There are many tips on how to find harmony in life. Our heroine found her own recipe. About an ordinary girl and her discovery, we tell not by chance. Although Alina does not give anyone advice, but simply shares her own thoughts, perhaps it is you that her experience will be useful. And it is possible that there will be wishing to bring Alina’s dream to realization
«How it all started… Somewhere around after the New Year was such a strange feeling, I wanted… I expected things to be different, but nothing changed. And then I read this book»
«I try to practice a healthy lifestyle and experiment with myself within common sense: a year ago I stopped eating meat, I practically do not eat sugar. Recently came across an interview with Olga Zemkova – a very interesting person, a yoga instructor. I subscribed to it on Instagram and learned that Olga in March organizes a yoga tour to the island of Tenerife (in the Atlantic ocean). I had an «obsession»: «I want to go on this tour!». It starts on March 21. I understood that I was not financially ready for such a trip: I did not plan a vacation; I do not have money for a tour. The day raved with this thought, and the next morning during the morning yoga I got the idea: «I love to make chocolates without sugar. Friends and family speak positively about them, even children; although for them dark chocolate is usually very bitter. And if you make a website, tell about yourself, about your dream and offer to try my sweets?» I took a notebook and began to write down all the thoughts: how you can tell about yourself, what to write on the site, what can be sweet and tasty. In my head was a «salad» (Laughs) Then I for a few days all «digested» and began to implement the idea. I didn’t have enough time because I did it after work. Nobody knew about my plan. There began to appear some doubts, fears – that it will not work, I will not be able to. But I kept saying to myself, «do it if you Want», because then I didn’t have the courage»
«I counted approximately that on tour I will need 30 thousand hryvnias. It was scary. I was afraid that I would not be able to raise such a sum in two months that I would not succeed. The implementation of the idea took several evenings»
«The cost of a dream cannot be calculated in money, for it is a dream. I decided to keep calculations in kilometers, which I need to overcome, and kilometers translate in sweets. The distance from Zhytomyr to Tenerife is 5 487 kilometers, and each box of chocolates brings me closer to my dream by 27 kilometers, and one – by three. On the first day I was just amazed by the number of orders: friends, acquaintances, relatives imbued with my idea and began to order candy»
«Now I have overcome more than half of the way – I am somewhere over Seville. Well, as of today, I have 549 candies left somewhere close to my dream»
«I already bought plane tickets there. I mean, I’m definitely going to Tenerife. Maybe I will live there under a palm tree, but it’s not cold, + 23» (Laughs)
«I got divorced two years ago. I didn’t think it would take me so long to recover, to start enjoying life, and to start dreaming again. It’s complicated»
«After the half marathon in Ivano-Frankivsk, I had a good friend. He gave me a book by Robin Sharma, the Monk who sold his Ferrari. The book is small, but for some reason I did not immediately begin to read it. I had it for months. I started reading it right after the new year-apparently, it’s time. Already, apparently, after the thirtieth page, I realized that this book just turns my life upside down! I realized with horror that I just stopped dreaming, fixating only on the fact that I need to be strong, I need to work, solve a lot of other issues, and run a half marathon… But these were goals, not dreams. Everything was for someone, for something, but not for himself, not for the soul. I wondered what I was dreaming about. And there were no dreams…»
«Without dreams we live, as if with closed eyes. You don’t know where you’re going or why. When you don’t have a dream, you live blind»
«Being healthy is the choice of every person. Maybe it sounds categorical, but if you want to be healthy, you need to do something: consciously relate to nutrition, there should be at least some physical activity, self-development-these are basic things. Just eating burgers and fries and spending the weekend on the couch and wanting to be healthy – no, it doesn’t happen, sorry. In life it’s differently, of course. If a person is not born healthy physically, then it is necessary to think about emotional health, but it is much more difficult. Then the emphasis shifts, and it is necessary to look for what will keep on life, to bring pleasure every day. There are no people with disabilities in my close environment, but when I meet stories about those who overcome obstacles every day, I get overwhelmed and inspired. At such moments, I think that I should be grateful for the fact that I have basic things: hands, feet, now nothing hurts. Such stories help at some point to stop, stop and thank for all that you have»
«Every situation in our life is given for something. Maybe to make us stronger, to lead us to something… I realized that I should never compare myself with anyone. Each person has his own way and his own circumstances. Comparing yourself with someone is not right, and it’s not worth it»
«After the divorce, everyone told me: «Alina, you’re strong, you can do it». I didn’t want to be strong, I wanted to sit down and cry… in fact, in difficult moments, anyone needs support»
«Public opinion is sometimes very influential. And to go against, need to have force and confidence. I candy your planned, also worried about what will they say at work, acquaintances. I launched the site in the night from Saturday to Sunday. And immediately saw the first order, there were amazing feelings. It turned out that the first order was made by my Manager. (Laughs.) And he wrote that the idea is cool. In fact, at work was very supportive and other family and friends. Someone already on two-three boxes ordered to himself who on gifts»
«The idea of candy made me bolder, and I realized that the soul craves creativity. Those ideas, plans that I have inside, encourage creating. Emotions, experiences should result in creativity. It is believed that girls and women are more prone to creativity. Probably men too, but they probably imagine it’s comforting. Don’t do that! If you want to create»
«Recently, I have clearly realized that the most important value for me is my family – parents who support me, sister, and nephew. And one more thing (though I do not know whether it can be considered a value) is love for yourself. This is where it all begins… Then you become more open to people, you think more positively, you want to hug your parents and tell them a lot of nice things, you want to cook coffee for friends or colleagues – to please someone. That is, if you do not love yourself, you will not be able to carry well to others»
«I remember all of that one and second my grandmother as a child told me about his own life. One grandmother remembered the Holodomor well and told me about those times. She recalled that as children they ate acorns and rotten potatoes. She was born in 1925, just caught those terrible times, and her vivid memories impressed me very much. She talked about the war… But now there is no one – no grandparents. I don’t know my bloodline well, and I can’t change that now. That’s too bad. I come back to this from time to time and very sorry that I missed the moment»
«Right after the divorce it was difficult. I did not know which side to approach myself, where to start. But now I understand that I have coped with the situation. Well, maybe it’s because I am. And now I cannot leave the idea that I want to organize some kind of club to help women, community. I do not know what it can be called, but that people do not remain with problems one on one, without support»
«When you reveal yourself, people of a completely different level appear in your life. Interesting, developed. Last year, I ran five half marathons in six months. That’s a lot for me-almost every month 21 kilometers. When she thought about it, I thought: «Wow, Alina, you’re good!». And in General it is important to praise yourself for that, for the slightest trifle»
«Why run? At first for me it was to keep in shape. Then she began to enjoy. Imagine the morning coolness and freshness… Plus, when you come home, you realize the feeling of pride for yourself: the day has just begun, and you have already done something good… Running is therapy. When you’re in a bad mood, run! Over time I have appeared «running» friends, and now they there is not in every city of»
«We ran the winter half marathon «Poltava winter». After going to the local cafe for dumplings, and about forty of us from different parts of Ukraine, different age! Strange feelings, because before those people seen only in Facebook, and here met real friends. It’s so cool! Here immersed in this environment, and I have no idea how I lived without it»
«Zhytomyr is my city, but it was not always so. I could not get used to it for a long time, at home, in Korosten, I was more comfortable. But somewhere, about five years ago realized that it has become my family. It’s quiet and cozy here. Zhytomyr is changing, it’s cool. For me it is important that the city had a favorite place where its special atmosphere, coffee, seagulls. A lot of these not necessary, but good when they are»
«Love to Zhytomyr helped me run. I am a «morning runner»: when everyone is asleep, when you run through the deserted streets, you see the city in a special way. My route takes you past St. Michael’s, and somewhere at six in the morning there is amazing, it smells like fresh pastries, cinnamon! It is such a joy! I don’t feel like eating these buns, just the smell are enough… In those moments, nothing more is needed – just run and feel. And then I understood that I love Zhytomyr»
Translated by Aliona Matushevich
