California Road Trip pt. II : A Different World

On our trip we got to experience some of the treasures California has to offer. The first pictures are from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Looking at the creatures of the deep blue made me think of all the variety there is when I dare to look outside of my box. Even though we humans tend to create comfort zones, where everything is predictable and not too different, diversity inspires. 

There is so much hidden beauty all around us, but when we look through the glasses of how our society defines beauty, we are deceived. We begin to devalue and undermine features that go against the main stream, the alleged normal. It's such an appalling lie that everyone is supposed to look a certain way. It even sounds completely insane when said out loud, but that my friend is the sad reality. Most of us have been affected by the standards set by whoknowswho for so long, that we're not even able to discern the truth. We are used to sayings like "you're beautiful just the way you are" and " beauty comes from the inside out", but they don't really mean anything to us. We've heard and seen exactly what beautiful looks like through numerous presentations in the media and conversations of what's hot and what's not. The saddest part is that after accepting these standards as truths, we don't apply them only to ourselves, but everyone around us and judge accordingly. We become jealous, competitive and self-destructive.

For years I struggled with this myself, until I understood my unique purpose. I believe that we all have a special calling. Everyone brings something distinct to this world that no other person can. Nothing in you is a mistake, you were created intentionally exactly the way you are so that you can carry out your very own purpose. You're not in a competition with anyone else, you can't become someone else and no one can ever be you. Why waste any more time trying to be something you're not? 

When you stop fighting against who you are, you begin to unleash all the potential placed inside of you. When you start loving yourself, you learn to love others and you're able to focus on your own mission.

Dare to be different… Dare to be you.

The rest of the pictures are from our road trip down Highway 1 and from a very special location called the Hearst Castle (please google it, there are far more pictures showing off this majestic castle). The building began in 1919 and was actually never finished after the builders, the newspaper magnate William Hearst's, death in 1951, but his vision is still very much alive in that place. Great dreamers always leave the greatest legacies.

xxx

Photos by me 

(except the ones with me in them are by my husband)

Editing: Eino Manner

California Road Trip pt. I : Suits and Weddings

Our five week vacation to California has come to an end and I'm excited to share some of our highlights with you. The trip was really all that it was meant to be and I couldn't feel more blessed right now. Seeing the faces of my "other family", breathing in the warm coastal breeze, eating Mexican food every other night and enjoying the free spirited atmosphere that's so unique to this country, was exactly what my heart needed. 

We stayed in the Bay area (San Francisco) for the first week, because we had the honour to attend the wedding of these two extraordinary people. The thing is, during my relatively short life, I've already been to countless weddings. I've seen numerous beautiful brides and handsome grooms, distinguished decorations, breathtaking venues and mouthwatering foods. I know there are many who can't seem to understand the point of putting a ring on it and spending too much money on just a party. Why go through the trouble? This wedding felt like an answer to that. Even though the event was planned with care and everything and everyone was absolutely beautiful (seriously, when was the last time you saw a bride this gorgeous??) it wasn't about those things at all. It wasn't "just a party". It wasn't about making everything seem flawless and perfect. It was an invitation to their hearts and their journey. We got to be part of a vulnerable and powerful moment where two people committed their lives to honor and serve each other. In a world where marriage has lost it's meaning, they stood against the grain and declared their vows not to be afraid of other peoples failures, setting their own standards regardless of any statistics. They showed that they're not afraid and that's one of the corner stones of a lasting relationship.

Instead of wearing the traditional dress, I opted for something a little more modern. The suit. If I wasn't still such a beginner in photography and hadn't forgotten to bring my flash to the wedding (that's why some of the pictures are also a little blurry), you would be able to see my purple heels. They did bring a nice pop of color to the look, but now you just have to imagine it there :)

Have an interesting and eventful weekend! 

Stay tuned for part II!

xxx

Photos by me

Editing: Eino Manner

Suit: Zara

Silk shirt: Vintage

Attention to Details

What I love most about this outfit is that it is the perfect blend of feminine and masculine. The military jacket brings the right amount of structure to the floral print.

The dark undertones are what makes these pants transition so easily from warm summer nights to cold winter days.

It's the details that catch my eye. Wether it's bold silver buttons, skilfully composed prints or elaborately created leather. The details make a piece stand out and make it unique.

Lately I've actually found myself too focused on details. Instead of looking at the big picture and trying to move on from there, I've emphasized the little things (that didn't feel so little in the moment), stared too closely at everything and found myself frustrated and ungrateful as a result. I guess I've always been some kind of perfectionist and nothing less hasn't been enough. It has taken time to develop an encouraging inner voice, in other words I've had to learn to talk more positively to myself. Even when I've failed and fallen straight on my face, it has been a new experience to get right up, dust off the dirt, learn from what happened and move on instead of wailing that why I had to fall in the first place. See that's where the big picture comes in handy. In those situations where you feel like you've messed up, or you even feel like you've made bad decisions time after time and there's no hope for your situation, step a few steps back and look again. No matter how desperate your situation is, there is always a way out. I believe we all have a purpose and a destiny, the big picture. There's something unique to each and everyone of us that no one else can bring to this world. Lets stop wasting our time on what we are not able to do or what we've missed out on and focus on all the things we're capable of. This world needs the distinctive mix of qualities, visions and dreams that you carry to be lived out and released.

xxx

ps. I'm on a road trip in California, so my posts have been a little delayed. But stay tuned for upcoming posts and pictures from the trip! The photography won't be as spectacular as all the previous ones since I couldn't pay my wonderful photographer to come and capture it all and I only started taking more pictures lately, but I've done my best :)

Photos by Adriana Dobrin

Jacket: Malene Birger

Knit and Pants: Zara

Shoes: Urban a

Dreamy

Powder pink has become one of my favourite colours. It's cool and sophisticated all in one. Add the texture of suede to it and it becomes the perfect piece for fall and winter.

Here I added some contrast to it with black to make it stand out, but dare to dress up in it head to toe or pair it with whites and nudes to create a dreamier version of the "all white" .

You can call me crazy, but I'm a firm believer in dreaming. With dreaming I mean a very detailed visualisation of my future and my actions. It's not just wishing I had a pretty home or the dream job, but actually picturing myself in the position I want to be, whether it is about becoming healthier or conquering a fear like giving a speech. Athletes have used mental practises for years. Studies have shown that brain patterns that were activated when a weight lifter lifted hundreds of kilograms were similarly activated when they only imagined lifting. This obviously doesn't mean you can get fit by just imagining to work out (we wish), but doing both the mental and physical practices is more effective than either alone. If an athlete can perform better by the power of visualisation then why not apply to other areas in life? In our world of facts and realities, it can feel like a waste of time to train the imagination and yet all of the great women and men who made a change in this world were in the end dreamers. They had to be able to picture the outcome before it was reality or anyone else was able to see it, to get pass all the failures and attempts that made it seem impossible. Albert Einstein, Michael Jackson, Steve Jobs and Martin Luther King are only a few of the great dreamers.

You can start off with imagining how you're going to perform well at your job or kick your butt at the gym. Starting the day off by visualising how you're going to do all your tasks well and efficiently will set you up for a more successful outcome than by pulling the rug from under your feet by getting all depressed before you even tried. 

Don't be scared to lift up your hopes and begin to dream. It will open up new doors and dimensions that you didn't even know existed. Stop limiting yourself with negative thoughts and choose who you want to be.

xxx

Pictures by Adriana Dobrin

Biker Jacket: Zara

Shirt: Zara

Skirt: H&M

Beanie: Urban Outfitters

Shoes: Clarks

Got You Covered

A trench coat has been on my list forever, but waiting for the right one definitely paid off. It was the powder pink colour that caught my eye. I love finding basics with a twist.

Pairing two different patterns might feel like risky business. If you want to stay on the safe side, do it with clear patterns that either are completely different to create that contrast, or from the same colour scheme to make it more solid.

Getting these boots was a little miracle. Now they've become one of my favourites. 

 After a long indian summer the weather is slowly starting to change and turn colder. It's time to invest in cozy sweaters and quality coats to take us through Finland's stormy fall and freezing winter. Helsinki is beautiful in the fall and I actually enjoy the turbulent winds and dark nights, a good reason to stay home under warm covers and enjoy a cup of tea or hot chocolate. The other thing keeping me covered through it all are my friends. I don't think I even understood what friendship really meant until a few years ago and I wouldn't be exaggerating by saying that I might have the best friends a person could wish for. Before, it was about what I was able to get, what I benefitted from it. Obviously it wasn't a clear motive, more like a subconscious one. With any relationships, really, it's very common to focus on how the other person should change, be nicer, more helpful and considerate. It was easy to externalise issues that really were an inside job. Blame the surroundings for not making me happy, when in reality, I'm the only one who's responsible for my happiness. So instead of focusing on how my circumstances, friends and husband should change, I started to work on how I can be a better worker, friend, sister, daughter and wife. No matter how cliché it sounds, when you sow love, you will reap it. It's a law of nature. I learned that giving is actually far more exiting and fulfilling than just being on the receiving end. Keeping my love on through any weather is what real friendship is about. So...

Who could you love on today?

xxx

Photos by Adriana Dobrin

Coat: Topshop

Shirt: COS

Jeans: Zara

Belt: second hand

Shoes: Zara