to live. The stop sign is here to remind you to say NO to everything that's against your will and happiness. Take a freaking responsibility for your actions and trust yourself! Don't sacrifice yourself for trying to prove something to others. It's a waste of the most precious thing we have - time.

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'You will never get to the end of the journey if you stop to shy a stone at every dog that barks.' - Winston Churchill