Every year around spring, I notice the same thing happening to people.

The first warm evening suddenly appears out of nowhere and everyone starts acting slightly more alive again.

People stay outside longer.
Windows open.
Music gets louder.
Group chats wake up from hibernation.
You start craving lighter food, cleaner spaces, movement, change.
Even your thoughts somehow feel less heavy.

Nature is waking up again after months of surviving winter quietly, and whether we realize it or not, humans respond to that too. Spring always feels like life gently asking:
okay… do you want to start again?
Not in a dramatic “change your entire existence overnight” way.
Just slowly.
Softly.
A little at a time.
Not in a productivity-guru way.
In a real life way.

And I honestly think there’s a reason for that.

I think spring is one of the best seasons for self-growth because it doesn’t demand perfection from you. It just invites movement. Tiny shifts. Small decisions. New energy.

So if lately you’ve been feeling stuck, uninspired, disconnected from yourself or simply tired of your own routine, here are a few things that genuinely help me feel refreshed every spring.

Sometimes I randomly stop in the middle of an ordinary moment and think:

wait… I’ve already been alive for 36 years?

How is that even possible.

Life honestly feels less like a long timeline and more like someone snapping their fingers repeatedly. One second you are a teenager thinking adulthood sounds impossibly far away, then suddenly you are buying groceries, healing childhood wounds, worrying about taxes and stretching your back before bed because you slept “weird.”

Time is such a strange thing. The older I get, the faster it feels. Days can feel endless, but years disappear almost disrespectfully fast.

And I think what makes it harder is that most of us are never fully where we are.

We spend so much time mentally living somewhere else.

The past pulls on us constantly. Old mistakes, regrets, embarrassing moments, things we should have done differently, versions of ourselves we miss, people we should have left sooner, opportunities we think we wasted.

Then the future arrives immediately after.

What if this doesn’t work?

Yes, I cut my hair. I removed the extensions. And I also took off my lash extensions. Not because of a crisis, not because something went wrong, but because one day I simply felt a very clear urge to let it all go. It was one of those moments when you don’t overthink, you just know. And for me, that moment felt right. ✨

I want to be clear about one thing though – I loved my old look. The long hair, the volume, the lashes that did half the talking for me. It was beautiful, it was fun, and it definitely had its era. I’m not here to say it was fake or wrong. It wasn’t. But looking back, I realize I was maintaining an image of someone I didn’t fully feel like.

This isn’t a dramatic goodbye forever. I’m not saying I’ll never have extensions again, or that I’m suddenly anti-beauty or anti-glam. Maybe one day I’ll want it all back. The difference is that next time, I want it to come from a different place. Not from habit, not from expectation, not from “this is how I should look,” but from a genuine want for all the good reasons.

Right now, I’m choosing to fully accept what I have. My fine hair that will probably never grow into long lengths no matter how patient I am. My eyelashes that are actually just fine the way they are. I’m learning to accept both the good and the bad parts of myself, without constantly trying to improve, fix or hide them.

There’s also a very practical side to this decision. Extensions are expensive and time-consuming. Every two months, nearly 250 USD just to move them back to the roots (and it means a full day of sitting in a chair at my hairstylist). Lash refills every three to four weeks for another 50 USD (2 hours work). Add the appointments, the maintenance, the constant planning around it – and suddenly you realize how much mental space it takes up. Life genuinely feels so much easier without it.

I feel lighter. Happier. More like myself. I wake up, get ready faster, and don’t feel like I’m constantly maintaining something. And honestly? That freedom feels really good.

I don’t know what the future holds. I’m unsure, and that’s okay. All I know is that at this moment, this decision feels right. And sometimes that’s all you need. Everything real has to come from within anyway — the rest is just decoration.

XO, Zuzi 🌼

I don’t really believe in New Year’s resolutions anymore. They always feel a bit heavy, like suddenly everything should change just because the calendar did. This year, I’m choosing something else –⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ new ways of moving through life, small mindset shifts, quiet promises to myself that feel doable and real. These are the mantras I’m carrying with me into the new year. Not as rules, but as reminders. ✨

There’s this tiny, tender moment every year –⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ when the last golden leaves cling to the branches, the air sharpens just a bit, and suddenly you realize… We’re shifting! ❄️ Fall is packing and winter is slowly knocking on the door with her twinkly frosty fingers.

Before I step fully into the holiday season (and yes, I am absolutely already humming Christmas songs), I wanted to share a few last snaps from those crisp fall days. You know, the ones where everything still looked warm and alive before the world started turning soft and sleepy. 🍁

But this year –⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ oh, this year feels different.
Because I made a decision.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately –⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ who we’d be and what we’d do if the internet didn’t exist. Can we even imagine? Would we be the same people? If the answer is no, maybe that’s a sign to pause.

I notice that the most magnetic people online aren’t usually primarly creating for an audience; they’re simply living their lives and sharing bits of it along the way. That feels like the right attitude –⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ life first, sharing second.

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 ❤️