Etikett: writing journey

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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Also Read


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

A New Day to Breathe and Live In

SV version here.

Foreword

Writing is my way of breathing. And today, I breathe gratitude – for the night, the morning, and the journey we’ve been on. Here are a few words from our moment in Vilhelmina, before we begin our way home again.


Gratitude as a Way of Life

A new day to live. A new day to breathe.
I often feel gratitude just for waking up – simply opening my eyes and starting over is something I no longer take for granted. The more years that pass, the more I live in thoughts of thankfulness. It’s as if growing older peels away the noise and makes space for what truly matters.


Morning in Vilhelmina – Fully Charged

Today, I live inside my gratitudes.
Grateful for a good night’s sleep.
Grateful that we arrived here in Vilhelmina.
And grateful that we begin our journey home today.

I don’t know how far we’ll go – maybe all the way to Mora, or perhaps we’ll stop in Östersund for the night. There are many miles to travel, but we’ll take them at our own pace.


All the Miles Behind Us

What a journey we’ve had!
So many experiences, so many miles – and most of all: so much we’ve shared. Me, my husband, and the little one. Yesterday, when we arrived here, it was time to recharge – both body and devices. Vacuum cleaner, toothbrush, laptops – everything needed a boost before the new day.

We mostly camp to enjoy a warm shower and recharge everything. Others at the campgrounds sit outside, socialize, grill, and enjoy the camping life. We do the other things – prepare food, shower, tidy up for the night. Then we curl up with our phones or computers for a little while, before sleep takes us. I don’t think we’ve stayed up late even once. All those miles and moments make us tired by nightfall.


A Tiredness You Feel in Your Bones

Last night, I was writing a blog post, yawning through every sentence. Tears streamed down my cheeks from all the yawning. And the moment my head hit the pillow, I was gone.


Långfil – A Northern Breakfast Love

At our stop in Blåsjön, I found something I’d been longing for – långfil!

Långfil is a traditional northern Swedish fermented milk product – thicker than regular yogurt and with a soft, tangy taste. It forms long, silky threads when stirred – hence the name. For many, it’s a childhood favorite and a true symbol of northern Swedish breakfast culture. Sometimes, you can sprinkle a little cinnamon, ginger, or sugar on top – and it becomes pure delight.

So today, I’m treating myself to a proper northern breakfast with långfil. And a quiet smile – because this morning feels exactly as it should.


Stekenjokk – A Mountain Landscape to Carry with You

During our journey, we passed Stekenjokk, a place you can’t describe without pausing to take a deeper breath.

Stekenjokk is one of Sweden’s highest roads, stretching across a mountain plateau in the borderlands between Jämtland and Lapland. The landscape opens like a skyward roof. Rugged mountains, melting snow streams, and patches of snow that linger well into summer. The nature here is powerful – wild and wind-worn, yet calming.

For the little one, it was the snow in June that stood out. For us, it was the silence, the vastness, and the feeling of being just a tiny dot in something so much greater.


A Journey for the Memory Bank

The little one may have spent a lot of time with his phone or laptop, but he still got to experience the landscapes of Norway and northern Sweden. Now he can say “I’ve been there” – and truly know what it looks like. He knows now how quickly the weather changes here – from sun to storm in a snap.

He can say, “Yes, I remember – the wind up there really can blow!”
And we’ve felt that – not once, but twice. Winds so strong you could barely walk forward. A force you have to both respect and remember.


Heading Home – With a Heart Full

Now we’re packing up, charging the last devices, and slowly heading home.
A journey is never just roads and rest stops – it’s memories, emotions, and lessons.
And I’m truly grateful for every step.


Writing Time Among Fjäll and Fil

Something else I’ve carried with me on this trip is words.
I’ve had time to write – and more importantly, time to listen. To my own thoughts. To the wind in the mountains. To the silence.

It was here, during this journey, that a new title for a future story arrived. It’s still just a seed. But The Winged Horse – that tale is growing.

Right now, I’m actively working on writing the full story of The Winged Horse, Alfred, and Tom. It’s a tale that has grown slowly over time – piece by piece, image by image – and now it’s taking shape as a real book. A book I plan to publish when it’s ready.

The illustrations are created with help from AI, but the story, the voice, the emotion – that’s all mine. It’s my story – born in a camper van, carried by forest stillness, silence, and imagination. And maybe the mountain winds have whispered a few extra lines along the way.

Would you like to follow the journey as I work on the book? You can read more here on my blog, under the tag The Winged Horse.

Would you like to get a message when the book is ready?
Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email – I’d love that.


Thank you for reading.
If you’d like to follow more of our travels and everyday moments, feel free to comment or share your own stories.
And if you’d like to support my writing – donate a small gift via PayPal.

Live well. And don’t forget to breathe.
/Carina – malix.se

Carina Ikonen Nilsson Lev idag, just nu. Igår finns inte längre här och morgondagen kommer först i morgon. Just nu är det som gäller.

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