hello, two thousand eighteen

(english version is available below)

привет <3 с новым годом тебя! сегодня - второе января. я проснулась в непривычно позднее для себя время, неспешно позавтракала мамиными сырниками, а теперь пью чай в своей детской комнате и пишу этот текст. первый в этом году. последние несколько дней я с удовольствием читала разнообразные посты с выводами о две тысячи семнадцатом и планами на две тысячи восемнадцатый. так или иначе, больше всего меня интересуют люди, их жизненный опыт, их мысли и эмоции. именно поэтому такие тексты для меня - особенно любопытны. так, например, аня написала текст о своем смелом решении уйти со стабильной работы и отправиться в свободное плаванье. мы с ней много раз говорили об этом в прошлом году, и я была очень рада тому, что она наконец-то может поделиться этими переменами у себя в блоге. в последнее время я много думаю о том, что наша жизнь состоит из множества уровней, как и мы сами. и то, что кто-то что-то делает вовсе не означает, что ему этот процесс дается легко. это означает исключительно то, что какие-либо другие варианты стали просто недопустимы. важно об этом помнить и важно об этом говорить. я уже подвела итоги своего две тысячи семнадцатого, а сегодня хочу поделиться с тобой планом на две тысячи восемнадцатый.

hello <3 happy new year! today is the second of january. i woke up much later than i usually do, slowly ate delicious "syrniki" made by my mum. i am now drinking tea in the room where i grew up and i am writing this text. the first one in two thousand eighteen. i have been reading a lot of year reviews and resolutions with pleasure lately. anyhow, i am fascinated by people and their experiences, as well as thoughts and emotions the most. this is why such posts are especially interesting to me. for example, anja has just shared her decision to quit a stable job and start a completely new independent journey. we have discussed this many times with her throughout this past year, and i am very glad that she was finally able to share this on her blog. i have been thinking a lot lately about our life being multidimensional and us people being the same. when someone does something, it does not mean that it is for this person, but it does mean that no other option is acceptable any longer. it is important to remember about it and to talk about it. i have already written my two thousand seventeen review, whereas today i would like to share my plan for two thousand eighteen.

let yourself be free

(english version is available below)

я люблю составлять планы и следовать им. я люблю расписывать свой день по пунктам, а потом вычеркивать их один за одним. я люблю дедлайны. я считаю, что подобные ограничения способны избавить нас от дополнительной нервотрепки, и мне это нравится. я верю во все это и я так живу! но бывают дни, когда меня наполняет ощущение, что что-то не так. внезапно то, что освобождало меня и облегчало мою жизнь, становится клеткой, которая давит и мучает. план на день, который вчера казался мне идеальной возможностью не растеряться и сделать все то, что мне нужно сделать, чтобы приблизиться к достижению своих многочисленных и разнообразных целей, сегодня заставил меня почувствовать себя так, словно я все делаю неверно. к счастью, я научилась прислушиваться к себе, а потом искать подходящую мне здесь и сейчас альтернативу. 

i like making plans and sticking to them. i like writing down a to-do list for a day and then crossing items out of it one by one. i love deadlines. i am convinced that such limitations can actually relieve us from totally unnecessary stress, and i like it. i believe all of this and that is the way i live my life. however, there are days when i am filled with a notion that something is wrong. out of a sudden something that liberated me and made my life better, turns into a cage that puts pressure on me and causes me pain. a to-do list that seemed to be a perfect opportunity to do everything i must do to get closer to accomplishing my numerous and diverse goals yesterday, makes me feel as if everything i do is wrong today. luckily, i have learnt to listen to myself and then look for an alternative that suits me here and now. 

two years of blogging

(english version is available below)

ровно два года назад, второго ноября я опубликовала свой первый пост в блоге. я помню как писала этот короткий текст, находясь в париже. я жутко переживала и даже боялась, сомневалась до последнего перед анонсом публикации и потом еще много раз в процессе. и как же чертовски я рада тому, что не позволяла этому страху остановить меня и продолжала делать то, что хотела делать больше всего - писать. как же быстро летит время! и сколько всего произошло за эти два года <3 кстати, о том, что за период был в моей жизни перед созданием блога, я рассказала в прошлом году в этом тексте. 

exactly two years ago, on the second of november i published my first blog post. i remember writing that short text, while being in paris. i remember being nervous and anxious, doubtful even before announcing this post and sharing it. and i remember feeling those emotions again and again on numerous occasions after that. i am extremely glad that i did not let that fear stop me, that i kept on doing what i wanted to do the most - write! time flies, and it is unbelievable how much have changes in two years <3 by the way, you can read about the period of my life before starting the blog in this post of mine from last year. 

mum, i am in print

(english version is available below)

в августовском списке хорошего я упомянула о написании текстов для двух украинских журналов, так вот несколько дней назад поступил в продажу один из них, внутри которого есть моя статья. а второй текст, который так и не попал печать, уже можно прочитать на любимом simple + beyond! 

несмотря на то, что мои тексты уже появлялись в печати, я считаю, что только теперь все по-настоящему. более того, я знаю, что этот номер - начало многообещающего плодотворного сотрудничества, чему я безгранично рада. сегодня я хочу поговорить о печатных изданиях, поделиться своим мнением касательно диджитала и печати, и своим опытом взаимодействия с ними. и, конечно, рассказать о журнале с моей статьей, который уже можно купить, если ты в украине.

if you read my august good things list, you know that i have written two articles for ukrainian magazines last month. a few days ago one of them became available for purchase, and even though you will neither be able to buy it, nor to read it, i would like to tell you about this experience as well. the second article did not go into print and is now online on one of my favourite websites -  simple + beyond.

even though my texts have already been in print, it seems to me that this is the time when everything is for real. moreover, i know that this issue is a beginning of a promising and fruitful collaboration, which i am extremely excited about. today i would like to discuss print magazines, explain my attitude towards digital and print, share my experience of being involved in the making of both of them and, of course, tell you about the magazine with my article in it.

discovery of the month / august

(english version is available below)

в апреле мне пришла идея создать новую серию постов - открытие месяца. я написала первый пост, а потом забросила. недавно я решила, что не буду давить на себя и ожидать, что у меня ежемесячно будут идеи для таких текстов. лучше я буду писать только в том случае, если у меня действительно есть стоящая мысль. так честнее и правильнее, только так и стоит делать! к счастью, мне есть чем поделиться с тобой в августе. я думаю, это одновременно довольно базовая идея, но при этом очень важная.

back home

(текст на русском - ниже)

hello-hello <3 i have not been here for two weeks, which is unbelievable. i have just had a vacation, if you did not know. i am so happy to be back, i am so happy to finally turn thoughts into typed words again. i have missed my blog and i have missed my laptop, because that is how i get access to the blog and to you! i am finally going to tell you about my trip soon. very soon! i simply need a few more days to get back to my regular life routine and to adjust to it. i came back a little over a day ago and it has been extremely hectic, because there was so much to deal with right away, but i am trying to keep a special mood, to remain in a special state that has been filling me during my trip. frankly speaking, it is not an easy task, but i am a determined one.

discovery of the month / april

(текст на русском - ниже)

first of all, welcome to the new section on the blog - "discovery of the month". i have recently realized that i discover and learn something all the time, and naturally i would love to share it with you. yes, of course, basically every post contains some kind of a lesson, but i still think that i need a separate section that would be dedicated to discovering new things and practising new skills, which is exactly what "discovery of the month" will be for. i think it is going to be a lot of fun and i hope that you will find it useful! i am excited to start something new!

reading report / february

(текст на русском - ниже)

at first i thought that i would start this post by saying that it was difficult to find time to read in february. there were a few very important deadlines throughout the month, so basically the time that i would usually spend reading, like early mornings or late evenings, was dedicated to finishing important tasks. however, this thought reminded me of something, that i keep on pointing out to others all the f time - you either make time for something or you don`t. i do not have more time than anyone else, but i have priorities.

for example, i hoped to go back to yoga studio after not being able to go in january and then i just saw that rationally i could not afford giving away three hours (to get there, to be there, to go back) and i had to skip it. i felt guilty and upset, because i really wanted to go and because it made me feel so much better, but i just did not have enough time. instead i tried to do a litle bit of yoga here and there at home. something is always better than nothing. whereas with reading, i just love and need it so much, that i have to read at least a tiny bit every single day to remain sane, so i make it happen. that is why i would like to let you know one more time - if you want to read more - have a look at how you spend your time and get rid of something, because this is the only way to get things done. it works the same way for everything. i know that in march i am going to oversee my schedule one more time to make yoga studio a part of it again, but that is a subject for another post. books are what we are here today to discuss, right? YES <3

good things list / january

(текст на русском - ниже)

hey! if you are new here, let me tell you - at the end of each month i write a list of good things that happened to me within the last thirty days. i try to come up with experiences and actions, not purchases or extraordinary things, that are not available to everyone, but of course sometimes they appear on the lists too. i have been writing these lists for a year now and i must say - they remind me to appreciate my life and its details, they teach me to put bigger value on simple things instead of the big ones, which is something i really need, because i am constantly in my head thinking about my goals and how i could achieve them and what i have not done yet in order to do it. life is hard, but we make it even harder with our negative thinking. this is what i am trying to change in myself and something i encourage you to try too!

a day in the life

(текст на русском - ниже)

i continue not being able to believe how intense life is these days, as well as how quickly time flies. i had a few posts in mind for today, but then managed to write none of them on time, so i am writing this one instead. it is five thirty nine pm right now and i am not done with my work yet, but i need a break to clear my head and to be able to finish it a little bit later. my work has no fixed schedule, which is a good and a bad thing simultaneously. i am listening to songs from "a seat at the table" - last album of solange, a true work of art. enjoying it more than anything she has ever done before, feeling in tune with the songs, melodies, words. make sure to read this interview with her for the inerview magazine. also i am drinking my all-time favourite and ultimate drinking choice - black tea with bergamot. a candle from muji is burning, filling the room with the magical smell of hinoki wood, making me feel that i am in the bubble of my own world. life has been hectic, and i have been trying to find moments of calmness and quiteness in all of this mess. 

blog plans for two thousand seventeen

(текст на русском - ниже)

hey, you! after making some global plans for the year, it is time to make it clear what you can expect from "what being twenty is like" in the twelve upcoming months. i have been working on this blog for a little bit over a year now and it is a huge pleasure for me to keep on doing it. first of all, i want you to know that i will keep on talking about such subjects as self-help and self-motivation, inspiration, healthy life routine, working and building a career, important issues we face in the modern world (sexism, for example), as well as basics, such as reading and writing, travelling and anything and everything that matters when you are in your twenties. i invite you on this journey with me. let`s have a great year together! let`s discuss what is important and help each other, when it is necessary. shall we?

on positivity and dealing with creative block

(текст на русском - ниже)

if you do anything creative, you know those moments, when you seem to be totally useless and helpless. you either have no ideas or you see no ways to develop them into something proper. of course, struggling is common and you are aware of it, but you do not remember it being this bad, so it dejects you. making new attempts does not help, and you keep on torturing yourself with all sorts of negative thoughts. it gets harder all the time, so at some point you stop trying, because you are drained. as a result, you get an extra reason to critisize yourself and to be really hard on yourself...the vicious circle is permanent, unless you break out of it. i do realize that even if you have nothing in common with creative activities, those states are familiar to you too. basically, this is going to be a kick in the ass for anyone, who is trying to do something a little outside of the necessary minimum, something special. actually, i believe this post is going to be valuable for anyone who has ever struggled with something, which makes it literally anyone among us, human beings.

one year of blogging

(текст на русском - ниже)

exactly a year ago i clicked on "publish" for the first time here, on the blog. this post became a new chapter for me. also i wrote this one in order to explain better what the whole "what being twenty is like" concept was about. since then i have published ninety four posts and i cannot wait to write more. so what was it all like for me three hundred sixty six days ago?

questionnaire / part three

here comes the final part of a questionnaire, taken from shakespeare and company cafe in paris last year. the process of thinking well and looking for answers has definitely been an exciting and an enjoyable one. activities like this one undoubtedly help us understand ourselves better, and even show us something we did not know was there. to have a full picture, you can read part one and part two. i am looking forward to answering these questions a few years later and comparing my answers. 

questionnaire / part two

a couple of weeks later i am back with the second part of questionnaire from "shakespeare and company cafe" in paris. you can read the first one here, and feel free to share your answers with me either here or in direct messages wherever you can find me.

i hope that first days of september have been enjoyable for you!

questionnaire / part one

last autumn i was lucky to be in paris, when my favourite and the most special bookstore "shakespeare and company" opened a coffee shop next door. obviously, i thought they needed one, but i had no idea it was a project in progress. so, when one day i saw a picture of a paper cup of coffee with a geotag "shakespeare and company café", i could not believe my eyes. naturally, it took me some time to come there. now i find it outrageous, because i lived really-really close to it, but somehow i did not go there right away. then there was a very bad day with my mood being very low, so i got dressed and left home. i walked and walked around the neighbourhood and finally "arrived" to the entrance of the cafe. oh, how excited i was. even before entering it, my heart became warm. the place itself was small and there were not that many tables, but there was one free place next to the window, a perfect one for me. i got there with my tiny paper cup of coffee with a new book that i have just bought at the store and i looked outside. it was a perfect moment. i felt so good. all of my worries were forgotten. i was happy.

on daily writing

i am very happy to have a new post ready today. if you read my post last week, you know that i have had quite a month, and getting back on track is never easy. if you did not - go read it now, before you continue reading this one. after you do - you will know that i have been writing and posting every single day for almost two months on medium. today i would like to tell you a little bit more about it. maybe there is something you have been thinking of starting for a while, but kept on postponing it. well, this post will let you know that you need to start right n o w.

first summer day

well, well, well! summer came the day before yesterday and i did not even notice. it is such an unusual feeling, but i do not care about its arrival anymore. why? because for the first time in many-many years it does not really mean anything. before, summer meant holidays and three months without school, afterwards it was all about having exams in june and then two months without university. however, now there is no change. i will just keep on working, which may sound sad, but i am excited, to be honest!

thirty first of may felt just like the first of june. i had no excitement or anticipation. i did not even think of it. i realized that it was summer already only because i was going to write about it. by the way, i am crazy and i am not only writing about summer here, but also doing a special post for the fashion crowd to follow up (my favourite editor and mentor) bette`s summer plans with my own. this is why i am not going to tell you that much here and i will make you follow the link to read a longer post there next week.

good things list / may

it is going to be summer in a couple of days. i cannot believe it!!! summer, already! spring has been as fast as a space ship, but it was full of enjoyable moments and good things. it is time to remind myself what may was like and get ready for a better upcoming june. i must confess, that it was not easy to find ten things to write down this time, but i did it. hopefully, you will to :)

five books in eight days

today i would like to tell you about the books that i read and to remind you that i started using good reads this year, so you can follow my reading progress here.

when i wrote "writing has been my solution from a very young age. everything that had happened and had mattered a lot to me, had to be documented in this or that (written) way. it is a meditation for me, it is a medication for me", i actually had to use "words" instead of "writing", because it is the power of words, that save me. both reading and writing is my remedy from everything. words are my favourite company, my guards and my heroes. they are always there for me in the form that i am free to choose. when i feel like i am full of thoughts - i write, when i feel empty and lost - i read. it sounds magical, but no matter what the problem is, i always feel better after doing one of those things. perfect solution? doing both.

so, a little bit more than a week ago i had to buy a present for a friend, i knew right away i would buy her a book. for a second, i wondered whether i would not be boring by making this obvious choice, but then realized that i am always happy to get a book and she is the same. a book i bought and, i hope, she liked it. of course, while "visitting" a bookstore online, i could not stop myself from buying a couple of books for myself. i did not have anything particular in mind and decided to buy something i have never heard of. this is what i do from time to time and the process of choosing is always a lot of fun.