a new month – a new monthly !
this is the second time i’m listing my hopes and inspirations, to get a clear idea of what my priorities for the new month are.

hopes
– i’m turning 30 tomorrow. for some reason i’ve always seen 30 as the age where i’d become an adult. finally. my boyfriend has been 30 for almost a year now and i’m excited to join him in adulthood. even though it’s really just a day like any other, i believe turning a year older has a symbolic importance. especially when entering a new decade. i hope i’ll be able to give this birthday the significance it deserves. and i’ll have three days off celebrating with just my boy, finally relaxing after the craziest year of our lives. and celebrating with friends and family later on. it’s going to be brilliant i’m sure.

– i’ve mentioned earlier a huge deadline i’ve met. the final touches of that project are almost done. this means that for the first time, this month i’ll be able to focus full time on blogging – how lucky am i ?
i’ll be able to spend my days researching and writing about whatever catches my eye – or thought. and i’m so grateful that anyone wants to read what i come up with.
i can’t wait to see where this blog will take me when giving it all my time and effort.

– one of my hopes for may is that my experimenting in the kitchen will go even further. this new flat of mine has an amazing kitchen and it’s a complete joy cooking in it. and i’m learning new skills and techniques – like from the book you see in the picture : syra själv, which has taught me a lot more about fermenting foods at home. this is almost turning into a new habit it seems. i’ll write more about it in another post for those of you who’re interested in food experimenting.
i’m also still trying to cut down on salt, so i’m hoping i’ll think of some delicious sweet dishes to eat instead.

– i hope i’ll stick to my new daily exercise routine (although it’s already proven to be tricky). key here is time, so basically i’m hoping to have more time in may. work, exercise, meet interesting people, eat, sleep, repeat. that’s what i’m hoping may will be like. which brings me to…

inspirations
– my job means that i have the opportunity to meet some amazingly inspiring people, who i probably never would have in other circumstances. like making a video with the sweetest youtuber ever : olga from fablunch (although “meeting” might be a strong word), or cooking with the one and only ebba zingmark like i did a few days ago. i’ll post that video on sunday so stay tuned.
you know, i’ve come to the conclusion a few years ago that life’s too short to be stuck in toxic relationships just out of habit. relationships that cost more energy than they give back. i’m instead trying to surround myself with inspiring people who makes me feel good about myself, and who brings kindness to the table. i want to feel energised by people, not drained.

– now, exactly now, is my favourite time of year. especially if i’m in sweden. the memories of birthdays out in the summer house make me incredibly nostalgic. i think nature is the biggest reason i love this time of year so much. it’s like nature has taken the deepest breath after winter, and finally let’s it out in this overwhelming exhalation of green colours and fresh air. the anticipation of that swedish midsummer sun that won’t set until august again. anticipation of the first swim, the first late outdoors dinner, the first sunday picnic by the lake. there really is no place like sweden in the summer. now winter – that’s a whole other story of course.

– what a difference a flat makes. my new apartment has already brought me so much inspiration, and we’ve only been here just over 2 weeks. it’s moments like this you realise what a big impact your surroundings have on you. everything’s easy and airy here. and i’m into interior design again. so i’m all good just letting this flat have it’s influence over me. it’s a calming space.

– talking about homes. i’m thinking i might need to come to terms with my nomadic disposition. if your apartment has such a huge impact as i believe it has – imagine then how big an influence your city has over you. and there are so many cities i want to get influenced by. travelling has never really been my thing. i don’t particularly get much out of being a visitor. i prefer living. being a citizen. i want to stay for just as long as it takes to get to know a place, and letting it change your perspectives. then simply moving on to the next influencer. like i said, we’ve been in this apartment for about 2 weeks now. and we’re already looking for the next move. it might be within stockholm. but it might just as well be anywhere else. my boyfriend’s applying for a job in new york. i want to try out berlin for a while. and like always – taipei and tokyo are just a dream away.

love // jenny