What Was 2019 Like?

We have entered a new decade of 21st century, opening up a year 2020. So, what was the 2019 like? Let me tell you, pretty intense...

Last year was quite challenging one, if I am being honest... As a person loving challenges and changes, I am not complaining. I learnt a lot. But I also remember being in tears and at the end of all my strenghts...and only thanks to my friends and people I love, I was able to push through and not give up.

In 2019 I ended important chapters of my life:

• I have completed a divorce (see the article on How to Get a Divorce in Finland), which however wanted and needed, was difficult and painful,
• I had to change a daycare of our two lovely kids, as in the old one we started to feel tension and I was not sure anymore, how fitting and accepting the enviroment is for them.
• I ended my parental leave. In Finland, just as in the Czech republic, it is possible to stay at home with kids until the age of 3, being financially supported by KELA (article on this topic is being prepared, released soon).

...and at the same time opened a brand new door by starting my studies at Stadin Aikuisen ja Ammattiopisto in Helsinki to become a professional masseus. Crazy as I am, I felt like my life is not difficult enough, so I chose to study in Finnish, giving my brain a shocking language bath and almost paralyzing it (Video on what it is like to learn Finnish in an adult age...and a video about polylingual children is almost ready... both will be released this month).

In a meantime I have become more familiar and comfortable with myself and started exploring what is it I want from life, how I want to live and who I want to invite in.

As a part of the shocking and for some quite unexpected change I have gotten a long desired tattoo at One Eye Tattoo in Alppila  Helsinki, and first time in my life colored my hair in a hidden rainbow at Hiushuone Booster in Vuosaari Helsinki.

I have lost some people I will always remember dearly, but I have also strengthened some of the connections and invited in people I would never believed to enter. Overall I am grateful especially to all of my friends and loved ones, to lift me up and hold me, while I needed it the most, and to my children, for being amazing as they are, despite their mother.

One of the sadder events was total closing of Kaivopihan karaokekellari, (see articles Kaivopihan karaokekellari and Live band karaoke in Kaivopihan karaokekellari) my favourite karaoke bar. I have spent there significant amount of my free time, shedding tears of joy as well as sadness, singing my heart out, getting to know fellow karaoke enthusiasts, some of them becoming my friends, people I hold close to my heart. It will always be in my memory the place, where I rediscovered my passion for singing/for life.

End of the year also brought me amazing begining - very inspiring friend of mine Riina was kind enough to offer me a shared workspace right at the centre of Helsinki, giving me possibility to practice and work on my client base. (Check out Riina's webpage Ihmettyyppi.)

If I sum it up, 2019 was all about endings... metaphorical, as well as literal ones... and slight peek into what lies ahead. I cannot wait, what 2020 has prepared for me and my kids.

What was your 2019 like? What are your hopes for 2020? Tell me about it...

And if you wanna listen to some music, check out the video I had the honour to help making - a song Chaos, by my dear friend Katri Somerjoki, aka Catrione.