07/01/2026
Honestly, I really wasn’t going to go in the sauna tonight. Too much going on… and the idea of a swimsuit after Christmas and New Year felt like an unnecessary personal attack 🙈
Even though it’s usually men only, the boys convinced me to join. I told myself I’d just sneak in for a very quick 10 minutes once everyone left. Ran in… surprise a few were still there. So here I am. Red swimsuit. Confidence loading… slowly 🤣
We’ve just been sent oak leaf whisks from Latvia, and the smell filled the whole sauna deep, earthy, comforting. I started whisking myself, trying to remember how we did it back home, and suddenly it all came back. Apparently Latvian sauna instincts never expire. 🤣🍃
And just like that, I felt at home.
Sauna days. Oak whisks. That smell. Such a big part of growing up Latvian. Pine oil steaming over hot stones, fire crackling… just me, the fire, oak leaves, and the sudden realisation that nobody actually cares what you look like in a sauna anyway.
Then I ran outside and made snow angels ❄️ Because if you’re going to question your life choices, you might as well do it in the snow.
And in that moment it hit me (again) it’s the little things that matter most. Warmth after cold. Fresh air. Snow on skin. The smell of leaves and fire.
Nothing fancy. Nothing complicated. Just real, grounding moments and a reminder that joy lives in the simple stuff (and occasionally in doing things you nearly talked yourself out of).
I miss the snow from Latvia more than I realise. Moments like this bring me straight back and remind me how important it is to stay connected to nature. That’s where we slow down, remember who we are… and find happiness again.
Happy soul. Happy mind. Happy heart tonight 🤍
