Gratitude in everyday life grows from the smallest moments – the smell of coffee, a quiet house, and autumn slowly settling in. In the silent morning, my body wakes gently, and peace fills the room. Life in the motorhome will have to wait for a while, but maybe we’ll take one last weekend trip before winter takes over. Autumn invites us to nest, to the scent of green tomatoes in sweet brine, and to the feeling of being in rhythm with time.
Sometimes life feels just like the sky in the picture above – clouds gathering, yet the light always finds its way through. That’s where gratitude in everyday life lives, in the shift between darkness and light.
A New Morning in Gratitude in Everyday Life
It’s a new morning – and I’ve been given the privilege of waking to yet another day. Gratitude already lives within my body as the coffee warms the air, and the house rests in silence. Everyone else is still asleep. This is my moment – that small, still space before the world wakes up.
Gratitude in Everyday Life – Light, Warmth, and Green Tomatoes
Yesterday, my husband and I decided to rearrange our living room. It turned out so well that I spent almost the whole day there. Outside, the wind howled, but inside, I lit candles in every corner and let autumn truly move in.
A quiet moment as day turns to evening. Here peace lives – and gratitude too.
While the candles flickered, I cooked green tomatoes in sweet brine – sugar, vinegar, cloves, and cinnamon. The scent filled the whole house.
The taste of the past. Green tomatoes in syrup – a small piece of nostalgia and gratitude in everyday life.
I used to make them every year, but it hasn’t happened in a while. Now the jar stands there on the kitchen counter, and I feel a small, childlike excitement about what the family will think when they taste them.
When the simple things are allowed to ripen at their own pace – just like life itself.
In Tune with Time and Gratitude in Everyday Life
Alfred was here on Friday to help me bring everything in from the garden. Pots, tools, and soil all came inside before the storm arrived. We pulled up the carrots and planted garlic – next year, I’ll be able to pick fresh garlic from our own garden.
It feels unusual to be in rhythm with the season. Gratitude in everyday life shows up in that feeling – when everything is in its place. Now only the lawnmower and the hose remain; they’ll come in soon too. In the greenhouse, clean, empty pots now stand in neat rows. All the spades, rakes, and garden tools are on holiday until spring.
Autumn Moves In – and So Does Gratitude in Everyday Life
My body is slowly adjusting to autumn and winter. It feels good, almost peaceful, to nest and let the season settle. Still, we haven’t decided if the motorhome will rest completely yet. Maybe there will be one last trip – a weekend with coffee on the gas stove and the lake like a mirror outside the window.
Either way, it’s time for cleaning and unpacking. Summer clothes, blankets, and little things will come inside, where they belong. They’re happier here than in a damp motorhome. Once everything is clean and ready, the motorhome will get its thank you – its see you next year.
Maybe that’s where gratitude in everyday life lives. In the moment before we close things down, in the space between summer and winter. When we can feel that we made it – and that everything is just as it should be.
AHA – The Small Things that Hold Gratitude in Everyday Life
Aha… sometimes gratitude in everyday life isn’t about the big things. It hides in the small ones – the smell of coffee, the feeling of being just in time before the storm, and being in tune with the season. I think that’s when life feels the most – when it’s simple and still.
Between the Lines
Between the lines lives calm. Here I am – in silence, in the everyday, in the small movements that make up my life. This is where I breathe, where I feel – and where I’m grateful just to exist. Gratitude in everyday life lives here, when we begin to truly practice gratitude.
A Question for You, Dear Reader
When was the last time you felt gratitude in everyday life – for something small, like a cup of coffee, a quiet morning, or simply being just in time before the storm?
Yesterday has already found its rest in history. There, we planted seeds that may grow into harvests today or tomorrow – the tomorrow waiting further ahead, out there in the future.
But right now – this is where life happens. Right now, and right now is always here. This is where we plant our seeds.
Ibland händer något litet som betyder mycket. När jag såg att Kay Pollak hade gillat mitt inlägg på LinkedIn, det där om bloggstatistik och berättelserna bakom siffrorna, blev jag både varm och tacksam. För mig handlar bloggen – och allt Kay Pollak står för – om att välja glädje, se möjligheter och mötas genom ord. Det här inlägget är en reflektion över just det – hur ett enda klick kan påminna om varför jag skriver.
Ett litet gillande från någon kan få hela dagen att glimma till. Igår, när jag öppnade LinkedIn, såg jag att Kay Pollak hade gillat mitt inlägg. Just det inlägget där jag skrev om bloggstatistik – och om hur siffrorna egentligen handlar om möten mellan ord och människor.
För en stund stannade jag upp. Inte för att ett gilla är så stort i sig, utan för att det kom från någon vars ord följt mig länge. En person som påmint mig om att vi själva väljer våra tankar, våra perspektiv och våra reaktioner. Han som hela tiden i mina tankar påminner mig om att mitt ansvar är att göra min själv lycklig. Vilket jag gör genom att välja tankar som ger mig mera känslor av lycka.
När siffror blir berättelser
Jag har följt bloggens statistik och sett den växa, där den ger fler läsare varje vecka. Men när jag ser siffrorna nu, tänker jag inte längre på dem som siffror. Jag tänker på dem som möten – små digitala fotspår av människor som stannat upp en stund i min vardag. Kanske någon log. Kanske någon kände igen sig. Det är ju det som gör skrivandet levande: när orden får landa, väcka något, bli en del av någon annans tanke.
Och igår – när Kay Pollak tryckte på gilla – blev det som en symbol för precis det. Ett kvitto på att det jag skriver om verkligen speglar hans budskap: att våra tankar skapar vår värld.
Att fortsätta välja glädje
Det här lilla ögonblicket påminner mig om varför jag skriver. Inte för siffror, inte för statistik – utan för samtalet mellan raderna. För att dela något äkta. För att skapa stilla möten mellan människor, även i det digitala bruset.
Så tack, Kay. Och tack till dig som läser. Ni påminner mig om att ord har kraft – och att det alltid är värt att fortsätta välja glädje, även i det lilla.
En träbrygga som sträcker sig ut mot ett vågigt hav – en stund av stillhet, reflektion och mötet mellan ord och tystnad.
Om Kay Pollaks kurs – och mitt eget val
Jag vet att Kay Pollak just nu håller en helgkurs, en workshop, som jag länge funderat på om jag inte skulle gå. Det hade varit spännande – tänk att få möta mig själv på djupet i en sådan miljö, där orden och tystnaden får tala lika starkt.
Men så blev det inte den här gången. Istället valde jag att investera i utbildningen till samtalsterapeut, ett beslut jag tog bara för några dagar sedan. Kursen med Kay lockade verkligen, men den kostar en hel del pengar, och just nu tillåter inte min ekonomi ännu en satsning.
Eller kanske är det jag själv som inte riktigt tillåter det – för att jag redan valt att lägga mina resurser på en annan resa, en som också handlar om att förstå, möta och växa.
Det känns lite dubbelt. En del av mig hade velat sitta där, mitt i hans workshop, lyssna och reflektera. Samtidigt vet jag att vägen jag valt nu är min – och att den också leder till mötet med mig själv. Kanske blir det fler tillfällen, kanske inte. Kay är ju till åren kommen, och jag känner en viss ambivalens inför tanken att jag missar något. Men just nu är det så här livet ser ut, och jag väljer att känna tacksamhet för det jag faktiskt har möjligheten att göra. Men det hade varit så stort att få delta i en workshop med Kay Pollak.
Reflektion
Ibland behöver vi inte stora gester. Ibland räcker det med ett enda litet klick – ett gilla – för att väcka något stort inombords. Det handlar inte om bekräftelse, utan om igenkänning. Om att förstå att det man sänder ut, faktiskt landar någonstans. Det ger mig även insikten om att jag har ett stort ansvar över vad det är jag sänder ut.
Fråga till dig som läser:
När fick du senast ett sådant litet ögonblick av glädje som betydde mer än du först trodde?
AHA – insikten
Det behövs inte mycket för att väcka mening. Ett enda gilla kan bli som en liten lykta i mörkret – en påminnelse om att det vi delar faktiskt når fram. Kanske är det så livet fungerar: vi sår små frön av ord, tankar och värme – och ibland, när vi minst anar det, slår något ut.
Mellan raderna
Bakom siffror, statistik och bloggar bor alltid en människa som vill bli förstådd. Jag skriver inte för att bli sedd, men för att dela något sant. När någon – som Kay Pollak – ser det, blir det som ett tyst “jag förstår”. Och just där, i det stilla igenkännandet, händer något stort.
Stöd mitt skrivande
Om du tycker om det jag delar, kan du stötta mitt fortsatta skrivande här: Paypal.
Prenumerera på bloggen
Vill du följa mina texter, reflektioner och vardagsberättelser? Prenumerera gärna på bloggen – det kostar inget, men betyder mycket. Prenumerera här
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.
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.
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.
Veckostatistik höstljus morgondopp stanna upp – den gångna veckan har fört med sig höstljus, morgondopp och många små möten med er som läser. Dessutom har både svenska och engelska texter fortsatt att hitta nya vägar ut i världen, som om orden själva vill bada i nya sjöar av läsare.
Bakom kulisserna visar statistiken att direktbesök och sociala medier bär bloggen framåt. Därför känns det som att fler redan känner till vägen hit – som om malix.se blivit ett återkommande morgonkaffe för själen. Läs fler veckostatistik-inlägg här »
Att stanna upp – för att bli mer sanna mot oss själva
Jag tror att vi behöver stanna upp för att verkligen möta både världen och oss själva. Att leva här och nu gör oss mer levande. När vi saktar ner kan vi dessutom lägga märke till de där små detaljerna som annars rusar förbi. Det är lätt att inte se träden för att skogen står i vägen, men när vi går närmare ser vi plötsligt ekorren, de skrovliga stammarna och de skiftande nyanserna.
Det är likadant med oss människor. När vi vågar stanna upp och lyssna – inte bara på orden utan också på tonfallen och pauserna – börjar vi se den vi möter på riktigt. Om vi tar det ännu ett steg och tar ansvar för det vi själva sänder ut, för våra tankar och känslor, då börjar vi lysa. Vi hittar omtanken, det egna ansvaret och modet att se oss själva i spegeln.
Det är vad jag har lärt mig under veckan som gått. Vad har du lärt dig?
AHA – mellan raderna
Det här handlar inte bara om statistik. Det är också en berättelse om hur stillhet blir ett slags inre kompass. Morgondoppet, tacksamhetsövningarna och skrivandet är alla sätt att stanna upp och välja riktning – små handlingar som i tysthet formar vardagen.
Din röst: Mellan raderna
Den här veckan speglar en längtan efter balans och sanning. Texterna lockar dem som söker stillhet mitt i vardagen – och du som läser bär med dig samma önskan. När jag ser hur ni hittar hit känns det som ett samtal som fortsätter även när jag stängt datorn.
Reflektion
När vi stannar upp händer något. Vi börjar ana de små färgskiftningarna i vårt eget inre landskap. Där, i mellanrummen, ligger kanske det mest levande – det som inte syns när vi rusar förbi.
Tack till dig som besöker
Tack för att du kommer hit, läser, delar och ibland lämnar en rad. Dina besök gör bloggen levande och ger orden riktning. Du är en viktig del av det samtal som växer här.
En tanke på vägen
Ta med dig en stund av stillhet i fickan i dag. Kanske räcker det med tre djupa andetag vid ett köksfönster. Där, i det lilla, ryms ofta det största.
Gårdagen har redan lagt sig till ro i historien, morgondagen väntar längre fram. Men just nu – det är här livet händer.- Carina Ikonen Nilsson
Frågor till dig som läser
Hur ser ditt eget stanna-upp-ögonblick ut? Finns det en plats eller stund där du ser världen – och dig själv – lite klarare? Och skulle det kännas intressant med ett nyhetsbrev från mig, kanske en gång i månaden, med reflektioner, små berättelser och länkar till veckans inlägg?
Weekly statistics – autumn light, morning dips, and pausing to see clearly – this past week has been filled with soft autumn light, refreshing morning swims, and many small encounters with you, my readers. In addition, both the Swedish and English texts have continued to find new paths out into the world, as if the words themselves want to bathe in new lakes of readers.
Behind the scenes, the statistics show that direct visits and social media keep the blog moving forward. It feels as though more and more people already know the way here – as if malix.se has become a recurring morning coffee for the soul. Read more weekly statistics posts here »
Pausing – to Become More True to Ourselves
I believe we need to pause in order to truly meet both the world and ourselves. Living here and now makes us more alive. When we slow down, we also start to notice the small details that otherwise rush by. It’s easy not to see the trees because the forest stands in the way, but when we step closer we suddenly notice the squirrel, the rough bark of the trunks, and the shifting colors.
It’s the same with people. When we dare to pause and listen – not only to the words but also to the tones and the pauses – we begin to truly see the person in front of us. And if we take it a step further and take responsibility for what we ourselves send out, for our thoughts and feelings, then we begin to shine. We find care, personal responsibility, and the courage to look ourselves in the mirror.
This is what I have learned during the past week. What have you learned?
AHA – Between the Lines
This is about more than numbers. It is also a story of how stillness becomes an inner compass. Morning dips, gratitude exercises, and writing are all ways to pause and choose a direction – small acts that quietly shape daily life.
Your Voice: Between the Lines
This week reflects a longing for balance and truth. The texts resonate with those seeking stillness in everyday life – and you, the reader, carry the same longing. When I see how you find your way here, it feels like a conversation that continues even after I close my computer.
Reflection
Something happens when we pause. We begin to sense the subtle color changes in our own inner landscape. There, in the quiet spaces, lies perhaps the most vibrant part of life – the one we can’t see when rushing past.
Thank You for Visiting
Thank you for coming here, for reading, sharing, and sometimes leaving a comment. Your visits keep the blog alive and give direction to the words. You are an essential part of this growing conversation.
A Thought for the Road
Carry a moment of stillness in your pocket today. Perhaps three deep breaths at the kitchen window are enough. In that small pause, the biggest things often unfold.
Yesterday has already come to rest in history, tomorrow waits further ahead. But right now – this is where life happens. – Carina Ikonen Nilsson
Questions for You
What does your own pause-and-breathe moment look like? Is there a place or time where you see the world – and yourself – a little more clearly? And would you be interested in a monthly newsletter from me, with reflections, small stories, and links to the week’s posts?
Ett frostigt morgondopp tacksamhet Kay Pollak var det som fick denna morgon att glöda. Här berättar jag hur naturens stillhet och en oväntad trafiksituation vilket blev en levande övning i självkärlek och närvaro.
Solen lyser in genom fönstret. Jag sitter i soffan med dubbla sockar, en kopp kaffe och en filt om mig. Kroppen mår alldeles förträffligt just nu och det beror på att jag för en stund sedan kom hem från ännu ett morgondopp tacksamhet Kay Pollak.
Ett bad där det visade sig all vackerhet du kan tänka dig.
Morgondopp tacksamhet Kay Pollak
Blunda en stund och följ med mig i stunden. Här bor du i ett frostigt gräs under fötterna, där till en sjö som ryker mer än vanligt. Samtidigt som alla steg du tar ger dig bilder av vattnet som klarnar även av bryggan som växer fram framför dig. Ön längre ut blir tydligare och tydligare för varje steg.
Kylan från luften smeker benen och ansiktet. Höstluften är fuktig men samtidigt frostigt frisk, vilket är en märklig blandning som nästan bjuder in till en egen dans av stillhet. Dessutom ger mötet med ekorren dig en extra känsla av närvaro när han sprang upp till trädet. I allt detta runt omkring dig så är allt tyst och stilla. En man ror sakta ut på sjön, men ju längre bort han kommer, desto otydligare blir han.
Din kropp saktar ner, tankarna blir klarare och känslan i kroppen är nu, just då, i denna stund.
Hur blev din känsla i kroppen? Vilka bilder fick du med dig? Skriv gärna en kommentar eller skicka ett mejl – jag läser det som kommer och svarar på alla ord du sänder.
Tacksamheten som återvänder
När jag skriver orden här upplever jag stunden på nytt. Samma rofyllda känsla flyttar in i kroppen igen. Därför är det just de stunderna jag vill samla på. Det är i de stunderna jag mår mer än bra. Dessutom ger jag mig själv självkärlek som bara växer.
Detta morgondopp tacksamhet Kay Pollak blev en inre påminnelse om att små ögonblick kan bära hela dagen.
Morgondopp tacksamhet Kay Pollak ord i mitt liv
Jo, jag har igen snöat in på Kay Pollak. Jag lever mer i hans ord just nu än jag gjort på flera år. Jag bor i känslor av tacksamhet, och därför är det lätt att hitta mina tacksamheter.
Och i dag fick jag en extra övning på vägen hem.
Morgondopp tacksamhet Kay Pollak En bil, en risk – och ett val
En bil låg väldigt nära bakom mig. Framför mig kom flera mötande bilar. Ändå började bilen bakom köra om.
Jag valde att hålla hastigheten, men när jag såg hur nära det var för den mötande trafiken saktade jag in så att han snabbt skulle kunna komma in i filen igen.
För en vecka sedan hade jag kanske tutat, muttrat något fult och suttit kvar med irritation. Men nu, med Kay Pollaks ord i tankarna, blev det annorlunda.
”Här har vi någon som har väldigt bråttom. Det är nog bra att hjälpa honom så att han inte krockar. Det måste vara jobbigt att vara så stressad.”
Jag kände tacksamhet – över min egen uppmärksamhet, över att inget hände och över möjligheten att träna mig i att byta ut sicken idiot mot stackaren han måste vara stressad.
Kanske hade något hänt som han måste skynda sig till. Därför kände jag tacksamhet till mig själv som bromsade in, till situationen som gav mig en chans att öva på att välja vad jag ska tänka. Därför blev denna morgon ett tydligt exempel på hur tacksamhet kan förändra allt
Fakta: Vad tacksamhet gör i kroppen
Minskar stress – kroppen producerar mindre kortisol.
Stärker immunförsvaret – tacksamma människor blir mer motståndskraftiga mot infektioner.
Förbättrar sömn – känslor av tacksamhet gör det lättare att varva ner.
Höjer välmåendet – dopamin och serotonin, ”må-bra-hormoner”, frigörs när vi aktivt tänker tacksamma tankar.
Att som i dag stanna upp vid sjön och i bilen är alltså inte bara en fin upplevelse. Det är ren hälsoträning för hjärna och hjärta.
Ett liv fyllt av små tacksamheter
Nu, när jag sitter här, ser jag hur många tacksamheter som ryms i en enda morgon:
Sjön och dimman
Ekorren som visade sig
Bilen som blev en läroplats
Kay Pollaks ord som hjälper mig att leva här och nu
Det är sådana ögonblick som bygger självkärlek och stillhet. De visar att tacksamhet kan bo i nästan varje sekund.
Mellan raderna – min röst
Det här inlägget handlar om mer än en vacker morgon. Det är min påminnelse om att jag kan välja mina tankar. Jag tränar mig i att låta tacksamheten ta plats, även i situationer som annars kunde fylla mig med ilska.
AHA – mellan raderna
Att bromsa för en stressad bilist blev en övning i medkänsla. Det är en påminnelse om att små val förändrar stora känslor. Jag kan faktiskt välja att möta världen med ett öppet hjärta.
Reflektion
Att skriva detta är ännu en övning i att stanna upp. Varje minne – vattnet, dimman, den stressade föraren – fyller mig med lugn och tacksamhet.
När man unnar sig ett morgondopp, då får man bjuda sig själv på lyxmackor. Det är riktigt gott med riktigt goda mackor och en kopp varmt kaffe efter ett bad.
Gårdagen har lagt sig till ro i historien, morgondagen väntar längre fram. Men just nu – det är här livet händer. -Carina Ikonen Nilsson
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.
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 – Every Step by the Lake
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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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Every morning is a chance to begin again. In the quiet moment with coffee and silence, the thought of choosing happiness grows – a lesson from Kay Pollak that carries me through both everyday joys and the sorrow of what never became.
I keep writing about Kay Pollak because the subject isn’t finished within me. His message is essential: Kay Pollak choosing happiness is my daily choice. His words – that we can choose our attitude – stay with me and awaken new thoughts. Each morning I feel deep gratitude for one more day, or at least one more morning. It is truly the morning I value most.
When the house is still, whether at home or in the motorhome, there’s a silence that belongs only to me. Fresh coffee in my cup, the laptop on my lap, fingers dancing across the keyboard like music. Thoughts wander back and forth until the words must come. Again and again I land in gratitude that today is the first day of the rest of my life.
The First Day of the Rest of My Life
I invite you to think the same thought. This very moment is a unique now – a brand-new day in the rest of your life. Do you feel how the moment expands when you see it this way?
At work I often shared this idea with young people. We imagined that every day could be the first day of the rest of their lives. At first, they didn’t know what could make a day special. Then I served the next thought on a silver platter:
Simply waking up today makes this day special.
Kay Pollak Choosing Happiness – My Daily Choice
We also talked about our own responsibility for feelings – that we can actually choose to feel happiness, even though we often choose to feel unhappiness in different forms. It wasn’t everyone’s favorite subject, but a few embraced it.
When you begin to see that you can truly be master – or mistress – of your thoughts, and dare to ask can I choose happiness now, it may not be easy. But sometimes you succeed in changing the thought and actually choosing happiness.
Imagine you are tired and something happens. You might think this only happens because I’m tired or this always happens to me. But turn the thought: Oh, this happened – interesting, what can I learn from it? How would someone else react in this moment? Or even better: If I were to choose happiness right now, how would I act?
People as Teachers
I often told the youth I met that every person crossing my path is sent to teach me something. Some laughed and asked what they could possibly teach me – do you want to become a criminal or what? I smiled and said that I am practicing being completely true to myself. That is something I hope they too will dare to do one day.
Many of them lived behind masks created to survive. I wanted to show that life is more than survival. We owe it to life itself to live. This may not have been part of my formal job description, but it felt essential.
I am not someone who follows rules just for the sake of rules. Yet I respect the agreements we make as colleagues. What mattered to me was that these young people met an adult who showed her true self – and believed that they, too, were enough as they are.
Daring to Live the Words
There is so much power in the words Kay Pollak shares. They become truly great only when we dare to live them.
Life grows simpler when we put ourselves where we truly belong – when we dare to be honest, clear, and to set our own boundaries.
Sometimes we must choose to step away, to stand firm, to be exactly who we are. For me, Kay Pollak choosing happiness is a daily reminder that life can always start anew.
Even blogging itself is, for me, an act of choosing happiness – just as Kay Pollak encourages.
Sorrow and Being Rejected
The sorrow and the situation with my son – the feeling of being rejected – live in my everyday life. It is a deep pain, and I grieve that it is this way. Yet here is an important but: I cannot stop living because I hurt. I cannot stop loving. I must move forward and dare to choose happiness, despite everything.
For me, this is a life lesson: I must not merely survive — I must live, experience, and dare to feel joy even when something in life is painful. Other people need to see me smile. I have many reasons to keep seeking and experiencing happiness. I owe myself that.
Of course, it is difficult to choose happiness now when sorrow is at its strongest. Yet I keep asking myself: can I choose happiness now? Perhaps the question itself opens something new. Perhaps there is something here I need to learn about trust, courage, and self-love. I believe sorrow itself carries a teaching – about setting boundaries, protecting what is good, and giving space to both pain and hope.
The sorrow may remain, but it must not become everything. I am responsible for continuing to seek the moments of happiness that make life alive.
Reflection
Looking back, I see how deeply Kay Pollak’s thoughts have shaped my everyday life. His words about choosing happiness are not just beautiful phrases – they are a way of living. Every morning is a new chance to begin again, a chance to consciously choose direction.
Between the Lines – My Words
The past cannot be relived – it has already passed and we cannot change it. I live with that insight every day, in every post. It is a lesson I carry from Kay Pollak:
Live today, right now. Yesterday no longer exists. Right now we sow the seeds that we may harvest in the future. – Carina Ikonen Nilsson
It is here, in this very now, that we choose our path and plant what can one day bloom.
AHA – Between the Lines
This is more than a text about gratitude. It is a lived approach – to meet each day without clinging to yesterday’s failures or worries. To see every person as an opportunity for growth. And to discover that the courage to be true is the very ground of joy.
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FAQ – Questions I’m Often Asked About Kay Pollak and Choosing Happiness
What does “choosing happiness” really mean? For me it doesn’t mean being happy all the time. It’s an attitude – consciously choosing thoughts and actions that open a path to joy, even in hard times.
How can someone begin to live more in the present? I start with morning stillness. A few minutes with coffee and silence become a daily reminder that today is the first day of the rest of your life.
How does sorrow affect this choice? The sorrow of rejection never disappears, but it doesn’t have to fill all space. I see it as a teacher reminding me to keep living and loving – not just surviving.
Can we really choose our feelings? We can’t control every feeling, but we can choose which perspective we feed. That is where freedom and power lie.
Kay Pollak choose happiness – two words that have become important in my life. Here I share how his ideas on personal responsibility help me in everyday life: from messy breakfast mornings to the deeper pain of distance from my son and grandchildren. It’s a story about pausing, choosing your response, and creating your own joy.
At home we have paused our Storytel subscription for a while, which means I now listen to podcasts instead. Podcasts don’t paint long, poetic pictures like a book, but they give me something else – other people’s words and experiences. And sometimes that is exactly what I need.
Yesterday I chose my all-time favorite. I’ll write his name even though my husband might shake his head if he happened to read this: Kay Pollak. His voice has followed me for many years, and my husband has heard plenty of quotes from him.
Who Is Kay Pollak?
For those who don’t know: Kay Pollak is a Swedish author, lecturer and film director. He is known for his thoughts on self-leadership, joy and inner freedom, expressed in books like Att välja glädje (Choose Joy) and Att växa genom möten (To Grow Through Encounters). He also directed the internationally acclaimed film As It Is in Heaven.
In his talks and books, he returns again and again to the same core insight:
We cannot decide what happens to us – but we can choose how we react.
It sounds simple. But for me, it has been life-changing.
Kay Pollak Choose Happiness in Everyday Life
When I first started listening to Kay Pollak, I learned to pause in the moment.
Take a normal morning: I come home from work and find the kitchen counter full of crumbs, a butter pack left out. I used to get furious and take it personally – as if I were just the cleaning lady in my own home.
But when I let Kay Pollak’s words settle in, I could stop and think: They must have had a stressful morning. How wonderful that the kids still had time for breakfast. Maybe my husband was simply exhausted last night.
And you know what? It was so much easier to feel happy on the mornings when I thought kinder thoughts.
The same with my daughter on those days when she woke up in a storm and pressed every trigger I had. In the past I would react immediately. But when I saw the tiredness behind her frustration, I could choose another way to respond – exactly what she needed: a mother who looked beyond the behavior.
The Greatest Test – My Son and Grandchildren
This insight reaches far beyond morning routines. The distance from my adult son hurts. I miss my grandchildren. Sometimes part of me wants to put blame somewhere. But deep down I know I never want to give him guilt. I want to love him – and I do. I wish him every happiness, even if I’m not part of his children’s lives.
I cannot control his choices. I can only choose my own attitude. Choose to live. Choose to be happy – even with longing in my heart.
Happiness as an Active Choice
It may sound unusual, but I truly believe I can choose whether to be happy or unhappy. Happiness is not just a feeling that happens to us. It is a choice I make again and again, in big and small things.
I can fill my life with what gives meaning – writing, painting, morning swims, and the community of those who are here. That is my responsibility.
I cannot take responsibility for other people’s reactions, but I can take responsibility for how I relate to them.
Questions for You
How do you think about choosing happiness in your own life?
Have you experienced how a different response completely changed a tough situation?
Is there someone whose words have moved into your life the way Kay Pollak’s words have into mine?
Feel free to share in the comments – your words might spark new thoughts for someone else.
Between the Lines – My Voice
Behind these words lies a quiet gratitude. I see how my patterns have been shaped by both inheritance and choice – and how freedom can begin in a single thought. Taking responsibility for your own life is not about carrying everything alone, but about choosing how to meet what happens.
Reflection
In every choice of thought there is a small freedom. To pause, to breathe before the word or reaction comes, can change an entire day. This is not denying grief but carrying it with gentler hands. Kay Pollak’s words remind me that life can indeed feel lighter when I choose a softer response.
AHA – Between the Lines
Happiness is not something someone else can give. It is my own creation – in dishes left on the counter, in children who sometimes push away, in the deep longing for those I love. I can grieve and still choose joy. In that tension between pain and the will to live, freedom arises.
Yesterday has already laid itself to rest in history, and tomorrow waits somewhere ahead. But right now – this is where life happens. – Carina Ikonen Nilsson
What does Kay Pollak mean by “choose happiness”? He teaches that while we cannot control what happens, we can choose our response. By pausing and seeing situations differently, we can create more joy.
How have you applied his thoughts? By pausing in everyday moments – like facing a messy kitchen or a child’s bad morning mood – and choosing a calmer response that leads to peace instead of conflict.
Can you really choose happiness when life hurts? Yes. It doesn’t mean pain disappears. It means acknowledging grief without getting stuck. I carry the sorrow of distance from my son, but I choose to live and find joy.
Where can I learn more about Kay Pollak? Check out his books such as Choose Joy (Att välja glädje) and To Grow Through Encounters (Att växa genom möten), available in bookstores, audiobooks and podcasts. You can also visit Kay Pollak’s official website for more inspiration.
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