The happystepz challenge; A 30 day awareness game.

If the twelve months of every year would represent a miss world competition, February would win the Miss No Flow cup with flying colors. It's our least favorite month of the year when nothing seems to be flowing and you've hit something that feels like the great wall, not of China, but of your emotions. Basically you have reached the end point to every optimistic start you made in January, only that long winter that never seems to end lingers on. By the time we are modestly welcomed into a new month by March it’s about time to turn those tables around. That’s the reason March is represented as Miss Bloom, a month of new opportunities and where new ideas are born. We've came up with the following idea; Let's turn these dreadful winter months into a beautiful start of this spring by making a 30 day photo challenge out of it. The thought alone lifted our mood by tenfold. So let us explain:

THE HAPPYSTEPZ CHALLENGE
STARTING ON APRIL 1st

These are the rules: during these 30 days we will post a happiness related quote on Instagram and this blog each day and your task is to take a photo of something of your interpretation of this quote. Difficult? Not at all!

Let's practice a little bit!

When I say happy! You say sunshine!

When I say zen! You say beach!

When I say mindfulness! You say yoga mat!

When I say gratitude is your new attitude! You say my daily morning coffee!

We will post our own photo interpretation of these quotes every day as well.

Follow us on Instagram @happystepz

Tag all your photos #happystepzchallenge

By doing this Happystepz challenge we will take happiness to another level. It's a process of awareness and living in the now and if you join us we will show you how YOU can also reach this state of mind. Redirect your mind and attract the life you want. One step at a time.

Be happy and with love,

Ilona and Ana

Happiness lies in the eye of the beholder

One of my bigger passions in life is photography. Mankind has been expressing themselves ever since the first caveman paintings some 40.000 years ago.  People only need their creative skills and imagination to produce beauty. Paintings, literature, movies, songs and so on, are all various ways how people are trying to speak to others.  Photography is one of my favorite forms of expression. Especially looking through the lens of a camera and taking that flawless picture. Or spending hours on apps like Pinterest or Instagram. Appreciating the splendor caught on camera by others. 

I wasn't a natural born photography lover. I remember when I was a kid I hated having my picture taken. I have tons of pictures where I look grumpy or I’m looking away from the camera. I blame my relatives. Although I have a professional photographer within the family, most of my relatives can’t take a good picture even if their lives depend on it. Seriously, I kid you not. Most of my childhood pictures are horrible. I have pictures where all the heads of the people in it, are cut off. Now a days when photos like that are taken they are called artsy. Hmm… maybe my mom was just ahead of her time however I sincerely doubt that. 

Depending on your age or affiliation with photography you may or may not have worked with analog camera’s. Back in the ‘dinosaur era’, you only had a roll of film to capture that perfect moment. That’s another reason why so many pictures were that awful back then. Once taken there was no way back. Thanks to digital camera’s you can take and retake and adjust until it’s perfection. 

My view on photography changed once I got behind the camera myself. I finally got to see the world the way I wanted. Capturing my vision and how I feel at that very moment together in one perfect memory on film. One image speaks volumes. It can say something to me and speak a different language to someone else.  That’s the beauty of it. Interpretation is up to the imagination.     

                                                                                                                           With love, Ana

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Self(ie)tastic

Taking selfies is a hot item. Oxford dictionaries named selfie the word of the year in 2013. Scientists have written articles where they link taking selfies to narcissism or mental illness. Mental illness? That might be in some cases but let's get real, humankind feels the need to eternalize that face for ages. I bet if Vincent van Gogh would have lived today he would have taken 40 selfies a day, instead of painting those 40 portraits of himself and call it art. He might even have experimented with the right angle some more and would have discovered within a day that the right side of his face was the better one. Luckily he didn't and we can still take pleasure in his paintings today. Humans go to places where they clap, stamp their feet, move from left to right and shake their booty just because they enjoy doing it. It sounds a bit strange describing it, but it's called dancing and considered normal human behavior. Taking a selfie is nothing more than 21st century human behavior and it might be time for some scientists to stop racking their brains and accept the trend for what it is to most people; normal.

Personally I am not ashamed to admit I take selfies, because having your picture taken by others can be a bit embarrassing sometimes. I often feel uncomfortable. Especially on those days when you can't find the right pose without that awkward grin on your face and all you want to do is to aboard mission. Before you know it, that grin is all over your friends Facebook page or framed and hanging on someone's wall of shame. A selfie is a good way to take matters into your own hand.

Now that you are in control, how do you take the best selfie without photoshopping? I discovered that you can take a good shot with snapchat, actually it's a winner every time. Make sure you use natural light in one of the corners of your room, not too much, just a little to make those eyes shine and to give your face a beautiful natural glow. All that's left is finding the right side of your face, research shows that's usually the left side, and give it a 25 percent smile. Success guaranteed, no filter needed. Don't go overboard with all the duck faces, body parts and gymselfies. They say, less is more. As long as you stick to the principles mentioned above there is no need to consult a psychiatrist for mental illness yet. Enjoy yourself, that's what life is all about.

Be happy,
~Ilona~

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Fast dying enthusiasm

We are Ilona and Ana and we have been suffering from fast dying enthusiasm for years now. Are you familiar with the phenomenon of enthusiastically enrolling into new projects when spotted, but then the enthusiasm quickly fades away because of lack of time or effort? Great plans that never actually follow through? That's what we call fast dying enthusiasm. Many great ideas have come to mind these past couple of years. Some died within a few seconds, others slowly disappeared into oblivion over time. However, there is one project we actually managed to finish, and that left us with such an overwhelming feeling of euphoria that we cannot but share it with you. 

Last February, on a cold winter day, we bumped into a website called 100happydays.com that challenges people to stay happy for a hundred days in a row. The task? Taking a picture of your happy moment every day. Lack of time is why many people fail to finish the 100 happy days, most likely they suffer from fast dying enthusiasm like us too, or they might have taken procrastinating up as a hobby. We were drawn to this project because we could use a good kick in the butt towards happiness at that time. Sometimes you are stuck in a cycle and so blinded you don't see the good things that are right in front of you. Those little things that make life worth living. If you are able to be grateful for the smallest of things, your life will effortlessly start flowing towards all your desires.

Sure. We love photography, therefore the challenge of one selfie a day, would not have been so difficult to play. So how can one picture of a happy moment every day create happiness? Well it doesn’t, it’s the thought behind it that does. Let’s rephrase that question, can you sum up at least ten things that make you happy every day? Take a moment to think about that. Some people cannot even name five. How long has it been for you to really take the time to smell the roses on a lovely spring day? This all gets you thinking, right? That's exactly what this project does to you. It makes you ponder life, the things that are really worth living and it gives you a huge appreciation for all that already is. Adding a little bonus to that, to avoid hundred of the same looking photos, you will plan many activities with your family and friends. Maybe you will even go wild, step out of your comfort zone, explore and do things you never did before. The result will be great documented memories, and a much happier you. 

The 100 happy days inspired us to be happier people.  It inspired us so much that we started this lifestyle blog where we would like to share nothing but happiness related topics. Fast dying enthusiasm, we have been officially cured.

After 100 days one bubble of happiness

Pre-launch happystepz

Ten happystepz to enjoy this holiday season 

1. Find joy in the art of baking. Nothing gets you more into the Christmas spirit than a house filled with the smell of fresh baked chocolate cookies, a loaf of bread or other pastries. Don't hold back on your creativity and make your own gingerbread house. With a hot chocolate on the side, you are half way onto a heart full of holiday happiness.

2. While that heart is filling up with seasonal cheesiness dress up and go wild on a jolly Christmas photo shoot.

3. Share your joy and happiness with others and go all out in the art of giving.
4. Go Bridget Jones and follow the over the top ugly Christmas sweater trend. This season there is a great assortment of cheesy Christmas sweaters in most stores. Don't be a stranger, choose your sweater and wear it with pride. 
5. There is nothing more mindfulness than spending hours gift wrapping. 

6. When we say hot cocoa, you say friends! After a day of christmas shopping, get them all together snuggling up around the fireplace and cherish the moment.

7. Become a mister Bean copycat and surprise yourself with a lovely present. Go on! You deserve it!

8. Entertain yourself with a jump for joy while wearing that ugly christmas sweater. It's laugh therapy guaranteed.

9. Make a Christmas playlist and sing along with your favorite Christmas songs all day long.

10. Take those photo shoot pictures, make your own Christmas cards, go digital and wish everybody the most awesome christmas ever!

Stay tuned. The official blog will be launched soon!