Etikett: Gratitude Sida 1 av 2

Kay Pollak blog – a misty morning by the lake with a wooden pier and a floating platform, a moment of reflection and meeting between words and nature.

When Words Find Their Echo – Kay Pollak and My Blog Journey

Sometimes, something small can make the whole day shine.
Yesterday, when I opened LinkedIn, I saw that Kay Pollak had liked my post — the one where I wrote about blog statistics and how numbers really tell stories about meetings between words and people.

Read this post in Swedish. ->När orden får gensvar – om möten, statistik och Kay Pollak

For a moment, I paused.
Not because a “like” is such a big thing, but because it came from someone whose words have followed me for years.
Someone who has reminded me that we choose our own thoughts, our perspectives, and our reactions.
He’s the voice in my head that keeps whispering that my happiness is my own responsibility — and that I create it by choosing thoughts that give me more joy.


When Numbers Become Stories

I’ve watched my blog’s statistics grow week by week. But when I look at the numbers now, I no longer see numbers.
I see encounters — small digital footprints of people who paused for a moment in my everyday life.
Maybe someone smiled. Maybe someone recognized themselves.

That’s what makes writing alive — when words land, awaken something, and become part of someone else’s thoughts.

And yesterday, when Kay Pollak pressed “like,” it became a symbol of exactly that.
A small confirmation that what I write truly reflects his message: that our thoughts create our world.


To Keep Choosing Joy

That small moment reminded me why I write.
Not for numbers, not for statistics — but for the conversation between the lines.
To share something genuine.
To create quiet meetings between people, even in the noise of the digital world.

So thank you, Kay. And thank you to everyone who reads.
You remind me that words have power — and that it’s always worth choosing joy, even in the smallest of ways.


On the Bridge Toward Stillness

I walk out on the wooden bridge toward the calm water — a moment of reflection and the meeting between words and silence.


A wooden pier stretching out into a softly waving sea – a moment of reflection, calm, and the meeting between words and silence.
A wooden pier stretching out into a softly waving sea – a moment of reflection, calm, and the meeting between words and silence.

About Kay Pollak’s Workshop – and My Own Choice

I know that Kay Pollak is currently holding a weekend workshop — one I’ve been thinking for a long time about joining.
It would have been exciting, to meet myself deeply in that space, where both words and silence speak equally strong.

But not this time.
Instead, I chose to invest in my training to become a conversation therapist, a decision I made just a few days ago.
Kay’s workshop was tempting, but it’s an expensive course, and right now my finances don’t allow for another investment.

Or perhaps it’s me who doesn’t allow it — because I’ve already chosen to put my resources into another kind of journey, one that’s also about understanding, meeting, and growing.

It feels a bit double. A part of me would have loved to sit there, in the middle of his workshop, listening and reflecting.
At the same time, I know that the path I’ve chosen now is mine — and that it too leads to a meeting with myself.
Maybe there will be more chances, maybe not. Kay is getting older, and I feel an ambivalence knowing I might miss the opportunity.
But for now, this is how life looks, and I choose to feel gratitude for what I do have the chance to do.
Still, it would have been such a beautiful thing to attend a workshop with Kay Pollak.


Reflection

Sometimes we don’t need grand gestures.
Sometimes, a single little click — a like — is enough to awaken something big inside.
It’s not about validation, but about recognition.
About understanding that what we send out into the world actually lands somewhere.
And it also reminds me that I carry a great responsibility for what I send out.


Question for You

When was the last time you had one of those small moments of joy — one that meant more than you first thought?


AHA – The Insight

It doesn’t take much to create meaning.
A single “like” can become a little lantern in the dark — a reminder that what we share truly reaches someone.
Maybe that’s how life works: we plant tiny seeds of words, thoughts, and warmth — and sometimes, when we least expect it, something blooms.


Between the Lines

Behind numbers, statistics, and blogs, there’s always a person who longs to be understood.
I don’t write to be seen, but to share something true.
And when someone — like Kay Pollak — sees that, it becomes a quiet “I understand.”
Right there, in that moment of recognition, something big happens.


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Closing Words

Morgondopp i sol och rykande sjö

Yesterday has already settled down in history, and tomorrow waits further ahead.
But right now — this is where life happens.
Carina Ikonen Nilsson

Morning Dip and Everyday Joy – Today and Yesterday

Morning dip and everyday joy became the start of my day. It began in the sofa with a post that disappeared, but instead of irritation I chose gratitude and lessons learned. The swim today filled me with energy, the thoughts of my grandchildren opened both sorrow and gratitude, and the bedroom now waits to be cleaned until it smells of soap. Yesterday was a day of household chores, pride, and pain – but also joy in the little things.

morning dip and everyday joy at the lake on an autumn morning

Läs det här på Svenska->Morgondopp och vardagsglädje


Today – a Morning in the Sofa

The morning began in the sofa, with coffee beside me and the computer on my lap. I wrote an entire post – hours passed – and then everything vanished. At first I wanted to curse, blame the computer, mutter a bad word. But instead I paused and told myself: “Now you need to be a responsible adult.”

That shifted my thoughts. I realized I hadn’t saved properly and that I need to be better at always checking before shutting down. And perhaps I need to accept that words often come when I bathe, not right when I wake up. A morning lesson in patience, simply put.


Today – Morning Dip and Everyday Joy

This morning I went for a dip. My bathing sisters swam, but I floated still, letting the water carry me. I watched the trees, the sky, and all the beauty right there in that moment.

The feeling was powerful. My soul filled with light, my body with energy. Gratitude settled in: “I give myself these mornings where I wake together with nature.”

Two squirrels chased each other in the trees – lively little reminders of everyday joy. Before the swim, I even managed to record a short video for TikTok. In that video, an important insight landed: A good day is one you create yourself. I am the scriptwriter of my life. My thoughts give birth to feelings, and those feelings create the day.


Today – Thoughts of My Grandchildren

After the swim came thoughts of my grandchildren, the ones I no longer get to meet. There lives sorrow, and it hurts. But I told myself I needed to change the tone of those thoughts.

Instead, I chose to feel gratitude for the time we actually had together. Me and my son. Me and my grandchildren. All those days that were ours before he chose to shut me out as both mother and grandmother.

I carry so many beautiful memories. Memories of caring for Hugo when he was sick, holding his little hand, sitting and reading with him. Memories of Emilia, my princess – always wise, always close, a wonderful friend in a small body. And my son – whom I am so proud of. His wisdom, his words, his thoughts, shared so generously through the years.

The time that is now I cannot change. It is what it is. But I have the memories. And they fill my heart with gratitude for the time that was. This is my work: to choose gratitude for what was, and let that gratitude fill my time now.


Today – the Bedroom Waiting for Soap and Order

After the swim and those thoughts, the desire for the next project grew. Today, our bedroom will be made fresh with the scent of soap. The walls will be wiped down, the paintings dusted both front and back, perfume bottles polished, flowers refreshed. Every detail tended to, until the room feels truly clean.

I can already sense it: the lightness in my body, the bubbling joy and the deep gratitude when everything is done. Walking into a room that smells of soap is like giving myself a new beginning.


Yesterday – Everyday and KonMari

Yesterday was different. The day filled with chores. I went down to the laundry room, folded clothes and ironed what needed it. With the KonMari method, every piece of clothing has its place. It’s almost silly how happy I feel opening a wardrobe and seeing that order.


Yesterday – Pride at the School Meeting

In the afternoon, it was time for my little boy’s school meeting. I told him: “This is probably the best meeting I have ever been to.”

He hasn’t even been in school for a full year, but he has already succeeded so well in all subjects. When he asked why, the answer was simple: “You, of course. You’re the one making this work.”


Yesterday – When the Body Said Stop

After the meeting, I stopped to shop, still happy from the day. But when I placed the milk into the basket – bang! My neck gave way. The pain returned, almost like the nerve pain I sometimes feel in my legs.

At home, I cooked: fish sticks, rice with curry and salt, and my cold sauce with yogurt, mayonnaise, pickled relish, and spices. My little boy ate with joy – that always warms my heart. Myself, I finally had to give in. The neck had the last word yesterday.


Reflection

Perhaps this is what life is – a mix of swimming in the lake, the scent of soap, the pride of a child, and the pain of a neck. Everything fits into a single day, and everything is allowed to be as it is.


AHA – Between the Lines

Between the lines, the choice becomes clear. I choose not to remain in irritation or sorrow, but to see lessons, everyday joy, and gratitude. It is in the small choices, in the moments, that life truly shifts.


Your Voice: Between the Lines

I am a person who carries both joy and pain. I care for my home, my family, and myself, even when my body says stop. It’s not only the cleaning or the swim that matter – it’s the feeling that I choose to live my life, every day, in my own way. That is healing, and there gratitude is born.


A Thought on Gratitude

I often sit and wonder what to cook today. And right there, my thoughts make a somersault – because in that question lives gratitude. I get to think about what to cook, not if I can cook anything at all. There are parents wondering whether they can even serve food today. I have the privilege of choosing. And there, gratitude lives in abundance.


Closing Words

Yesterday no longer exists except in memories, tomorrow is something we may experience, but right now – in this very moment – is the only place life can be lived. It is in the now that memories can be created.
Carina Ikonen Nilsson

Morgondopp i sol och rykande sjö

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Choose Thoughts and Self-Love – the First Day of the Rest of My Life

A morning with coffee, silence, and conscious thoughts. Here I share how I practice choosing thoughts and self-love, and how an astrology-based planning calendar for the coming year can become a gentle compass.

Läs det här på Svenska –Välja tankar och själv­kärlek – första dagen på resten av mitt liv


Choose thoughts and self-love – my morning routine

Thank you for letting me wake up to the first day of the rest of my life. My coffee cup stands beside me, half filled with strong coffee and topped with creamy foam. Therefore, the start of the day feels extra warm.

The house is quiet, giving me space to be alone with my thoughts. Even though less helpful thoughts sometimes appear, I quickly return to the kind ones. So every morning becomes a chance to choose thoughts and self-love again.

“Thoughts are just thoughts and have nothing to do with reality. They are formed in me, by me, and do not have to be true just because I think them.”

How do you handle wandering thoughts? Did you know you can also choose thoughts that nurture rather than harm you?


Choosing thoughts and self-love – supported by research

Research clearly shows that we can influence our thoughts and well-being:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches that many feelings come from automatic, often negative thoughts. By identifying, questioning, and restructuring them, we can feel better.
  • The method of cognitive restructuring therefore helps us replace harmful thoughts with ones that are truer and more supportive.
  • Mindfulness shows that we can observe thoughts without getting caught in them, which allows us to regain calm.

Read more about CBT on 1177 ➜


Book tips to deepen self-love

These books can further guide you when you want to choose thoughts and self-love:

  • The Power of Now – Eckhart Tolle
  • Wherever You Go, There You Are – Jon Kabat-Zinn
  • Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself – Dr. Joe Dispenza
  • The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem – Nathaniel Branden

Planning calendar – future support for choosing thoughts

In yesterday’s post I wrote about the astrology-based planning calendar designed for next year.
If you buy it through this link and use the discount code Astrocalendar30, you’ll receive 30 % off.

It’s not an affiliate link, just a link of goodwill. I haven’t started working with the calendar yet, but I believe it will gradually help me schedule pauses and choose thoughts and self-love more consciously.

The First Day of the Rest of My Life – Gratitude and Astrology


First day of the rest of my life – gratitude and a gift to share

Self-love is not only gentle words. It is also actions: acknowledging needs, setting boundaries, and choosing thoughts that truly nourish.

Whenever I notice a self-critical thought, I pause and ask, “What would I say to a friend in the same situation?” Therefore, I give that answer to myself.

The planning calendar can in addition serve as a daily reminder to choose thoughts and self-love.


A day of rest and self-care

Yesterday there was no refreshing lake swim for me. My neck ached and brought a headache that was hard to bear. So I spent the day in bed.

Fortunately, we have adjustable beds and a projector in the bedroom. While awake, I watched movies: The Godfather, a film about a boarding school, a medieval story with Richard Gere, and one about a brain surgeon. I may not have seen every film to the end—I kept falling asleep—but this became my way of caring for myself.

Later our stay-at-home son went out to buy Thai food for us. The little one spent the day with a friend and came home happy and tired. My husband left early for Gothenburg to photograph horses at the Åby race track and returned late, eager to edit his pictures.

Finally, I realized that even though I’d been unwell, it had still been the best day of my life. Why? Because I chose it to be. I allowed myself to rest, took my medicine, enjoyed good films, and gave my body the care it needed.


AHA – Between the Lines

Reading my own words, I see how the choice of thoughts and self-love shapes the entire story. From the aroma of morning coffee to the quiet of a sick day, I choose again and again a path that gives strength. This isn’t escape—it’s the courage to invest my energy where life grows.


Reflection

Taking responsibility for my thoughts is taking responsibility for my life. Even when my body says stop, the day can still be the best—simply because I choose it.

Morning swim in sun and steaming lake

Yesterday has already settled into history, tomorrow waits farther ahead. But right now—this is where life happens.
– Carina Ikonen Nilsson


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training to become a therapist

The First Day of the Rest of My Life – Gratitude and Astrology

Morning reflection on how words can transform an entire day.
Here I share gratitude, new possibilities, and an unexpected gift: 30 % off an astrological planning calendar.

Read this post in Swedish ->Första dagen på resten av mitt liv – tacksamhet och en gåva att dela


Taste the Words – How Do They Feel?

Today is the first day of the rest of my life.
Just today is the best day of my life.
Let the words linger—how do they feel?
Please share your thoughts in a comment.

Almost every day begins like this for me—with gratitude for having received yet another morning.
Not everyone is given the gift of waking up.
I also treasure the quiet hours in front of my screen when words slowly settle into place.
That is why every morning feels like a true new beginning.


The First Day of the Rest of My Life – Words That Make a Difference

I used to say this sentence often to the young people I worked with.
At first, they didn’t quite grasp its meaning or see how powerful it was.
But after a while they would come back and say:

“Carina, you know what—today is the first day of the rest of our lives.”

Such words grow stronger in the present.
They help us pause, take responsibility for the day, and create many “best days” in life.


The First Day of the Rest of My Life – Gratitude and Astrology

An Email That Turned into a Gift

Yesterday I received an email from a writer I have followed for a long time.
She writes for Amilia, has published several books, and sends inspiring weekly letters about the movements of the planets.

I wanted to give something back for all the texts I’ve enjoyed.
So I wrote her an email explaining that I blog in Swedish and, for some months now, also in English—reaching readers around the world.
I offered to include a link to her Astrological Planning Calendar 2026 as a thank-you.

Her reply was warm and generous.
She gave me both a link and a personal discount code to share with you.

Use Astrocalendar30 to get 30 % off when you order through the link I provide.

This collaboration brings me no payment.
It is simply my gratitude flowing forward—and a way for you to start planning your year with the guidance of the stars.


About the Author of the Calendar

Fact Box
Name: Helena Biehl
Profession: Astrologer and author, active on Amilia and beyond.
Known for: Inspiring weekly letters about planetary movements, widely read in Sweden and internationally.
Latest work: Astrological Planning Calendar 2026, now also available in English.


The First Day of the Rest of My Life – Gratitude and Astrology
The First Day of the Rest of My Life – Gratitude and Astrology

My Next Step

I haven’t started filling in the calendar yet, but I look forward to writing down key dates and planetary movements.
For me, it will be another way to live each day as the first day of the rest of my life.


A Question for You

How do these words feel to you?
Today is the first day of the rest of your life.
Share your reflections in a comment—I read every one.


AHA – Reflection

When I write about the first day of the rest of my life, I hear my own voice reminding me: now is what truly counts.
I cannot change yesterday, and tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet.
Just today I can choose how to live—again and again.
That is my AHA moment: every morning is a new starting point, no matter how simple it seems.


Between the Lines – My Voice

What shines through here is gratitude and a desire to give forward.
I begin the day with words that open the heart, and when the chance came to share a gift with you, it felt natural.
It says something about me: I feel most alive when my own little “thank you” can become a bridge to others.


Morning dip and gratitude – a cold lake swim in soft mist on a frosty autumn morning, person in wool hat floating peacefully as first sunlight breaks over the water."

Yesterday has already settled into history, tomorrow waits further ahead.
But right now—this is where life happens.
– Carina Ikonen Nilsson


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Morning dip gratitude Kay Pollak – misty autumn lake with jetty and small island.

Morning Dip Gratitude Kay Pollak – a Frosty Morning of Self-Love and Presence

A frosty morning dip gratitude Kay Pollak made this morning glow. Here I share how the stillness of nature and an unexpected traffic situation turned into a living practice of self-love and presence.

Read this post in Swedish ➜ Morgondopp tacksamhet Kay Pollak och en oväntad tacksamhetsövning


The sun streams in through the window. I sit on the sofa with double socks, a cup of coffee and a blanket. My body feels completely content – only moments ago I returned from another morning dip gratitude Kay Pollak.

A swim where every kind of beauty revealed itself.

Morning dip gratitude Kay Pollak – wooden jetty and steaming lake in frosty fresh air.

Morning Dip Gratitude Kay Pollak – Every Step by the Lake

Morning dip gratitude Kay Pollak – lone boat on misty lake at dawn.

Close your eyes and follow me: frosty grass under your feet, a lake steaming more than usual. Each step paints new images of water clearing, the jetty stretching out ahead. The small island farther out becomes sharper with every step.

The chill in the air brushes against your legs and face. The autumn air is damp yet frostily fresh, a curious mix that almost invites you to join its dance of stillness. A squirrel runs past and disappears into a tree. Everything around you is quiet and still. A man rows slowly across the lake; the farther he goes, the blurrier he becomes.

Your body slows down, your thoughts grow clearer, and the feeling in your body is now—right now—in this very moment.

What feeling does this bring to your own body? What images stay with you?
Leave a comment or send me an email – I read and answer every word.


Gratitude Returning

As I write these words, the moment comes back to me. The same peaceful feeling fills my body again. That is why these moments are worth collecting. They are the moments when I feel more than good. They make my self-love grow.

This morning dip gratitude Kay Pollak became an inner reminder that small moments can carry an entire day.

Morning dip gratitude Kay Pollak – autumn sun shining through trees and mist.

Morning Dip Gratitude Kay Pollak in My Life

Yes, I have once again immersed myself in Kay Pollak’s words. I live in his thoughts now more than I have for years. I dwell in feelings of gratitude, which makes it easy to find things to be grateful for.

And today I received an extra practice on my way home.


Morning Dip Gratitude Kay Pollak – A Car, a Risk and a Choice

A car was suddenly following very close behind me. Several oncoming cars approached. Yet the car behind began to overtake.

I chose to maintain my speed, but when I saw how close the oncoming traffic was, I slowed down so the driver could pull back into the lane quickly.

A week ago I might have honked, muttered something sharp, and stayed annoyed. But now, with Kay Pollak’s words in my mind, it was different.

“Here is someone in a great hurry. Better to help him so he doesn’t crash. It must be hard to be that stressed.”

I felt gratitude – for my own alertness, for the fact that nothing happened, and for the chance to practice replacing ‘what an idiot’ with ‘poor fellow, he must be stressed’.

Perhaps something serious had happened and he had to get somewhere fast. So I felt grateful to myself for slowing down and to the situation for giving me another chance to choose my thoughts.
Therefore this morning became a clear example of how gratitude can change everything.


Fact Box: How Gratitude Affects the Body

  • Reduces stress – lowers the production of cortisol.
  • Strengthens immunity – grateful people are more resistant to infections.
  • Improves sleep – gratitude makes it easier to unwind.
  • Boosts well-being – dopamine and serotonin, the “feel-good” hormones, increase when we consciously think grateful thoughts.

Stopping today by the lake and in the car was not just pleasant. It was pure health training for brain and heart.


A Morning Full of Small Gratitudes

Now, as I sit here, I see how many gratitudes fit into a single morning:

  • The steaming lake
  • The squirrel that appeared
  • The car that turned into a classroom
  • Kay Pollak’s words that help me live here and now

These are the kinds of moments that build self-love and inner calm. They show that gratitude can live in almost every second.


Between the Lines – My Voice

This post is about more than a beautiful morning.
It is my reminder that I can choose my thoughts. I practice letting gratitude take space, even in moments that might otherwise fill me with anger.


AHA – Between the Lines

Slowing down for a stressed driver became an exercise in compassion. It is a reminder that small choices transform big emotions. I really can choose to meet the world with an open heart.


Reflection

Writing this became yet another practice in pausing. Each memory—the water, the mist, the stressed driver—fills me again with calm and gratitude.

Yesterday has already settled into history, tomorrow is waiting further ahead.
But right now—this is where life happens.

After a morning dip, I treat myself to luxury open sandwiches and hot coffee. A small everyday feast that completes the moment.


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Kay Pollak blog – a misty morning by the lake with a wooden pier and a floating platform, a moment of reflection and meeting between words and nature.

Morning Dip and Gratitude – When the Body Responds with Joy

A frosty morning by the lake, a cold morning dip and thoughts resting in gratitude. Here I share how the body actually responds when we practice gratitude – and how simple moments can fill an entire day with joy and calm.

Read this post in Swedish. ->Morgonbad och tacksamhet – när kroppen svarar med lycka


Morning Dip in Frost and Stillness

alt="Morning dip and gratitude – person wrapped in a towel sitting on a frosty lakeside bench at dawn, mist rising from the water in quiet stillness."

Yesterday I went for a swim with my wonderful swimming sisters. It was below freezing when I sat down in the car to drive the ten kilometers to the paradise by the lake. When I arrived, the water was steaming more than usual, and the sun had not yet climbed above the treetops.

Each step down to the water felt like a small tribute to life. The grass was white with frost, and the cold stung my fingers in that strangely pleasant way – like pressing a tender spot and not being able to resist.

I was the first to arrive and sat for a while in the silence. A fish broke the surface. The swim itself was quiet, without strokes. I simply floated and absorbed everything around me.

alt="Morning dip and gratitude – mirror-calm lake at daybreak with dense mist and bare branches in the foreground, serene autumn scenery."

Warmth, Everyday Life and Rest

When I came home, the feeling remained. I felt deep gratitude for giving myself that moment. After breakfast I went down to the basement and ironed my shirts. I love the warmth of the iron and the thought of how wonderful it will feel to put on a freshly ironed shirt.

The day continued in stillness. I brought in the small pots and irrigation system – now everything is ready for next spring. This week I might plant some garlic. Just the thought of harvesting my own garlic next year makes me happy.


Gratitude as the Body’s Own Medicine

In the evening, while frying meatballs, I let my gratitude grow. I thought about having legs to stand on, a stove, a family who appreciates the food. It may sound simple, but research shows that gratitude releases dopamine and serotonin – the brain’s own feel-good chemicals.

Read more about this science here: The Neuroscience of Gratitude.

When we consciously practice grateful thoughts, the stress hormone cortisol decreases, blood pressure can drop, and sleep deepens. It’s like giving the body an inner massage of calm.


Small Steps for a Big Difference

Would you like to try? Start small. Feel gratitude for a cup of coffee, for your breath, for a message from a friend. That’s where the everyday magic begins.


AHA – Between the Lines

I realize that I don’t only swim for physical well-being. I swim to remind myself that life is right here and now – in frosty steps toward the lake and in the warm steam of an iron. My days become whole when I choose to see that.


Reflection

It is in these small movements that I find myself. A silent dip, the scent of ironed fabric, a dinner of meatballs – all become a path back home to me. Here lives my happiness: simple yet strong.

alt="Morning dip and gratitude – a cold lake swim in soft mist on a frosty autumn morning, person in wool hat floating peacefully as first sunlight breaks over the water."

Yesterday has already settled into history. Tomorrow waits further ahead. But right now – this is where life happens. In this very moment I can plant seeds that will grow into something in the future. – Carina Ikonen Nilsson


My Voice – Between the Lines

It is in the small moments that I come home to myself. In the steps down to the lake as the frost crunches under my feet, in the water’s mist, and in the warmth of the iron. I see how life reminds me that joy lives right here and now.

It takes no more than a silent swim, the scent of a freshly ironed shirt, or the sound of a fish breaking the surface. In that simplicity lies all the happiness I can carry. I choose to see it, I choose to live in it.


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An Early Morning Swim Filled with Gratitude

An early morning dip filled with gratitude. Here I tell about the battle between two voices – the one who wants and the one who doesn’t – and how the will finally won. A moment of nature, courage and quiet joy.

Read this post in Swedish ->Ett morgondopp i tacksamhet- När viljan vinner

->Read also Ett bad i blåst och regn – this older post is only in Swedish.

morning swim of gratitude

Welcome sign at Ragnerud bathing place on a rain-soaked morning – the place of my grateful swim.


Two Voices Inside Me

Today it finally happened again, even though it began with nagging from the one who wants and the one who doesn’t.
The one who doesn’t want has won for too long and taken ground inside my body. She is strong and doesn’t give up easily, and has been winning ground for a very long time, far too long.

But today she had to give in. Already at six o’clock this morning the other one – the one who wants – began to open up to the possibility of really doing it. Her voice fell silent only to rest and try again. This time she didn’t give up. She found possibilities and wove them into every word she spoke to me and to the one inside who doesn’t want.

Now she had the strength; her voice was clear, no longer whispers but firm pointers: now you do it.
“But the swimwear is in the motorhome,” I said to myself.
“That hasn’t stopped you before,” she replied.
“But it’s cold,” said the one inside. “You freeze all the time these days.”
The one with the will answered: “That hasn’t stopped you before.”

The two of them went back and forth all morning. I sat with my laptop in my lap and listened to those two.


The Decision and the Journey

At the very last minute I decided to listen to the right voice and the right will.
I listened to the voice that wanted and made sure to act. Out to the motorhome, find the swim bag, back inside to brush my teeth and grab the car keys, then into the car to actually do what was needed – drive ten kilometers, and I’m there, in paradise on earth.

But today didn’t turn out as planned, because when I arrived at the bathing place my swim-sisters had already finished. Today they had decided to bathe at 8 o’clock and I thought it was at half past eight. But that didn’t stop me.


A Morning Swim of Gratitude

They drove off and I took off all my clothes, which were really only a bathrobe and underwear. On with the water shoes and down into the lake. I had promised myself to just dip in. If it was cold it would be enough to lower my body into the water and then get out.

But if you knew how wonderful that dip was – not cold at all, only pleasant. Simply as wonderful as it gets. My body and the memory within it were completely present there in the water. I smiled and floated for a while.

I know that neither my husband nor my swim-sisters think it is okay to swim completely alone. That meant the swim became a shorter one. Yet every second there in the water, in nature, with my naked body floating in the lake, held a value worth remembering. Me, the water, and the sky.

Wonderful is a pale word for the moment. No word comes close to how I experienced this swim. Waves, wind and rain – and yet something beautiful unfolded inside me.

morning swim of gratitude

The silent beach after my swim – the water, the sky and the red building as my only company.


A Morning Swim of Gratitude – The Victory of Gratitude

It became something to remember as a moment of taking care of myself in the best possible way. As I write these words, I am filled with deep gratitude that I let the one who wants win the first battle of the day.

She won, she triumphed, but I – with all my selves – won the greatest prize. Finally, a swim again. I am now swimming in gratitude that fills my body. Thanks for all the beauty that was with me this morning.

It is almost as if those two wills also carry gratitude within them. And the greatest gratitude is that I listened to her – the one who wants. Even though it felt reluctant and a bit uncomfortable, she won. I acted – and within that action lives gratitude.
-> Would you like to explore more about how swimming can ease pain in the body? Visit Swan Song and Body Work. – this older post is only in Swedish.


AHA – Between the Lines

This post is about more than a swim. It is a victory for the courage to choose what you know is good, despite resistance. A story of how small, decisive steps can fill the body with strength and quiet joy.


Ragnerudssjönt i dimma och vinterbad

I chose the will and met gratitude. Yesterday already rests in history; we can do nothing about it. What happens tomorrow belongs to tomorrow. It is right now, in this very moment, that I sow what I may harvest later. Right now – this is where life happens.
— Carina Ikonen Nilsson


Callout to You as Reader

Do you also have a “one who wants” and a “one who doesn’t” inside you? How do their voices sound – and which one won last time?


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When Autumn Whispers – KonMari, Family Joy, and Tiny Surprises

Read this post in Swedish → När hösten smyger sig på – KonMari, kalas och små hälsningar


Preface

This post is a small journey through everyday life.
It moves from a gray August morning with soft rain, to tidy drawers and a birthday celebration that warmed my heart.
Most importantly, it is a reflection on how small actions – folding a sock, sipping coffee, or watching a child laugh – can become moments of stillness and happiness.
Perhaps it reminds you, as it does me, that life truly lives in the simple things.


Autumn Makes Itself Known

Yesterday, autumn whispered its arrival, even though it was only August 2nd.
The rain fell heavy and gray, as if the sky had pulled a blanket over summer for a while.
Because of that, it was the perfect day for quiet tasks indoors – the kind that bring peace to both the home and the soul.

I pulled out the drawers and began folding clothes using the Marie Kondo method.
Underwear, socks, sweaters, and pajamas all found their places.
The clothes I no longer needed, I thanked for their time and set aside – some to donate, some to throw away.

Afterwards, when I opened the drawer, it felt almost magical.
Everything lay in neat rows, the socks sorted by color.
It was as if the drawer itself sighed in relief.
And so did I.


Why Fold This Way?

I’ve come to realize that the KonMari method isn’t just about tidiness.
Instead, it is about showing gratitude and creating calm in daily life.
When every item has its place, the mind also feels a little clearer.
No more searching, no more silent sighs at the mess – suddenly, home feels like a place where you can breathe.

There’s also something meditative about the folding itself.
While standing in the quiet, I can feel the fabric in my hands, deciding what stays and what moves on.
It’s like creating small islands of stillness in the stream of everyday tasks.

KonMari and everyday joy – yes, that’s how it felt as I stood there folding my clothes.
Even if my husband only shook his head and said it took time, for me, it was precious time – harmony, self-care, and quiet respect for my belongings.


A Celebration with Simple Joys

In the afternoon, we went to a birthday celebration.
We were served smashed potatoes with minced meat and melted cheese, with salad, red onion, and jalapeños on the side.
After that, dessert was an ice cream buffet with plenty of toppings – simple, yet so good.

We met my daughter’s partner’s family and their two little boys.
They were shy at first, as little boys often are with new people, but after a short while, the shyness melted into laughter and play.
I smiled to myself, watching how quickly shyness can turn to mischief.
Children are amazing that way – they always find their way to joy.

We had brought a coffee maker as a gift.
It felt good to give something useful – finally, there will be brewed coffee in their home.


Tiny Animals and Quiet Greetings

On our last shopping trip, I couldn’t resist buying some small, cute stuffed animals.
They each had names and even their own birthdays – completely irresistible.

We bought them for our grandchildren.
One stayed at our daughter’s house, while the other two went on a little adventure.
Eventually, we placed them in our son’s mailbox with a small note explaining that the animals had birthdays to celebrate.
A quiet greeting – from us to them – with the hope of bringing small smiles to their day.


Evening Peace and a Gentle Reflection

When we came home, I settled onto the couch and watched a film about slavery in the US – about a woman who helped others to freedom.
As usual, I dozed off for a while, but the evening still ended in peaceful calm.

Later that night, I reflected on how small acts can create deep well-being:
A tidy drawer.
A shy child daring to laugh.
A cup of freshly brewed coffee.
And the reminder that life truly happens in the little moments – here and now.


Between the Lines – My Voice

I seek calm in simple things: a tidy drawer, the scent of coffee, the sound of rain.
I write to capture the small moments that bring me peace, never to point fingers at anyone.
This is my space for reflection, gratitude, and the gentle glimmers of everyday life.


Have you ever tried the KonMari method?
How do you create calm in your own daily life?
And which small moments stay in your heart the longest?


A Tip – My Neighbor’s YouTube Channel

If you want a short moment of inspiration, take a look at my friend’s videos on YouTube.
She shares small glimpses of life with her own gentle warmth – little educational videos for children about animals, nature, and all the small things they wonder about.

Watch here on YouTube →


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Your support means more than you know!


Live today, right now.
Yesterday is among memories, and the future waits just beyond tomorrow.
Right now is where we live and breathe, where life truly happens.

– Carina Ikonen Nilsson

#KonMariFolding #EverydayJoy #AutumnMoments #FamilyHappiness #OrderAndCalm #SmallMoments #LiveHereAndNow #EverydayReflections #SimplePleasures #MarieKondoLife

Early Morning in the Camper – Sunrise, Structure, and a Longing for My Coffee Machine

Läs det här på svenska

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Foreword

This post was meant to be about gratitude, but the words took a detour through ADHD, blog categories, and a quiet sunrise. Sometimes, all you can do is follow where the words want to go.


Sunrise and Sleeplessness

This morning, I witnessed a sunrise. Sure, I often wake up early – but today it was very early. I don’t sleep well here in the camper, and I miss my bed at home. Writing that makes me feel ungrateful. Not everyone has a camper to sleep badly in. I try to remind myself to be thankful – for the freedom, the quiet, and the fact that we can go wherever we want, whenever we want.


Next Trip Already Planned

Yesterday, my husband started planning our next little trip. It’s already happening this Thursday – a visit to Borås Zoo with Alfred, his mom, and her partner. They’ll go for the day, but we’ll bring the camper and maybe stay longer. I think he’s planning something bigger, but first stop: Borås.


Structure, Blogging and ADHD – A Tangle Searching for Order

Yesterday I sat here, tinkering with my blog. Trying to organize it. I’ve started adding categories to make it easier to navigate. Old posts from 2009 to 2013 are now in their own group – like a little time capsule. Some posts are treasures, others… well. But I won’t delete them. I’m trying to see them with kind eyes – and I hope you will too.

Structuring a blog when you have ADHD isn’t exactly smooth sailing. For me, it’s like trying to clean a room while someone keeps moving the furniture around in my head. ADHD affects focus, impulse control, time management, and staying power. Starting is easy – finishing, not so much. And the “red thread”? More like a yarn tangle.

Still – this blog has shown my persistence. I’ve written for so many years, about so many things. Maybe my ADHD shows up here too: I follow impulses, the words come fast, I jump between topics. But I keep going. That is a kind of structure. Maybe not the traditional kind, but mine. With AI’s help, I can now make more sense of it – even if it still means hours of staring confusedly at the screen.

ADHD in Everyday Life:
ADHD affects executive function – planning, impulse control, emotional regulation – but it also brings creativity, intense focus (sometimes), and rich emotional depth. For many, including me, it’s not just a diagnosis. It’s a way of being in the world.


Heading Home – and Longing for Coffee

Today, we’re heading back home. Time to pack up, unpack the camper, do laundry, and check in on the greenhouse and my little garden. I’m looking forward to sitting under the pavilion and writing there instead of under our camper’s awning.

And the coffee. Oh, how I miss my coffee machine. Out here, it’s just regular drip coffee – even if I grind the beans myself. It’s not the same. Sure, I can froth the milk even in the camper – but who has the energy for that first thing in the morning? It’s a plain cup with a bit of milk. Nothing like the real deal at home.


Callouts – let me ask you…

Do you struggle with creating structure in your everyday life – especially with ADHD?
What does gratitude mean to you, especially on days when everything feels off?
Have you ever read your old writing with kind eyes?


Reflection

Sometimes it’s all a bit much. Gratitude that rubs against exhaustion. Longing for my bed and my coffee machine. But also – a sunrise I would have missed if I’d been sleeping deeply. It hits me that life doesn’t have to be either-or. Maybe it gets to be both. Maybe, somewhere in the middle of all the mess, that’s where I’m most myself.

Yesterday already rests in the pages of history. Tomorrow waits somewhere down the road. But right now – this is where life happens. – Carina Ikonen Nilsson


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#sunrise #adhdlife #structurechaos #camperliving #blogorganization #coffeelover #everydayreflection #boraszoo #adhdandorder

Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy – a Tribute While He’s Still Here

By Carina Ikonen Nilsson – July 11, 2025 | Music & Memories
Read this post in Swedish

The First Time I Saw Him

I was probably around 20 when I saw him for the first time. At first, I thought it would be just another concert – like any other. But oh, how wrong I was.

After the concert, I still remember the sore throat, the exhaustion, the echo in my head. Now, I often feel that way after a show – but back then, it was something else. Maybe it was the first time I felt something that strong.

The Magic That Kept Returning

And that feeling… it came back every time I saw him. How I loved watching him. His movements were monotonous, almost mechanical – but that’s what made it so special. It was Ozzy Osbourne, exactly as he was meant to be.

My god, I loved going to those concerts. That real feeling – the one that rooted deep inside – was always there.

Before the Legends Became Legends

I think I’ve seen most of the big heavy metal bands. I was even at a show where Helloween opened for one of the greats.

And I saw The Rev – alive – on stage at Ullevi. He played with Avenged Sevenfold, opening for Iron Maiden.

Back then, I didn’t like the band. They didn’t resonate with me – probably because I was just waiting for Iron Maiden.
But after The Rev died… I found my way to their music. And suddenly, I heard the beauty. The depth that had always been there.

What Hits Hardest

There’s something that happens when you find something too late. When you suddenly understand what you missed while it was right in front of you.

The Tribute That’s Happening Now

All the love pouring in on social media. How the world is lifting up The King of Darkness – Ozzy Osbourne.

I wasn’t at the 2025 concert in Birmingham. I had already decided to keep the memory of him as he was back then.

But now… now I see how wrong I was. I should have listened to my son, who told me to go. But I said no. “I’ve seen him young – I want to keep that image.”
Oh, how I wish I had been there. To share that moment. To honor him – this enormous icon – as he said goodbye.

My ADHD Heart and What I Really Wanted to Say

And yet, this wasn’t what I meant to write either. My ADHD brain swims through words that don’t always line up the way they should.

But what I truly wanted to say is this: I’m so moved – deeply moved – to see all the love for Ozzy and his band, Black Sabbath.

It’s beautiful. Those who were there. Those who shared. Those who now carry his legacy forward.

He Still Owns the Stage – Even Sitting

But the greatest thing of all?
Seeing how – despite all the pain his body carries – he can still captivate an entire arena. He’s sitting. But he creates magic just by being there.

He doesn’t move like he used to. He’s not standing tall.
And yet… every clip I’ve seen carries that same feeling I once had in front of the stage.

It must be his aura. His voice. His power within.

The Presence Was Always the Power

I used to think it was his movement and voice that made him great.
But now I understand:
It was never just that.

It was him.
His presence.
His being.
The legend.

This Man – and His Life

I truly love this man – everything he’s done in his life. I read his book a few years ago, and I can honestly say: It’s worth it.
My god, what a life. That he’s still alive today… it’s almost unbelievable.

What Matters Most

I strayed again. But now I return to what I wanted to say:

I’m so deeply touched – so full of love – that he gets to experience all this now, while he’s alive.
He gets to hear the words that usually come too late. The ones we say after someone is gone.

And that… That feels incredibly important.
More than anything, maybe.

But even then – do we ever truly hear those words?
I’m not sure we do.

Celebrate While We Still Can

Because no matter how much we praise someone after they’re gone –
It’s while they live that they need to hear it.

Famous or unknown.
Big or small.

We all have something to learn from that.

 Reflection

We so often wait too long. Our words land in silence, when they can no longer be received.

But Ozzy – he gets to hear them now.
And that’s something we all deserve.
Whether we’re on stage, or sitting in the crowd.

 Want to share your thoughts?

Do you have a memory from a concert, an artist who meant something to you, or something you wish you’d said?
Leave a comment – I read them all.

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#ozzyosbourne #legendwhilealive #concertmemories #blackmetalhero #avengedsevenfold #helloweenband #giveflowersnow

OZZY – you’ve carried my darkness and lit it with sound. I love you.

Live and act today.
What you did yesterday is history.
The future? We know nothing about it.
And if we wait… it might be too late.
But we won’t know that until tomorrow –
if we’re lucky enough to see it. – Carina Ikonen Nilsson.

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