Ok, I’m almost laughing as I write. And this whole process of writing this blog post just shows me again how much I need this. Yes, my seemingly simple word for 2021 isn’t that simple for me! What’s my word and intention setting for this year you wonder? It’s simple – Simplify. Yes, that word …
Do you like the question “What are your goals for the New Year?” No? Well, you’re in good company, me neither. I prefer and connect more to an intention setting process. I like to take time to reflect on the year that passed and play around with ideas, wishes and hopes for the year to …
Funny how a skatepark brought connections to real-life situations. I was watching my kids cruising around, challenging themselves and I could notice when the overthinking started and what it did to them at that moment. The moment when they took too long when they started to analyse any possible outcome, losing their easiness. One could see …
Before everybody gets too caught up in the December craziness a quick greeting to you all!
Often we define loneliness by a certain kind of sadness for being alone, caused by lack of company. But there is another kind of loneliness that seems to spread more and more. The loneliness you experience while being (with)in company. Feeling lonely while being surrounded by people, how can that be? Sadly, it is more …
Are you a non-believer, doubter, a cynic, a fact checker and/or wonder what all that humbug is about when it comes to Mindfulness? If only one of this is true this book is for you! But it is as well for you if you are already interested in Mindfulness and are simply looking for a …
10% Happier by Dan Harris – a book recommendation Read More »
Welcome NO-vember! No November blues this year! As we are coming towards the end of the year we more often than not start to feel worn out, exhausted and `off`. Well, at least I assume I am not alone out there feeling like that?! The past weeks have been dragging as I seem to have …
A few weeks ago I started a Bi-weekly Mindfulness Newsletter. I include formal and informal practices and hope to bring a sense of ease into the inbox. I chose bi-weekly to not be overwhelmed and to give time to focus on one topic. For today I would like to share my recently newsletter here, too, …
It got rainy here today. And it is Friday, the weekend is about to start. And the kids have friends over. All good reasons to get some chocolate cookies into the oven! First time I tried this recipe but thankfully it did not disappoint! Or should I say my Nigella Express book did not disappoint. …
At times the pictures you see when you search for meditation make me long for peace and quiet. Please beam me over right now! On other days they make me laugh. The setting seems to be always beautiful, calm and tranquil. The picture perfect meditation setting! But I wonder if that kind of “meditation cliche” …
Do you find yourself rushing through the day, the week, the weekends. Only to sit back in the evening asking where the day, the week or the month went and what you actually did? We often just go and rush from one big thing to the next, trying to accomplish as much as we can …
Balance – I am trying hard to not let it slip away in the hustle and bustle of day to day life. Not always easy especially when back in the big city life. During the summer I found my balance at a lake in Sweden. Back here in Tokyo? I am still searching! Where did you …
Often, and especially at Yoga, we talk about breathing patterns to calm us down, to help us to relax, to unwind. But we can use the breath to engerize, too. I tend to use it at times when I feel tired after a bad night sleep, struggling with jet lag or when I feel exhausted …
Carrots – not just for the rabbits! While on holiday in Sweden my son and I tried several carrot cakes and most of the ones we tried in the Cafe`s had the special twist with cardamom! It was a great treat to simply indulge, not too heavy, very fresh. Three days back at home and …
Life can be stressful and hectic and we easily lose track of time and what does us good! Add to that the pressure of “you should” – exercise, meditate, be mindful, relax, sleep, read, educate further – “at least every day for an x-amount” of time to succeed. Don`t we all already have enough pressure …
My kids love crackers and when we noticed we had no more, what better way than making your own?! All done in less than 20min. We may just stop buying them as the options for flavours seem endless and they are so quick and easily done! Below please find a recipe I found in a …
A good article on becoming more aware on how we react and how we can response in a better way. “Instead, we can learn to notice that there is a “space” before we react.” https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/making-change/201307/dont-just-react-choose-your-response
Summer holidays started or are about to start. And if you have younger kids you know that means (very) limited time for yourself, let alone sports. Whether with kids, your partner, friends or alone a fun way to keep active and to increase endurance and speed for everybody is the “beep test”. In short a …
I am not really a poem person but during the Mindfulness Course and as I continue with it I do come across some that speak to me. Below I like to share another one as a reminder to slow down now and then! Take your cup of tea, coffee or your glass of wine or …
Sometimes it is in the most smallest, most subtle things… I have to confess that I was doubtful when I heard that we were about to practice the “gentle smile” (half smile) during our Mindfulness training. I immediately had an image of a fake smile popping up. But I soon learned how wrong my perception …
Before I even start – do not get me wrong, we all have crappy days, times that pull us down, when all and everybody seems to be too much. And we are all entitled to feel like that at times. But often it seems to me that that is what we mainly do; seeing the …
Dear readers and followers, I use my Facebook page for short updates, thoughts and inspirations. If you want please feel free to follow me there, too. https://www.facebook.com/ateaseandmore Have a lovely day AK
We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves. ~ His Holiness the Dalai Lama ~ I recently came across a book I would have never picked up myself due to its title “Happy for No Reason” by Marci Shimoff. As I mentioned in a previous blog (Happy life, the …
Don’t judge a book by its title – “Happy for No Reason” Read More »
We all know those moments when we feel upset, pressured, overwhelmed or uncomfortable. Especially in such situations we tend to become disconnected to what is actually happening around us. Here comes a little awareness exercise I got to know during my mindfulness course. It may come in helpful to be be more “there”, in the present moment, …
My kids are not fans of peanut butter and I can’t blame them, I only started to like it as a young adult myself. But I recently remembered that they liked some peanut butter cookies they tried when visiting friends over the summer. And I remembered my friend telling me how easy and quick they …
A while ago I came across this article (https://freefromtoxic.com/2015/06/16/the-8-most-common-narc-sadistic-conversation-control-tactics/) and shared it on Facebook. And quite few came back and thanked me for sharing. It seems the article struck a chord with some people out there. The above link gives a great description of narcissistic behaviours and I won’t go into that any further. But what …
This week something a little bit different – a poem. It seems to be a well know poem within mindfulness courses and when I listened to it this week I understood why. Will you feel the same?! Sit down, relax and simply be while reading this one. The Guest House This being human is a guest …
I used to think that mindfulness was meant to focus more on the happier moments in life, so it was enlightening to realise that that is not what mindfulness is really about. Like the the rays of the sun does mindfulness shine and spread equally onto all areas of life, the positive, the neutral and the negative. It …
The things you sometimes come across at the hairdresser – interesting cooking magazines (*). These salmon fish fingers quickly became one of our favourites. As usual, quick and easy – and healthy on top! Salmon Fish Fingers (for 2 servings) 2 tbsp ground flaxseed 2 tbsp fine porridge oats (I use the normal ones) 1/2 …
I already wrote a bit about Mindfulness on some previous blogs, and over the next few weeks I will go a bit deeper. Firstly, I do believe that we all can and should be more aware in our day to day life to get out of the ‘stress treadmill’ we often find ourselves in. Secondly, …
Today we have one of those days – non stop rain. But there is a special beauty in nature when the raindrops fall, don`t you agree? So don’t just put it away as a rainy day instead listen to the soothing sound of the raindrops falling follow the raindrops as they make their path down heavy leaves …
I am an Obliger, a Lark, a Sprinter, an Under-buyer, an Opener and a Novelty Lover, Prevention Focused and I strive better with Accountability and when I take Big Steps. I got a this rather interesting insight about myself from reading the book “Better than Before – Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives” by …
Great for an energy fix, a school snacks, for picnics or a bite on the go. Super easy and quick to make, kids will love to join in! I have fond memories of those as I used to make them as a child. The recipe dates back to my Swedish Cooking book from 1963 when …
Planning a relaxed evening or lunch and need a quick meal?! Here you go, give it a try! When the kids were out of the house it was time to do some relaxed and uninterrupted cooking. Oh what I enjoyed it! I didn’t go for something crazy but something tasty and easy; the cutting took in …
During an evening event us, the audience, were asked to write something that makes us “be bold”. Now that one had me thinking. I am rather introvert and overthink my steps, worrying about upsetting others. Yet, at the same time I need moments where I make myself uncomfortable, where I try something new – moments …
Can you relate to the “flow of life” when thinking of the Sun Salutation?! I recently went through some rounds of Sun Salutation, just going with the flow and experiencing the sensations. And while the Sun Salutation is always a nice flow, a great way to move the whole body it is as well a good …
It was while I was having bath, listening to relaxing music, letting my mind wander when my eyes caught some of my day to day necklaces and bracelets and I went down memory lane, with a smile on my face. All pieces are different, yet they all have something in common – they remind me …
Superfood?! Yes, of course they always sound great and are so healthy and good. But if you have children in the house chances that they eat it are rather slim. That is unless they love Pesto, then the greener the better seems to do the trick – at least for all three kids in our household. …
I recently came across the “flow mindfulness workbook” and one article got my immediate attention, it was about “a busy head” (written by Otje van der Lelij). Going deeper into why we do take everything that we have in our mind so seriously. Do you find yourself imagining the worst case scenario, a situation where …
Before you already cringe by just reading ‘mindfulness’ – replace it with ‘awareness’ and keep on reading! After all do we not all want to be more aware, in the moment, less stressed but calmer? My attention was recently drawn to a Mindfulness workshop, 2 hrs information on what it does for you and how you …
Want to be part of an interesting journey? Then come and join the 21 day Yoga Summit, starting Feb. 2nd! I am helping to spread the news! The Year 2017 is still young, the Chinese New Year is about to start, why not use this year to try something new or to dig deeper? …
I came across this a article from Washington Post on “The expat life is full of adventures – and loneliness“. Not only did the title catch my attention, no the article touched me on many levels. It is such a heartfelt piece, I feel for the writer and her emotions. I am an expat, too, have …
As usual over the recent years I use the end of the year to think about the past one and to set my intention for the new one. Long time ago I rid myself of new years resolutions as I barely stuck to them but rather added additional pressure to myself. Instead I reflect on what I …
2017 – stay focused and pick the good seeds only Read More »
Christmas time is as a well baking time and while I do like to stick to some traditional baking I tend to add something new here and there, too, as mentioned as well under my post about traditions. So when a dear friend moved away and left me a jar of lemon curd, I decided …
I love this time of the year, despite its hectic, it is the time where a lot of traditions are coming out again – it is the Christmas Season. Yes, it is the time of craziness to meet up with friends, colleagues and family, organising presents, decorating the house, playing Christmas music and making time …
We talk about being sympathetic and empathetic, but do we use them correctly and can we all be empathic? I wondered about this some time now and decided to dig a bit deeper. To understand this fine line let me give you some definitions I came across. Showing sympathy means we have feelings of sorrow, …
Empathy – Sympathy?! And can empathy be learned? Read More »
This is something I have never ever considered doing myself, even though my kids used to ask me if it is possible to make chocolate spread at home. I just always thought it would be far too complicated. So when a friend of mine recently posted her home-made Nutella I got super excited and went to …
I recently attended a workshop on “How to improvise your life”. Originally this type of workshop was catered towards actors, yet the trainer took it further, made participants look into improvising in the normal day-to-day life. I was intrigued by the title and content, so I tagged along, with no idea whatsoever on what to expect. …
Not only did my daughter decide last minute that she wanted frosting on the muffins, no I live as well in a country where I find it hard to even buy icing sugar! So what to do if most recipes are using a fair amount of powdered sugar? Go and find a good one based on …
I reached the point where I feel emotionally, mentally and physically drained. It is not that only bad things are happening, not at all, a lot of good stuff is going on but the exhaustion makes it difficult to enjoy and to see them at times. My mind seems to be in a constant overflow, …
It may be grey and cold and just “bla” outside at times. But especially such days give us a good reason to halt, to take time to think and to just be! Get the candles out, make yourself comfortable, snuggle up and enjoy the month of November! Stay warm and healthy, have a lovely day …
Have you ever paid attention to how quickly we are categorizing people based on what they do as a profession, or on their lifestyle? Without any further or deeper thoughts we put a “stamp” on a person. Like “Oh he / she is XYZ that`s why…” And yes, surprisingly often that person even seems to fit …
In the summer when it got pretty hot here I posted a blog to “Stay hydrated”. That gave me a little bit of a base to start writing today`s blog which is an assignment for my studies. In short “write a personal blog post about beverages” – healthy beverages that help us to stay hydrated, I …
I just finished reading the book “Eat fat – get thin(*!) ” by Mark Hyman. An intriguing title – we are supposed to eat fat!? I do believe something is wrong with our way of looking at food – being told to eat and drink all the low to non-fat products! Thankfully I mainly lived …
It is the second time since school started that I forgot to place the kids` lunch order on time, leaving me with yet another week of home lunches. I usually try to arrange 3 days a week for external lunches, not only to make it a bit easier for myself, but as well to expose …
“Are you spiritual?” “I think you are quite spiritual!””I can see that you are not spiritual!” – questions and comments in that direction I have heard over the years. And they always rattle me. I don’t really know what to say to that. I don`t follow a religion, but I do believe that there is …
Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 10 I made it – it is day 10 – the blog challenge is over! On the last day we are asked to write about: What you enjoyed most about your experience of taking part in the blog challenge Your favorite challenge day and why The biggest …
Final day – Day 10 blog challenge – Celebrating Freedom Read More »
This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 9 Today`s challenge is to think about Location Independence and Location Freedom and what it means to you. Initially we have been asked to “write about how you will balance your adventure and work while you are away on a long holiday.” …
This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 8 “Today is a fun day. So I want you to go out and do something that you’ve wanted to do for a long time. Go out play, enjoy, and come back and write about what you did. Also, write about …
This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 7 I almost, no in fact I did laugh out loud when I read the intro for today’s blog challenge. It is so me to getting into something, getting carried away to get more information and then starting to feel overwhelmed by …
Day 7 blog challenge – Procrastination and Overwhelm Read More »
This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 6 Another interesting thought on day 6 – Finding your tribe! “Your tribe is made up of the people who understand and support you, and can inspire you to keep creating your own freedom lifestyle successfully.” And this came with the recommendation to …
This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 5 For day 5 in the blog challenge we went more business related, which sounded somewhat easier but finding myself in the middle of things makes it as well more difficult to grab and to structure. We were asked to “Create a …
This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 4 Superpowers, what am I good at, what do I enjoy, looking for my sweet spot?!?! Dear Day 4 Blog Challenge, you surely challenge me here! I almost dropped out of the blog challenge today as I do not feel comfortable …
This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 3 Writing about My Perfect Day is the challenge for today, and it could not have been a better timing, having two sick kids at home! So let me dream and create my perfect day. It is weekend and I wake up after a long, uninterrupted …
This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 2 Day 2 in the blog challenge was all about “how finding a deeper sense of purpose that drives you to live a life of freedom can help you overcome these roadblocks.” What does Freedom even mean and how free are …
This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 1 Day one in the personal blog challenge had all participants think about our biggest challenges that block us to find our focus. Coming to think of it, I realized that one challenge is to stay focused on the core values. To …
I came across this blog challenge by Natalie Sisson via women`s organisation here in Tokyo. It is another way to challenge yourself and to “dig a bit deeper” in some areas over the course of 10 days. “This challenge is focused on helping you achieve personal, business and physical freedom over 10 days with a short daily …
Life, we often say is about balance. I fully agree, but we have to realize as well that we can’t just paint it black or white. Life is about balance therefore Be kind – but do not allow people to abuse you Trust – but do not be deceived Be content – but never stop improving …
School started again, and so are my plans to be a bit more organised and structured when it comes to meals. I am not sure how long it will last this time, but I was bored by the dishes I prepared too many times and annoyed by being out food shopping everyday as I never …
Well, I sometimes ask that myself, and I took it as a privilege, honour – and a big step to overcome my own fears – by having been asked to be a first Member Profile for FEW (For Empowering Women) and to answer some questions about “How I got here”. “FEW in Japan is an exceptionally active and …
A rather interesting conversation, this weekend between my kids and their friends while walking outside: Kids: “We will have ICT* lessons and then we will work on computers, that will be fun.” Me: “Do you know what ICT stands for?” Kids: “Yes ipad, computer, telephone – I, C and T; we will use all three of them, how …
Four years ago I wrote below piece on my personal blog. It caused some controversy with some people but still today I stand to those points, today perhaps even more so then ever. I therefore decided to dig the piece out, adjust it here and there and to publish it again. It is a longer …
Summer holidays are coming to an end and when talking about them I can’t help but review a little on how they went. I will start with my outcome from this summer experience, my lesson learned so to say: While I strongly do believe that is important to take time for yourself and your things …
We are coming towards the end of summer and often changes come along, too. Children may start new schools, leave their home for studies, start working; this all may be close to home, further away or even overseas. Some brush such changes off easily, are joyful and excited, others may be a little bit more fearful …
I admit right from the start that I have not tried the game but the sheer thought of what is behind the new hype of “Pokemon Go” almost infuriates me. And I may be alone here, but that is ok! Aren’t most of us complaining about too much attention and time spend on electronic devices? …
Often mudras are put into connection with Yoga, sitting in meditation. But it is more to them as they can as well help to bring more “meaning to our awareness and into our expressions” (Mudras of India, book) and help our body and mind to heal. I tend to use them at times when I …
At the moment “mindful” seems to be one of the buzzwords and a lot of truth lies behind this simple word. Especially in today’s environment, when everything and everybody is rushed and multitasked and nothing seems to be good enough. It is important to halt, to breathe, to be aware, to allow to feel both …
A few weeks ago I was out for brunch and noticed how often poached eggs are on the menu and how nice they can be! I remember it back to the time when I worked in a hotel in the UK as a teenager but somehow never got into it. At the same time friends …
I know some people, and include myself here, who cringe when they hear the word meditation. Hearing that word doesn’t put us at ease, instead, it creates tension. This visual image of sitting in lotus pose or at least crossed legged for a long time. Peacefully, no moving nor thinking! “No way, not for me!” …
With temperatures rising it is even more important to stay hydrated! And while water is the best and easiest source of liquid, at times we may get tired of it and crave a different flavour. Don’t fear to spice it up with some fruits or vegetables or a mix of both! Add some lemon, …
Happy Sunday! Not much more to add to the below message. I fully agree – it is all about the balance!
Summer is here and many of us may have kids at home for a longer period of time. While it can be tiring at some point – where do they get all their energy from?! – it is as well a valuable time without having to bother about school stuff, long school days and a …
Life has all sorts of colours, bright, shiny, dark and dull. To live a truly colourful life we need to allow us to live through all the various shades. Aim to make your life as colourful as you can. Don’t hold back! Accept the darker shades, life through and feel them, no matter how painful. Embrace …
Summer time, often as well ‘quickly brown banana time’! Quick and easy banana cakes can help to get rid of the ‘ugly brown ones’ nobody wants to eat! I have no idea where I got this recipe from, it is glued into my recipe book, hand written. But all you may need to know is …
Do you notice all the small trucks and the “ritsch-ratsch” sound when you walk down the streets these days? Yes, it summer time and that means a lot of people are on the move again, packing up their belongings into boxes and arriving at new destinations and unpacking them all. It is especially predominant in …
Pesto – a favorite dish here in the house, whether homemade or bought and pesto pasta always makes an easy school lunch! And while I am happy my kids love it I got a bit bored by the same recipe over and over so I looked for something new, something more summerly and found a …
I recently went to an official launch of a friend`s webpage called Sharing Seeds. Together with a friend of hers they started this project: “Life is a series of interwoven stories, not a set of concepts. Sharing seeds collects contributions from all over the world because any kind of story can become a seed of …
I came across this book as part of my current study course. And while we mostly tend to think about fats as the evil weight gaining ingredient, sugar is right up there, too. And not only for weight gain but many other negative impacts on our body. Having said that, this is not a blog …
One of our long time family recipes. Dating back to when my first born started eating finger food. I meanwhile add some more spices and play around with the flavour but it is still going strong. Being back in a country where I can buy minced chicken makes it even easier and faster. And make sure to …
“There is more to life than simply increasing its speed.” ~Mahatma Ghandi~ And yet we reached a time where most things seem to be about speed. Everything needs to go faster, quicker. The joy of the journey is often left behind. Even when it comes to a cup of coffee. Something a lot of …
On my quest to find a lemon cake that can compete with a store-bought lemon cake mix that my son used to love it seems that I finally succeeded. This below cake is not only super easy, no it is as well light, fluffy and delicious. Just the right cake to eat on hot summer days! …
I wrote about relaxation techniques like Visualisation – Relaxation and IRT – Instant Relaxation Technique. Two very different and powerful tools, and techniques I personally find less daunting and ‘scary’ than meditation. Today, let`s have a look into the Progressive Muscle Relaxation by Edmund Jacobsen. He developed this technique back in the 1920. It is a technique …
Is a happy life the ultimate goal? Over the passed weeks I somehow got into several discussion around the theme of “happiness and chasing a happy life”. And to be honest I do struggle with the wordings and the constant usage of “happy and happiness” these days. What does it mean and is that really …
Not the most healthiest drink (if you go for the recipe with alcohol) but putting yourself ‘at ease’ is not all the time about being super healthy. Sometimes we have to kick back and just enjoy! The first summer days have reached a lot of countries these days, and isn’t it nice to sit …
A friend recently mentioned this saying to me. I found that this phrase has been used by many but the origin goes long time back to Rabbi Hillel. It is so simple and so true – and so universal. If we are really honest, don’t we often put things of and/or ‘blame’ others or the circumstances for …
This is a nice,light, sunny weather dish. Super quick, super easy – super tasty! Just what you need to enjoy the spring / summer weather – no stress! The recipe is based on a Jamie Oliver recipe – Mini Shell Pasta with a creamy smoked Bacon and Pea Sauce. Up front – I struggle …
On overview of links that might be of interest. At Ease Facebook page Sometimes all we need and have time for is a quick read. Therefore I have set up an At Ease Facebook page. Please go have a look, like and follow! The Tiny Buddha blog Need some more help to get inspired? …
Philosophy A blog that makes you feel at ease with your body and mind; at ease with your day-to-day life – a page that combines ideas, thoughts and information about Yoga, Fitness, Wellbeing and more. Mission Statement To be At Ease – a mix of ingredients to feel content, relaxed and happy about yourself! Let’s enter the world of …