A Beautiful Gift

 Bom dia!

Life is a gift. I read it everywhere, I hear it everywhere and I totally agree on that. It is such an incredible gift that like with everything I tend to get used to it.

I get used to having a healthy and delicious food in my stomach each day, I get used to living in incredibly stunning nature places, I get used to my strong and healthy body, to the mind that has space to think, to my job that I love. Ohh man, being privileged takes you there.

Human nature is funny, either we remind each day to ourselves how precious life is or we just take everything for granted.

For most of my lived life I often craved for good sensations, for good experiences, for happiness and joy. And it is still there. But these couple of years I have been much more acceptant to live through the not so happy times. To still find a gratitude each day. To learn how to observe and accept the things that didn’t go planned. And man, it’s hard!

I also felt that staying optimistic is very important, but my life went so beautifully fulfilling that to stay optimistic was never too hard. Only when I started to face little struggles, to see the unravelling conditionings of mine, only then I really felt this need of gratitude. It is always much easier to stay happy when the sun shines, but what about when it rains?

Today has been an interesting day. And it inspired me to write a post.

There was a very strong feeling of observation of my mood today. Now, I am this kind of person who often wakes up and smiles with the world. I take it as my strength and I value it. But the mornings I wake up with an absolute irritation is actually- a gift to me from life (which often is hard to see it as a gift!). It’s my reality check, asking me, hey, and so what you gonna choose today-to react and infect others with the shit you deal or choose to observe, smile at it, forgive yourself for having all these trivial little problems and move on with the day. And it’s so fucking hard to choose the second option! But if I don’t, it doesn’t matter how optimistic I can be on my good days. And today I managed to stick with a second option. And what a beautiful gift life can offer.

The moment I started to observe it, I became lighter. Not that the little irritations disappeared but the feeling of compassion appeared-compassion to myself. And that shifted my energy giving me a space to see my mood as a separate entity from my Self. Do you know what I mean?

I guess in short, I feel very grateful and there was a need to share it with you, my dear friends.

And I am still in beautiful Portugal. Summer is here, the heat is coming, the leaves are drying and the sun starts giving me blisters on my lip. I am still cooking for Kristina and Nick, playing with wild ocean from time to time, connecting with people and observing cats. The animals often give me a sense of grounding and the present moment feel.

I will be in Portugal for another month, and then…. A new destination!

Thank you for reading this and being interested in my life,

Enjoy the month of June!

Ligita

healthy breakfast!

budha bowl, or jesus?

tofu salad with spinach crepes

burnt faces!!

no-bake chocolate tart

dancing times

jackfruit tempeh salad

I love the colours!

Palak Tofu Curry

Portugal beaches are stunning!

vegan finger food feast

trying to draw, evil pics?

the view from Sintra

Tofu Balls

black bean sweet potato patties

Berries Cheesecake

Teriyaki Eggplant with garden beans

still trying :)

pan grilled eggplant salad with beetroot mash

Banana Caramel Parfait

vegan twix

re-union with Fraga after 10 years no see! 

banana pancakes!

smoothie bowls

wholegain spelt ravioli with spinach cashew filling

asian style noodles with seitan

Nomadic in Portugal

Bom Dia my dear friends,

Well, 2021 for me seems to have not that many blog posts.

Since my last one couple of months have passed and the intensity I have been talking about have followed me for a little bit.

I am still in Portugal and I am still alive. I am still enjoying my nomadic lifestyle and I am still in love with life.

These past months have been beautiful. I spent 2 months volunteering at the Quinta Alma, ecological glamping/camping place with many beautiful volunteers and an amazing green lush hills around.

I made good friends and fell in love. Or should I say, I rose in love as falling in love sounds too much like loosing yourself.

The time went fast, and it was filled with fun, lots of cooking, some oiling and painting, lake swimming, impro singing/jamming and many other activities that one can create. My new friends let me feel loved and cared for. Some dinner parties, crazy Hugo’s b-day party, beach days made me so happy and content.

And then the time has come to close those doors and continue new adventures. I moved towards South of Lisbon and the Universe brought me a job opportunity as a private vegan cook which at the moment I am actually doing.

Few days ago, while talking to Kristina, I have realised something that I always like to mention in my my blogs.

For these past many years, I have been sharing some adventures with you, sometimes very vaguely, sometimes funny and sometimes very personal. I have indeed many times wanted to stop all this as I believed that it is really a little bit like showing off without knowing. But from time to time I would receive the most beautiful and encouraging messages from some of you that my writing or the way I see the life have inspired some of you. And to hear that, is a complete joy. So I continued writing.

However though, I wanted to tell you that this life I lead, this adventurous spontaneous lifestyle is not always like tinted glasses.

Many people often tell me that they would love to have such freedom, they would love to travel as much as I do but I think only few realise that this kind of life also requires some sacrifices. You are constantly saying hello and good bye, and some goodbyes are fucking painful. You are never sure when will your next income gonna be and what kind of job you’ll have next. You stop seeing your friends growing as it is nearly impossible to keep a close contact with all your loved ones. And you have to leave behind all the sentimental and personal belongings as your one and old backpack is just too small to get everything in. Relationships are seldom and mostly you live off the platonic romances…

BUT! Life becomes like a surprise box. You are constantly travelling through change. You learn that life is just one constant change. You notice small things and start to appreciate the most common commodities you take every day for granted. Life becomes full of new conversations, ideas, colours and smells. You learn things you would have never thought you’d be capable of doing. You live in the spontaneous existence with an open heart.

Of course, you don’t need to travel to feel free or to look straight into your fears eyes but to me, travelling is one of the most beautiful tools to help me grow and become the person I am today.

So I guess my sharing of today is to inspire you to do the things that makes you grow and makes your heart sing. And it doesn't need to be travelling if you don't truly feel it. 

I love you all and send you big kiss from Portugal

Good night my dear ones,

With much love

Ligita

beautiful nature

loving the push ups

Quinta Alma

cats love

I found a flower between the flowers <3

my office

sushi time

Hugo's bday

Cute Mago

Becca and Rafa

creamy courgettes with quinoa and black bean balls

temascal

summer is coming!

preparation

apple slices with berries and peanut butter

my portuguese lovers <3

at Quinta

no bake granola bars

jammin'

panang curry with soy seitan and marinated cucumbers

love is in the air

creamy mushroom spaghetti with asparagus and sugar snap beans

another mandala on the wall

Hugo's party

lazy campers

overnight chia pudding

amazing earrings from Columbia, thanks Kerys!

my new fav cat Dj Jimbo